ASHLAND, OR TO THE CALIFORNIA COAST OCT 25 - 28, 2010

DOWN THE NORTHERN CALIFORNIA COAST

KEVIN, TRACY AND ZAN

WE WOKE UP THIS MORNING IN ASHLAND TO SEVERAL INCHES OF WET SNOW ON THE TREES, CARS AND UNDERBRUSH. A BEAUTIFUL SIGHT AS THE SUNRISE SPARKLED THROUGH THE SURROUNDING FOREST.






ZAN AND BUNGEE KISS GOODBYE, BUT I'M SURE THEY WILL STAY GOOD BUDDIES.

AS I LEAVE OREGON AND ENTER NORTHERN CALIFORNIA, MT SHASTA DOMINATES THE LANDSCAPE MAKING IT HARD TO KEEP YOUR EYES ON THE ROAD.

I GUESS I SHOULD BE EXPECTING THE UNUSUAL IN CALIFORNIA AND SURE ENOUGH ODDBALL THINGS POP UP REGULARLY, SUCH AS THIS ROW OF FULL-SIZED "TOY TRUCKS"...........

REDDING, CA HAS BUILT A NICE PARK ALONG THE SACRAMENTO RIVER THAT HAS A STUNNING NEW ICON, THE SUNDIAL, GLASS-BOTTOMED PEDESTRIAN BRIDGE.

THE TOWER THAT HOLDS THE SUSPENSION CABLES IS AN ACTUAL SUNDIAL THAT CASTS A SHADOW IN THE PARK ON ROCK SCULPTURES FOR THE HOURS.

A THREE HOUR TRIP FROM REDDING TO THE COAST AT EUREKA IS ON A CONSTANTLY CURVING TWO LANE ROAD TRAVERSING THE HIGH COASTAL RANGE MOUNTAINS AND RIVER CANYONS. VERY SLOW, BUT I MADE IT TO THE COAST IN TIME TO ENJOY A HUGE SUPPER OF CHICKEN, HAM AND ALL THE TRIMMINGS AT THE LARGE "SAMOA COOKHOUSE" THAT HAS BEEN SERVING LUMBER CAMP, FAMILY-STYLE MEALS SINCE 1880.

I SAT AT A TABLE WITH FOUR YOUNG PEOPLE, TWO OF WHOM GRADUATED FROM WARREN WILSON COLLEGE IN NORTH CAROLINA, WHERE MY GRANDSON BEN GRADUATED LAST MAY, AND A PLEASANT COUPLE FROM SPOKANE, WA WHO INVITED ME TO VISIT THEM ON MY NEXT TRIP. 

THERE IS AN ADJACENT ROOM AT THE COOKHOUSE CHOCK FULL OF OLD TIME COOKING AND LUMBERING ARTIFACTS.

I HAVE ALWAYS WANTED TO EXPLORE CALIFORNIA'S LOST COAST, SO CALLED BECAUSE THE COASTAL HIGHWAY VEERS INLAND SOUTH OF EUREKA IN THE  AREA OF THE GIANT REDWOODS LEAVING A RUGGED, DESOLATE PART OF THE NORTHERN COASTLINE ALMOST INACCESSIBLE.

  THE NARROW, VERY WINDING AND MOSTLY DESERTED ROUTE GOES WEST FROM NEAR FORTUNA, THROUGH FERNDALE, CAPE MENDICINO, PETROLIA AND HONEYDEW BEFORE CUTTING BACK TO ROUTE 101 THROUGH THE REDWOODS PARK.



LARGE CUTOUT BILLBOARDS CREATED BY THE CALIFORNIA DEPT. OF AGRICULTURE HIGHLIGHT THE LOCAL FARMING.

FERNDALE IS A QUAINT, VERY VICTORIAN  FARMING TOWN ON THE MARSHES OF HUMBOLDT BAY.

TYPICAL FERNDALE MAIN ST BUILDING

LOST COAST ROAD

MEETING THE SEA AT CAPE MENDICINO

BUNGEE HAS THE BEACH ALL TO HIMSELF..........

...........EXCEPT FOR THE ROCK MAZE MADE BY ALIENS

A SIMPLE CHURCH IN PETROLIA, WHERE  OIL WAS FIRST  DISCOVERED IN CA

FOUR HORSES BLOCKED OUR WAY THEN CAME OVER AND STUCK THEIR MUZZLES
IN THE CAR WINDOWS MUCH TO BUNGEE'S CONSTERNATION.

POLO AND FRIEND

THE ONLY OTHER TOURIST CAR I SAW ON THE THREE HOUR TRIP WAS OCCUPIED BY POLO, A NURSERY OWNER FROM SEBASTAPOL, CA AND HIS FRIEND VISITING FROM NEW ZEALAND.  BOTH ARE ORIGINALLY FROM THE CANARY ISLANDS AND WE ENJOYED A PICNIC AND STORIES TOGETHER AT MATTOLE BEACH.

THE LAST FIFTEEN MILES OF THE LOST COAST BYWAY PASSES THROUGH THESE MAJESTIC REDWOODS, PART OF THE ROCKEFELLER GROVE.

THE HEIGHT OF A REDWOOD TREE IS HARD TO SHOW IN A PHOTOGRAPH, BUT THAT IS A FULL-SIZED ADULT APPROACHING THE CARS AT THE BASE OF THESE 300 FOOT GIANTS.







BY LATE AFTERNOON WE WERE BACK ON THE COASTAL HIGHWAY AND MADE IT DOWN TO THE TOWN OF MENDICINO WHERE I SPENT THE NIGHT IN AN OLD GYPSY CARAVAN TRAILER UP IN THE WOODS

SUNDOWN ON MENDICINO BEACH

THE FINAL LEG DOWN THE COASTAL HIGHWAY TO SAN FRANCISCO IS DEFINITELY ONE OF MY FAVORITE DRIVES IN THE COUNTRY EVEN THOUGH THE FIRST TIME I DROVE THE PRECARIOUS CLIFF-CLINGING STRETCH WAS IN THE 80's WHEN I VISITED JIM CONROY WHO WAS WORKING IN BODEGA BAY AND I HAD SEVERE PANIC ATTACTS ON THE NARROW ROAD WHICH DROPS OFF 1000 FEET TO THE ROCKY SURF WITH NO GUARDRAILS.

TRUCKS ARE UNNERVING ON COASTAL RTE 1

     THIS AWAITS YOU FAR BELOW IF YOU MAKE ONE WRONG MOVE ON ROUTE 1

    TORTURED TREE IN MANCHESTER, CA

ON TOMALES BAY WITH A VIEW OF POINT REYES ARE A CLUSTER OF OYSTER PLACES

NICK'S IS A FAVORITE OF MINE AND I COULDN'T WAIT TO SAVOR THE ASSORTMENT OF DELICIOUS LOCAL OYSTERS

MY FAVORITES WERE THE SMALL JAPANESE ONES FRESH FROM OFF THIS PIER.     WELL FORTIFIED, I WAS READY FOR THE LAST HOUR THROUGH MARIN COUNTY AND INTO SAN FRANCISCO.
 
THESE STRANGE STUMP CATS IN BOLINAS SHOWED ME THE WAY TO THE STEEP CLIMB OVER MT TAM AND DOWN ACROSS THE BAY TO BERKELEY.

THE ROADSIDE GROVES OF EUCALYPTUS TREES COMMON IN MARIN COUNTY MUST BE THE WORLD'S MESSIEST WITH LOTS OF SHED BARK, SMALL LIMBS AND DEAD LEAVES PILED UP UNDERNEATH THEM, BUT, OH WHAT A MAGNIFICENT SMELL....... CLEANS OUT YOUR NOSE AND THROAT FOR SURE!