Ha! Not really, but I have to tell you that there is a lot of green on my camera disc tonight. We started out in Crescent City and followed Highway 101 south to the entrance to the park, and for the next four hours or so, we drove slowly and did the in/out/in/out of the car routine again. We followed a path from one trailhead into a forest to see The Big Tree (no kidding, that's its name) and the Cathedral Trees. Without further ado, here are some of my pictures. Not all, I promise.
After awhile, we were on Redwood Overload, and realized that we didn't have to see every single tree in the forest, which runs for a very, very long way down the coastline of California. At the same time, we were seeing the Pacific Ocean on the other side of the road. Talk about overload! We'd stop to see the ocean, go back into the forest, and back to the ocean. We eventually left the Pacific behind, as we turned east on Highway 101, but not without a few farewell ocean pictures.
We traveled through a very old city, Eureka. I am sure there was some gold mining going on there when the town was founded. There was also some fabulous building happening. We went to Old Town, and stopped to see some Victorian homes that have been renovated. The green one is a private club now.
We stayed on Highway 101 all the way to Ukiah, California, where tomorrow we plan to get onto a different highway and head east. We are staying in a lovely, new Comfort Inn in Ukiah tonight. We had some mediocre enchiladas at a Mexican restaurant directly across the parking lot from the motel. We've watched the first episode of James Spader in "Blacklist," and are pretty tired from seeing such lovely places.
One thing we did not see was an elk. The park people certainly prepared me for one, and I had those binoculars on my lap, ready to use 'em. Just look at all the signs, stirring up anticipation!
There was actually an enormous field behind that first sign. We drove by, and it took several minutes..................if there was an elk in that field, he was lying on his stomach with his head burrowed into the ferns. Somehow, he knew we were there........
Alas, no gray whale showed up this morning in Crescent City, in case you were wondering about that one!
But tomorrow is another day. Maybe an eagle will soar down over us, an elk will run across the highway.....................
It's very late.
Copyright: KP Gillenwater 2013
