Monday May 25: We are up early to finish packing, as today we are leaving the Pit River Campground in northeastern California on our journey back to Idaho. We have a quick breakfast of yogurt topped with applesauce, and as we are getting ready to go, we hear the couple, who came in late yesterday, shouting at each other and babies crying. Someone calls the sheriff. How sad that people live in such unhappiness; it is very unsettling to me. Not a good way to end such a lovely peaceful stay as we have had here.
We are soon on our way, heading north on highway 299, with beautiful cumulus clouds billowing above us. Past Fall River Mills the valley opens up; lots of ponderosa and some ranch land, then back into sage brush land.
When we arrive at Goose Lake, which straddles the California-Oregon border and appears on the map to be a body of water stretching for 20 miles, there is virtually no lake left. The drought has made it impossible for this lake to be replenished. Dry steep barren hills and sagebrush dominate the landscape along with the mud flat that was once a lake bottom.
We had planned to spend the night at Goose Lake State Park, but it is still early afternoon and seeing the condition of the area, we decide to push on. It is a bit of a long haul to our next destination, but Clifford is up for it. The road, although narrow, is straight and flat with not much traffic, so we make good time. Leaving Lakeview, the town north of Goose Lake where we stop for gas, the landscape reminds me of the country south of Lamy, New Mexico, where we used to live: rugged with sage, juniper, and small pines.
Arthur Lake, which on the map is much smaller than Goose Lake, is a sizable body of water set in a most barren landscape of flat land to the west and rock-strewn mesas along the highway to the east of us.
Once past Arthur Lake, the mesas open up to miles and miles of sagebrush, nothing but sagebrush.
We are happy to finally arrive at the town of Riley, where we turn at the junction toward the BLM Chickahominy Campground just a few miles to the west.
We drive through the campground, grateful to be here, looking for a site out the wind. We end up picking a site, designated by nothing more than a rugged plank picnic table, alongside the reservoir. It is windy everywhere, so we might as well go for pretty. The landscape here has its own unique beauty with a mix of black lava rock, obsidian, and sagebrush. The reservoir is lower than normal, but it still has water and here we have the best views. Later the wind dies down and it is quite pleasant. Even though we are doing a modified set-up, the tub of pots and pans is accessible and I cook a real meal to nourish our weary bodies.
Before heading to bed, I take photos of the lovely sunset colors reflecting off the water and write in my journal. Clifford, worn out from the day’s driving, is in bed before I am, which doesn’t happen very often. Looking out at the reflections on the water, I am glad for the stillness at the close of this day.
Friday May 22: I begin my day at the Pit River campground by doing a few yoga stretches under the great limbs of the oak tree at our campsite.
After breakfast I make a cup of coffee, grab my journal, and head over to the day use area. It is more private there and the picnic tables offer a view of either the river or the lagoon, depending on which table I choose. I write several post cards to family and friends before I write in my journal. So peaceful sitting here, writing and listening to the sounds of the river and the birds.
Journal and coffee by the lagoon
In the afternoon we make a trip to Fall River Mills to the post office to pick up a package sent to us with stuff we left at our friends’ guest house: Clifford’s hotspot, which we need, and our coats left in a closet. Thanks, Kate! Back at camp, Clifford naps while I write and take photos. Rain comes in the afternoon – very welcome in the drought-stricken northwest.
Cumulus growing
We walk down to the river in the early evening, talking about this and that until the sun goes down. Back at camp, we watch a big cumulus cloud grow and move slowly away, to be replaced by a handsome sunset.
Replaced by a handsome sunset
Mist in the trees
Saturday May 23: I am up at 7:00 a.m. and greeted by mist hanging in the trees around the campsite. I hustle on over to the lagoon for photos before the mist fades away. Even though I never once got a photo of mist while in the redwoods or visiting the ocean on this trip, here in the dry northeastern corner of California we have another misty morning. Go figure!
Mist on the Pit River
Today, after breakfast, we go to Burney, a town about 15 miles to the west. We need gas, propane, and water. We also want to get caught up with email, so find a little city park where we can hang out using Clifford’s hotspot. Although email works, I can’t upload photos to wordpress and waste a lot of time trying. Clifford gets some of his things done while we are here, but it isn’t that much fun or productive for me. I will have good internet eventually, but I don’t like wasting my precious time.
Lagoon in the early evening
After dinner I head down to the river and the lagoon before the warm light fades. Clifford was going to go with me, but he is dallying, so I go on by myself. Upon returning to camp, he still wants to go, so we return together, too late for photos, but lovely in the dusk light and nice to have a short outing together. At the camp, every site is over- flowing with cars and people for the Memorial weekend. Not far from us a group plays guitars and sings a lot – nice to see families and friends getting together to do that.
The view from the campsite
Sunday May 24: We are staying at Pit River another day since it may be hard to find a place to camp if we leave today, being Memorial weekend. I spend much of the day organizing and packing, which takes longer than usual since food, utensils, and clothing need to be available for three one-night stops between here and Lee’s Creek in western Montana, where we will be staying longer. For the one night stops, we don’t open the Pony (our pop-up tent trailer) all the way or unpack the tubs that are closely packed on the floor space for traveling. It is not very convenient, but takes a lot less time to set up and take down, since mostly we just need a place to sleep and a couple of meals at each stop.
Wild roses grow near the lagoon
I make my usual trips to visit the lagoon and the Pit River while Clifford studies all day.
In the evening I make a campfire, the only one during our stay here. This has been a good spot for us with the river and the lagoon, trees, shrubs, and flowers, the sky with great clouds, mist, and rain. An oasis of lovely beauty, nourishing for the soul.
Wednesday May 20: After breakfast at the guest house north of Sacramento, we say good-bye to our generous and gracious hostess, who urges us to take any food from the fridge or cupboards that we can use. Our coolers are packed to the hilt as well as a grocery bag of goodies! Then we are on our way north, but rather than camping in the Sierras as planned, we decide on a route that will take us more directly back to Idaho, not as the crow flies, but according to the easiest road to travel with the Pony (our pop-up tent trailer).
Scenic in its own way
We travel I-5 north to Redding, the scenery ever-changing around us. At Redding, we take highway 299 with our destination being a BLM campground along the Pit River near the town of Fall River Mills. The road is narrow, winding, and it is raining, so our travel is slower on this stretch of road. The landscape is still very scenic, but the lushness of the coastal area is being left behind.
First view of Mount Lassen to the south
The tall ponderosa
We arrive at the Pit River campground in the early evening and are surprised to find only two sites still available (this is only Wednesday, after all), one by the gate and one by the toilet. It is a no-brainer that we choose the one by the gate. I was somewhat close-minded toward being here because of the big hydroelectric plant that we passed on the way into the campground, and this is definitely not the Sierras or Mount Lassen, nor is it right on the river. But as we settle in, I see that, although the spot is small and we can’t get far off the road, it is still a nice site with a great spreading oak tree on our front side, a tall ponderosa right behind the Pony, and shrubs all around for privacy. Many trees live here, and the Pit River and a lovely lagoon can be seen from the day use area.
The Pit River
We walk down to the river before we finish setting up, as we want to take a look before it gets too dark. I learn from the information kiosk that the Pit River, named for the pits dug along its bank by the Ajumawi tribe, is the largest river system in northeastern California, with a watershed of over 4,000 square miles.
A lovely lagoon
Soon after we finish setting up, it begins to rain again – glad we didn’t have to set up in the rain; the timing was perfect.
Rainy evening at our Pit River home
Good Morning, Pit River
Thursday May 21: There is a little mist in the early morning, but it dissipates before I get to the river. As I take photos of the lagoon and the rapids that span the river, I keep a watchful eye for the otters that I’ve been told live here, but see no sign of them.
Rapids across the Pit River
Looking down on the Pit River and the Winter Road
After breakfast we drive to the Vista Point to look down on the Winter’s Road and the bridge over the Pit River. This toll road and the bridge were built in 1871 to bring tourists to the area and purchased in 1872 by Captain William Henry Winter, the founder of Fall River Mills. Later the road was purchased by the county and the toll was dropped; the road and bridge were abandoned in the mid-1950’s. The bridge has been washed out and rebuilt several times and the portion of the road that we can see is mostly covered with landslides. However, it was very popular in its day, being very scenic with the great waterfall just above the bridge and the surrounding craggy bluffs.
A homestead cabin and the jail
We decide to go on to Fall River Mills, just a few miles beyond the Vista Point. We need to find access to the internet and get water, since there is neither at the campground. By chance, we discover the Fort Crook Museum. The original fort, established in 1857 to protect travelers on the Shasta-Yreka Road, was named after General George Crook, who was both a fighter of and an advocate for the Plains Indians. This is an exceptionally well-developed museum detailing the history of the area. We spend quite a long time looking through the buildings and all the authentic décor, clothing, tools, and so on.
Peacock Tapestry
Teapot Collection
Pony Vortex
Back at camp I write a blog about our stay in Ashland and pick photos for the blog that will come after that. As I sit at the table, my cell phone rings, which surprises me, as we didn’t seem to have cell service here. As soon as I answer, the connection is lost. I try texting and it works, and that is how we discover the “Pony Vortex:” one spot on the table where, if the phone is held upright, a good connection can be made. This is awkward, since moving the phone up or sideways results in the connection being lost. I don’t use it much, but Clifford has a data package on his phone (his inexpensive android that pretends to be a smart-phone) and he makes good use of it.
Early evening light on the Pit River
The early evening light looks especially inviting, so I hustle on over to the day use area and am rewarded by very pretty light on the trees, the river, and the lagoon. I hang out there until the light fades; what a great way to end the day a very full and fun day!
Sunday May 17:Noises and light wake me up about 7:00, which is a bit early after going to bed so late last night. But it is okay, as we need to pack and get ready to head out. We have enjoyed our stay with friends in Sebastopol, but it is time to move on.
It has been a lovely visit
After a leisurely breakfast, lots of packing and tidying up, we say good-bye to our friends and are on the road by early afternoon. We had planned to go to Yosemite from here, but after considering the time and money involved, not to mention the bear issues there (not so good for a small pop-up), we have decided to head north and make a big loop back to home in Wallace, Idaho.
Our destination for tonight is with a friend of the family on a farm north of Sacramento. We arrive there in the early evening and are shown to our rooms in the guest house, an older-style farm house with comfortable beds, good showers, and a very modern refrigerator. Having lived most of the last six weeks without a fridge or a shower, these are quite special to me.
A peaceful setting
Monday May 18: Slept in and feel quite rested this morning; Clifford, also. Breakfast is a bit sketchy, as we are about out of food in our cooler and there is not a lot in the fridge. The morning is chilly, but once it warms up a bit, we go sit out at the picnic table in the front yard to do our work – catching up on email, journal writing for me, and studying for Clifford. The yard is pretty with trees, shrubs, and flower beds all around. The sturdy wooden picnic table under a large tree is of a variety that I have never seen before. The large leaves make a dense shade over the picnic table, which I’m sure is much appreciated in the hot days of summer in this part of California. Later in the day, our hostess brings us fresh eggs from her chickens and a couple grocery bags of food. We are set now.
We have a wonderfully peaceful day, not having to go anywhere, plenty of food for meals, and good internet to get caught up with things. In the evening our hostess comes by to talk to Clifford about his research. She is very aware of the issues and has much to share from her own research. As they talk, I take advantage of the down time to work on an afghan I am knitting for my first great-grandbaby on the way. That seems amazing to me – that I have lived long enough to have a great-grandchild and my mom will be a great-great-grandma!
Tuesday May 19:Another leisurely morning and lots to choose from for breakfast today. It is cool and windy, so we find an unused outdoor table that we can place in the sunshine on the sunny side of the house, and here is where we continue with email, blogs, studying, and journal writing. To our surprise, our hostess comes by with several more bags of groceries! Wow, lots and lots of food now. There is a plan to go out for dinner to meet with an activist interested in Clifford’s work, but as it turns out, the dinner is canceled because this woman is not feeling well. We are disappointed not to see her, but I am also grateful for another day of non-travel with no obligations.
In the evening, as the sun nears the horizon, I am happy to see a lovely sunset.
A lovely sunset
I begin packing tonight, as we want to get an earlier start tomorrow. Our hostess comes by to chat later and we stay up late eating chocolates and sipping hot tea. She has brought essential oils for Clifford’s research, but I snag the lavender for myself. The oils are reputed to have many healing benefits and it will be interesting to look into that at some point – probably more for personal use than anything else. The conversation is lively and I continue with my knitting.
Oak trees in eastern California
Our hostess has been kind, gracious, and very generous, and we do so appreciate the time we have spent with her. This place has been a very restful interlude for us, but we are also looking forward to seeing new vistas as we travel north through eastern California.
Wednesday May 13: After spending the night at Standish-Hickey State Park on California Highway 101, we arrive in the mid-afternoon at the home of our friends, Kate and Randall.
Roses on the deck
We are spending time at their lovely home as their guests, as well as for the business of Carnicom Institute, as Kate has been an important member of CI staff for several years. After we get settled into their sweet guest cottage, Kate, Clifford, and I take a walk through the neighborhood; I marvel at the great old trees and the abundance of blooming shrubs and colorful flowers.
Thursday May 14: Kate comes over to visit with us before she leaves for a morning teaching gig. She and I do some yoga stretches; she knows many poses and it feels good to stretch and relax tense muscles. When she returns home, we all pile into their car and head to the ocean. At Bodega Bay we have a delicious lunch of clam sandwiches at a little café with outdoor seating. From where we sit, we can see a myriad of fishing boats in the inlet and sea gulls drifting about. Talk about ambiance!
Then we head on out to Bodega Head and I am delighted to see the great expanse of ocean, stretching away like infinity, and a rugged coastline with ice plants and poppies blooming on the bluffs.
Whale Migration Route
We walk along the edge of the bluff, high above the ocean, and watch the waves crash against rocks out from the shore before they race on toward the rocky shoreline. The men saw a whale, and perhaps I caught a glimpse, but nothing like a tall spout of water or a huge tail.
A stretch of sandy beach between bluffs and cliffs
There is a trail down to a beach, a span of sand between the rocky bluffs and sheer cliff walls, but it is too late in the afternoon to make the trek down, as we have a call scheduled with staff members of the institute.
Friends Kate & Randall at Bodega Head
We pose for photos before heading back to their home.
Carol and Clifford at windy Bodega Head
It was a lovely day to be at the ocean; I wish we could have stayed longer.
Hardy ice plant blooms freely at Bodega Head
After the call, we have a tasty chicken dinner with Kate; Randall has gone to a class. I download and edit photos while Kate and Clifford watch music videos. When she begins to play the harp and sing, I leave my computer to listen, as she has a most lovely voice; if she is not Irish, she at least has the soul of a Celtic ballad-songster.
Friday May 15:After breakfast we – Kate, Clifford, and I – sit on their back deck, which overlooks a lovely back area of lawn surrounded by flowering trees and flower beds. Roses and rhododendron are especially lush and colorful.
Rhododendrons are lush and colorful
Kate and Clifford work on a CI project while I take care of the CI email. When Kate learns that our Blazer has developed an oil leak, she takes things in hand and finds a mechanic who will, on short notice, take a look at it. While the mechanic looks at the Blazer, we three go to a nearby specialty pizza place for lunch. By the time we are done with lunch, not only did the mechanic diagnose the cause of the leak, but he has repaired the Blazer and it is good-to-go. Boy, are we lucky and relieved, thanks to Kate for finding us the right guy at the right time.
View from the kitchen window of the lovely guest house
Back at the home of our gracious hosts, we go over to the guest house while Kate and Randall have the evening to themselves. Clifford continues with his studies, while I complete and post blogs of our time in Oregon on Paulina Creek and catch up on email.
About 10:00 p.m., Kate comes over. I thought she and Randall had already gone to bed, but she has some thoughts she wants to share with us, both in regard to changes in her life as well as her work with Carnicom Institute. Before we know it, it is midnight, but instead of going to bed, we make quesadillas and tea, and continue with our discussions until 1:30 a.m.
Windswept Bodega Head
Saturday May 16: We are going out to Bodega Head again today, which pleases me very much. Along the winding road, we stop at a bakery to buy a couple loaves of delicious fresh bread, tour an organic garden lush with vegetables, and browse through a specialty shop carrying unique clothing and textiles (it would sure be fun to go in there with a couple hundred dollars to spend!), before arriving at Bodega Bay for another yummy clam lunch.
The trail at the top
Today the Bodega Head parking lot is full and we park alongside the road a ways from the overlook. Many people are gathered there to watch the grey whales as they migrate from the lagoons of Baja California to the Arctic Ocean.
On the beach between a rock and a hard place
We cross the upward sloping bluff until we reach the path where we walked yesterday, but this time we go on to the trail that leads down to the beach. It is cold and windy along the ocean’s shore. Clifford and Kate hang out by a big rock in the sun out of the wind at the backside of the sandy beach, while Randall watches the waves, peacefully observant of all that is happening around us.
I am enchanted by the waves coming in, each one unique, some making a big splash as they crash playfully against the rocks of the rugged shoreline on either side of the sandy beach area. These big splashes are what I try to capture with my camera, but I miss more than I catch. Here’s where a DSLR would really outshine my otherwise very capable G1X point-&-shoot. Someone points out that a seal is frolicking in the waves just a ways off-shore. Perhaps I have his head in a photo or two. It is still the big crashing waves that command my attention.
I am enchanted by the waves
Waves crash playfully against the shore
A seal plays in the surf, his head a mere dot (upper left quadrant)
Mesmerizing
Heading up
I’d love to stay longer, mesmerized by the motion of the waves, but everyone else is ready to go, and we need time to prepare for the presentation that Clifford will be giving tonight – a synopsis of his 17 years of research into the health and environmental issues that are confronting all of us.
The presentation, beginning with a delicious potluck, is well-attended. Clifford’s talk is informative, detailing the course of his research from noticing aerosol spraying polluting the sky in 1998 to his current research into the health issues that many people are facing. This is followed by another hour of Q & A. People are concerned about what is happening to their health and to our planet. After the guests leave, Kate comes over to further the discussion; it is quite late by time we all head to bed.
It has been a very good visit – the enjoyment of spending time with friends doing fun stuff, as well as the accomplishments in regard to Carnicom Institute. Tomorrow we will be on our way; other views and venues await us.
This morning is our last morning at Elk Meadows Campground, as we are leaving Prairie Creek State Park and heading south to visit friends and take care of Carnicom Institute business. I take a photo of the creek that has been such a joy to me during our stay here. I would love to stay longer, but we must go.
Clifford, Carol, and Pony at Elk Meadows Campground
Ready to hit the open road
After taking photos of us by the Pony (our pop-up) we pack up and are on our way by 11:00 a.m.
On our way out, I had hoped to talk Clifford into hiking the trail to the humongus redwood family that I saw yesterday, but he is anxious to get on the road. Good thing I took a few selfies yesterday with some of the big trees in the forests here.
Avenue of the Giants from a moving Blazer
We stop briefly at the Visitors’ Center in Orick and then continue the journey toward Sebastopol. We take the scenic highway through the “Avenue of the Giants” and, although we don’t stop to take photos, I am happy to see more of the old redwoods that live here. My mom and dad were here 25 years ago and it is interesting to think about them driving this road all those years ago and seeing what we are seeing today.
Avenue of the Giants
We catch glimpses of the slow-moving and now very low Eel River, but can’t get a photo of it until I ask Clifford to pull over when there is a safe place for us to do so. Although this river isn’t as lively as the Smith River further north, every river is important and I show my appreciation by taking photos, portraits if you will, of these special entities.
Slow-moving Eel River
We consider camping at the furthest south campground along the “Avenue of the Giants,” but when we get there, we find that it is not open. Since we cannot take time to backtrack, we keep on going, our next destination being the Standish-Hickey State Park, arriving there in the late afternoon.This is the campground that had poor reviews because the more desirable loops along the river and away from highway are closed. We find a spot on the side of the open loop as far away from the highway as we can; I certainly understand why people complain. The closed loops are ever-so-much prettier and quieter. But we are fine, since it is just for the night.
Modified set-up at Standish-Hickey State Park
We find a relatively level spot and do a modified set-up, which means that we don’t pull the extensions fully out. We don’t unpack anything and only have access to what’s in the back of the Blazer. It is not as convenient, but it saves a lot of time both tonight and in the morning, as there is almost no set-up or take-down involved. We use a camp stove and mess kit from the topper on the Blazer to cook soup and heat water for tea. I have enough wood to build a campfire and we enjoy a simple dinner sitting at the picnic table.
Shades of green live here
We do a little walkabout, noticing that there is a lot of poison oak here; I am fortunate not to have walked right through a patch of it at the backside of our spot before Clifford pointed it out to me. Whew – that could have been a bummer! Definitely not a good place for families to camp, as kids would surely get into it. Although the poison oak is abundant, there are also tall Douglas fir, madrone trees, lovely big oak trees, and a variety of shrubs that create a colorful backdrop to our campsite.
New sights and new adventures await us
Wednesday May 13, 2015:
Take down is quick and easy, as planned, and we are soon on our way. We stop for lunch in Ukiah for lunch and gas, noticing how much warmer it is here, and arrive at our destination – Sebastopol – by mid-afternoon. I will always hold the redwoods of northern California in my heart, but new adventures and new sights await us.
Monday May 11, 2015: I go for my early morning walk, but instead of going along the path that I know, I go the other direction through the campground to see other sites that might be good when we come again, and I find a trail along Prairie Creek through the jungle there.
The trees are thick and the brush is dense along Prairie Creek
The trail comes out along Elk Meadows and I follow a hint of a dirt road along the meadow back to the campground. During this portion of our trip, this is the only time I see mist. Even though the redwoods are usually wet and misty, this has been an unusually dry spring with no rain and no mist in the forest
Elk Meadow
Clifford drops me off
After breakfast, we drive out of the state park far enough to get cell service to check on emails and take care of any pressing needs for Carnicom Institute. Then back to the Newton-Drury Parkway where we again visit Big Tree. Clifford drops me off so I can walk back to camp, while he heads on back to return to his studies.
Clifford returns to his studies
The path through the forest
I am at first a bit uncomfortable walking alone in this forest because of the reports of mountain lion sightings in this area. However, as I go along, I become more comfortable with being here by myself, enjoying the deep silence, and admiring the trees.
On my own
Redwood
As I walk, I see the most humongous “family” redwood, as I call those trees whose main trunk splits into two or more trunks as it continues its climb to reach the sky. This particular tree is like a family with grandma, the kids, the grandkids and even great-grandkids, as there were so many trunks coming from the one base. I wish Clifford was here to take a photo of me beside this great redwood family. How tiny I would have seemed next to it.
A “selfie” of me and a medium-size redwood
Once I reach the campground, I take the familiar trail through the redwood forest back toward our campsite, stopping to take selfies of myself with my favorite trees. Wish I had thought to do this with the big family back up the trail, but I have not been one to take selfies at all. I’m just doing it now to have photos of them in right perspective. I mean, these are not just big trees, they are BIG trees!
Redwood forest
While here with the trees, I have become aware of my habitual tendency to walk slightly hunched forward, with eyes on the ground for sure footing. Being among these tall trees and looking up has encouraged me to stand and walk more upright.
Back at camp, I make one last campfire and after dinner pack up the kitchen stuff, as we will be leaving tomorrow morning. I will be sorry to leave this place with the creek at my front door (which is our only door) and being surrounded by trees and birdsong.
In honor of the redwoods I will walk straight and tall
Sunday May 10, 2015: It is overcast this morning. I take a few photos before building a little campfire to keep me company while I write in the journal. Here it is May and a campfire and a wool poncho are welcome parts of my life. I love this weather.
Big Leaf Maples are huge and covered with golden-green moss that looks like fur.
By time I am done writing, it is too sunny for good photos in the forests what with bright splashes of light and deep shadows. But I go for a walk, anyway, just because the forest is so wonderful.
Light and shadows in the forest
Trees along the Newton-Drury Parkway in Prairie Creek State Park
Back at camp, I download photos and edit until my laptop battery is dead. Then Clifford and I decide to go for a drive up the Newton-Drury Parkway, which is a road right through the heart of the redwood forest in the Prairie Creek State Park.
Driving the Newton-Drury Roadway
Shamrocks and ferns, as well as moss, grow out the decaying wood of dying and dead trees
In addition to driving the 10 mile length of the road, admiring the great trees as we go, we stop and follow paths to a couple of the most outstanding trees in the area.
Clifford and Carol in the Prairie Creek Redwood forest
Tree-peeker
The Corkscrew Tree
The Corkscrew Tree is a redwood famous for the unusual entwining growth of its four trunks. It looks quite different depending on the angle at which one approaches, but it is no doubt unique, no matter where one is standing.
Corkscrew Tree – a very twisted Redwood
Clifford looking up at Big Tree
The other famous redwood in this forest, Big Tree, is a single trunk 20 feet in diameter with a 68-foot circumference. This wonderful giant is about 1,500 years old.
Clifford and Carol at Big Tree
Big Leaf Maple leans precariously as Clifford looks upward at other tall trees
The big leaf maples are also amazing… so very tall with great branches reaching out, covered with moss like golden-green fur.
Moss-covered Big Leaf Maple
Leaning Big Leaf Maple
I am in such awe of these giants of the earth and reluctant to leave them, but on back to camp we go. I continue reading “Legacy of Luna” by Julia Hill, admiring her great courage and stamina to stand up to adversity of all sorts while living for two years in an old-growth redwood near Eureka, done to bring awareness to environmental issues and logging practices.
A redwood like Luna, but smaller. Could I live in her branches for two years?
As I walk in the forests in the evening, I look up at the old-growth redwoods around camp and consider what it would be like to live in the upper stories of one of these giants, never setting foot on the ground for over two years.
I am so in love with trees, tall trees, short trees, straight trees, leaning trees, crooked trees, furry trees. I’ll dream of trees tonight.
Saturday May 9: I wake up in the night thinking about ticks. Hmm… guess I should have taken a shower after our outing to Fern Canyon yesterday, but waking up in the night is not helpful. It is overcast this morning, which is not something we’ve seen much of on this trip, even though I had heard how foggy and overcast it would be on the coast. Well, the weather is not being “normal” anywhere, it seems, so who knows what to expect.
Today we are going to Eureka and Arcata to the south of Prairie Creek where we are camped. After showers and breakfast, we head out, stopping at a rest stop on the way, as I see one of those beautifully blooming bushes that I had never seen before arriving in California.
Rhododendron
I later learn that it is a rhododendron, which I also learn has blossoms similar to azaleas, but the leaves are different. It is a very pretty drive down this curving highway with tall trees frequently obscuring our view of the ocean just to the west of us; lagoons and flowering shrubs add to the beauty of the landscape.
Tall trees obscure the view
North of Arcata we stop at Clam Beach, as this is one of the hang-outs where Clifford lived part-time in his van for seven years while going to school at the College of the Redwoods and Humboldt State University in his late teens and early 20’s. He used to camp in the dunes for free, but now there are a couple fee-campgrounds. We walk out a ways into the vegetation-covered sand dunes so I can see the ocean and take a few photos.
Clam Beach
We drive on through Eureka to Fields Landing, a small poor fishing village where Clifford would also park for free during those van/school years. The dirt lot where he used to park is now a day-use paved parking lot for folks coming in to launch their boats. Seeing these places after 40 years brings back a lot of memories for him. After Fields Landing, we find another spot off the highway near the College of the Redwoods. The dirt road down to the “secret” parking place in a clearing in the woods alongside the highway is now obscured with dense growth, as is the clearing, but he recognizes where it used to be. How things change over time!
At the College of the Redwoods, we walk around admiring the lovely campus: lawns, flowering trees, ponds, foot bridges, and flowers of all sorts grace the grounds around the attractive dorms and classroom buildings here.
Blooming shrubs abound
Delightful shrub
Vivid new leaf growth
What a great place to go to school! We go inside the building that houses the cafeteria where Clifford used to work washing dishes, and he recounts the experience of being there one evening when a friend of a friend streaked through, to the delight of the students who were witness to the event.
Then we head back to Eureka and out to Samoa, a jetty where the Samoa Cookhouse, once used to feed loggers, is now a popular spot for locals and tourists to have a good home-cooked meal served family-style. We sit at a long table covered with a red-and-white-checkered tablecloth. Big bowls of soup and salad and a platter of fresh bread are placed before us. This is followed with platters of potatoes and roast beef and a bowl of gravy. We finish off with a spice cake for dessert. To begin with I was a bit cautious because of my food allergies, but for the most part, everything sets well with my finicky digestive system. We both enjoy the plentiful food and the ambiance of the place, which is also a museum of sorts with photos and paraphernalia of the logging operations in the area, as well as photos of the loggers who used to eat at this very establishment. While it was a great time for the logging industry, photos of old-growth redwoods, with stumps big enough to become small dancing floors, lying dead on the ground are a source of sadness for me. I am so grateful that national and state agencies are now protecting most of the remaining old-growth forests so that I and others and those to come after us have the opportunity to stand in awe under these giants, some of whom are more than 2,000 years old.
After our hearty meal, a quick stop at Wells Fargo and a visit to the library in Eureka to check email, we head north to Arcata to buy a few groceries. Clifford wants to visit the plaza for more old memories and in the process we find a used bookstore. It is perfect for Clifford because of the college text books that he finds there on microbiology and organic chemistry. In a sudden rush of memory, I decide to see if I can find the book “Legacy of Luna” by Julia Butterfly Hill and am pleased that there are several like-new copies at the used book price. I don’t know much of the story of Luna and Julia, but recall that it takes place in the redwoods, or more precisely in a redwood called Luna. Right now is the perfect time for me to read this book. I take my purchase to a chair and begin reading while Clifford continues his search for text books that will aid him in his research.
On the way back to camp we stop to take photos of the elk in the meadow adjacent to the campground. It is getting late and they are already bedded down, but I take a photo, anyway.
When we get back to the Pony (our pop-up tent trailer) my intention is to download photos, but I read instead and continue reading long after Clifford goes to bed. I am quite taken with Julia’s courageous adventure, especially being here surrounded by the magnificent redwoods that she was trying to save.
Friday May 8: When I first get up, I go out and stand by the creek, admiring the sunlight on the grove of alders on the other side and the lovely clear creek flowing just inches from my feet. As I gaze, I see something that I don’t recognize for a moment. First I think it is a small log (floating upstream??) and then I think it is a large strange fish with its back out of water. Then my mind makes the connection that I am seeing an otter, not one, but two of them. I have never seen live otters and my mind just didn’t immediately compute the information being taken in by my eyes – like the Indians who had no experience of ships as Columbus was landing on their shore. And here this pair is, just a few feet from me. They swim to a log that is a short ways upstream and frolic about for a bit before swimming across and out of sight. Boy, did that get my day off to a great start!
Ferns growing along the bank of Prairie Creek
Today is slated for a trip to Fern Canyon. It takes us awhile for the whole breakfast and cleanup routine, and then we are on our way. We stop briefly at the Visitors’ Center at the far end of the campground on our way out of the park. It is an older building, but nice inside with good displays. We travel south on Highway 101 until we reach Davidson Road, where we turn toward the coast. This gravel road is narrow, winding, and steep in spots until we reach Gold Bluff, which gets its name from the color of the cliffs due to specks of gold dust in the soil. There the road levels out and we catch glimpses of the nearby ocean when the trees don’t obscure the view.
Glimpse of the ocean at Gold Bluff
There are wonderful redwoods here, but on the ocean side of the road are at least a couple types of spruce. Some look like blue spruce without the blue – they are full and thick, with a growth pattern that makes them look like large perfect Christmas trees. Others are humungus man-eating trees straight out of Brackin (Princes and Priests – 1st Trilogy of the Novels of Shannon by Angela MacDonald – an exciting read which can be found on WordPress).
At the trail head, we park and hike to the canyon. Before we reach the canyon, the landscape is lush with interesting trees that are new to my experience and a variety of ferns and other vegetation.
Trees new to me
Heading toward Fern Canyon
Ferns along the way
The 50-foot walls of the canyon are steep-sided and covered with ferns, hence the name.
Fern Canyon
Fern Canyon
Clifford in Fern Canyon
We walk the narrow canyon floor where more ferns grow amidst fallen trees, while the creek meanders about in such a way that it is almost impossible to continue deeper into the canyon without wading.
The creek meanders through the canyon
Some people avoid wading by crossing the creek on slippery-looking deadfall, but I don’t trust the deadfall crossings and don’t want to risk falling with my cameras. I am careful to avoid wading the creek as much as possible at first, but finally I just give into the fact that I am soaking my hiking shoes; might as well just enjoy the experience.
Fern Canyon
Wet feet, but enjoying Fern Canyon
Eventually we arrive at a spot in the canyon where the deadfall is so dense with huge old trees tumbled together like super-huge, gigantic pick-up-sticks that we are forced to turn back.
Super giant pick-up sticks block the way
Since it is sunny, bright splotches of sunlight reaching into the canyon make it difficult to take decently exposed photos, but I take lots of photos anyway.
Sunlight in the trees
Back at the trailhead, we take our picnic lunch to one of the nearly-ancient picnic tables and spread out our fare. Crows soon join us, coming as close as they dare, perching on nearby trees and rocks. They are quite bold as they wait for us to leave so they can clean up our crumbs. It was quite fun to see them.
A visitor waits for our crumbs
On the way back out, we stop at Gold Bluff so I can walk out to the ocean to take photos. People are sitting in their lawn chairs on the expanse of sand, reading or snoozing as the waves come circling around their feet. If I was camped here, I would do the same thing, but this is not a road that can be traversed with the Pony (our pop-up tent trailer).
The Pacific Ocean at Gold Bluff
Sitting on the beach
Patterns created by ocean and sand
Back at camp, besides the dinner routine, I finish the blog I’m working on and fuss with the sheets, trying to get them rearranged and tucked in better so they will stay put. Note to self: make sure you pack the right sheets next time. But it is easy to overlook the sheet issues when we are camped at such a great place and able to go on lovely interesting outings. I really do love northern California!
We are soon on our way, heading north on highway 299, with beautiful cumulus clouds billowing above us. Past Fall River Mills the valley opens up; lots of ponderosa and some ranch land, then back into sage brush land.
When we arrive at Goose Lake, which straddles the California-Oregon border and appears on the map to be a body of water stretching for 20 miles, there is virtually no lake left. The drought has made it impossible for this lake to be replenished. Dry steep barren hills and sagebrush dominate the landscape along with the mud flat that was once a lake bottom.
We had planned to spend the night at Goose Lake State Park, but it is still early afternoon and seeing the condition of the area, we decide to push on. It is a bit of a long haul to our next destination, but Clifford is up for it. The road, although narrow, is straight and flat with not much traffic, so we make good time. Leaving Lakeview, the town north of Goose Lake where we stop for gas, the landscape reminds me of the country south of Lamy, New Mexico, where we used to live: rugged with sage, juniper, and small pines.
Arthur Lake, which on the map is much smaller than Goose Lake, is a sizable body of water set in a most barren landscape of flat land to the west and rock-strewn mesas along the highway to the east of us.
Once past Arthur Lake, the mesas open up to miles and miles of sagebrush, nothing but sagebrush.
We are happy to finally arrive at the town of Riley, where we turn at the junction toward the BLM Chickahominy Campground just a few miles to the west.
We drive through the campground, grateful to be here, looking for a site out the wind. We end up picking a site, designated by nothing more than a rugged plank picnic table, alongside the reservoir. It is windy everywhere, so we might as well go for pretty. The landscape here has its own unique beauty with a mix of black lava rock, obsidian, and sagebrush. The reservoir is lower than normal, but it still has water and here we have the best views. Later the wind dies down and it is quite pleasant. Even though we are doing a modified set-up, the tub of pots and pans is accessible and I cook a real meal to nourish our weary bodies.
