Day 8 - Fort Bragg - Newark, CA

We shifted from views of trees to views of the Pacific Ocean on Day 8.  Gone were the forests and here were the amazing sights as we travelled south on California 1.

Our first stop after leaving Fort Bragg was Point Cabrillo where one of the most complete light stations in the U.S. sits.  We had a nice 1/2 mile walk down a trail from the parking lot, through thickets of juniper, waves of tall grass, and many other shrubbery.  At the end of the trail were some cliffside paths that offered up views of the surrounding shoreline as the Pacific crashed in.  The lighthouse began operating in 1909 and was manned until 1973.  It was also used to simulate a Soviet radar base for training exercises during the Cold War.

We lunched in the artsy town of Mendocino where we had a fantastic meal and enjoyed people watching.  The town reminded me of a small coastal New England village.  The houses had weathered wood, everyone's doors and windows were open, and folks were milling about going from art gallery to art gallery.  Our cafe also had a beautiful flower garden in the "backyard" which was lovely to walk through.

The rest of the afternoon was continued driving south and pulling out where views were outstanding.  We also took a side road down to the Point Arena Lighthouse.  It was closed, but the shore around it was beautiful.  I was able to photograph some seals sunning themselves on the shoals, that is until a big wave would come along and either temporarily cover them or knock them off all together.  None of them were barking, oddly enough.  I guess they were just pleased to be in the sun and water.

Later in the afternoon, the shoreline became dramatic in a different way as it turned from rocky and craggy to steep and hilly.  The wind also picked up which made the drive even more interesting!

By happenstance, I took a turn to the right and went down to Goat Rock Beach.  The road descended quickly and pretty soon we were nearly at sea level.  The wind was howling in from the sea and spray from the water was everywhere.  Not only did our faces get exfoliated, but we also viewed Arched Rock and got to really feel the power of the ocean.  I'll just say that there ARE some advantages to having very little hair...nothing gets messed up when battling the sea winds!

Dinner was at a local spot in Bodega Bay right on the bay itself where Carolyn enjoyed excellent seafood.  A short drive later and we arrived at our hotel on the south side of San Francisco Bay.  Our trip is starting to draw to a close, but we continue to pack in so much every day!

Day 7 - Crescent City - Fort Bragg, CA

The word of the day for Day 7 was:  TREES!  Our hotel on the harbor at Crescent City was on the northern boundary of the Redwood National and State Parks so it was an easy morning to slip right into tree viewing.  After a great stop at the visitor center where a very knowledgeable volunteer gave us perfect tips for the visit, we set off!

At the Del Norte Coast grove, we saw our first coastal redwoods.  They are relatives of the giant sequoia which is seen in the Sierra Nevadas, but the redwoods are bigger.  They feed off the fog that rolls in nearly daily and can reach 1,500+ years old pretty easily.  These giants tend to clump together in groves and through the many interpretive signs we learned that what we have and see today is only about 5% of what used to be here.  Logging in the 19th and 20th centuries cut down many of these giants.

In between groves, we were treated to some amazing seashore AND the sun was out this morning!  We even detoured up a hill for the Klamath River viewpoint so we could see the river meet the ocean.  Also finally saw some surfers as the waves appeared to be bigger.

One of the things I've learned in traveling is to "eat local."  We found a little diner nestled right along the scenic highway.  It reminded me a lot of Shorty's back home, but we had a wonderfully quirky waitress, dined with loggers and locals, and had some great laughs!

After lunch, we dived back into the forest.  One stop was the "Big Tree" which is one of the few named trees.  The park service realized that if it named trees, people would want to stop and see the specific ones and thus would get up close and trample around the bases, which would do more harm to the tree than good.  Along the byway, there were several trailheads that ventured off into the forest.  We took a couple and were reward with amazing sights and sounds.  We ended our time at the Redwood park with a hike to the Lady Bird Johnson grove.  She was here in 1968 and 1969 and this area was dedicated to her.

Leaving the park we were snapped back into civilization as we arrived in Eureka about 5:00 on Friday evening.  Traffic and people were everywhere!  However, a bit south of there we jumped onto the Avenue of Giants scenic parkway.  This is a state park that isn't quite as polished as the national park, but still amazing.  The trees were so thick here that you would drive from a meadow where the sun was shining into the thick of the forest where your bright headlights were needed.  One of our favorite stops was a trailhead we took that lead by two creaking trees.  At first we thought we'd come upon a bear or other animal sleeping, but alas...just a giant tree swaying and creaking.

Our drive continued south as the sun set and we were able to catch some pink rays above the Eel River bank.  We soon arrived in Garberville where we found dinner at an amazing New Orleans bistro with a live band!  Garberville is apparently known for being the "marijuana heartland of the U.S." according to the BBC; marijuana cultivation has replaced timber as the economic driver in the area.

It took longer to get to the hotel then planned because the road was VERY curvy.  Made it safe and sound, just a little late.

We continue our trek south and will be in Silicon Valley for our next stop.

“One of my most unforgettable memories of the past years is walking through the Redwoods last November – seeing the lovely shafts of light filtering through the trees so far above, feeling the majesty and silence of that forest, and watching a salmon rise in one of those swift streams – all our problems seemed to fall into perspective and I think every one of us walked out more serene and happier.” - Lady Bird Johnson - July 30, 1969