Nov 2 to 4: California Redwoods to Vancouver

(One thing we forgot to include on Alison’s birthday was a Skype aided wine gathering with Betty, Cindy, and Marilee. We had a celebration with wine toastings and stories over the net with our Alaskan friends.)
 

Closed park visitor center



On Nov. 2nd we decided to leave the California wine country a day early so we would have time to return to the California coast and drive through the California Redwood parks along Highway 101.

First was Richardson Grove State Park. All the facilities were closed for the season but it was a great walk through the redwoods followed by lunch on our camping chairs in the sun. During the walk Alison found a very small kitten, 3 or 4 weeks old under a fallen tree. It was mewing continuously and loudly. We found several Park Rangers who were tidying up for the season and were cat friendly. They gladly took the kitten and

Little screamer

commented that cats are abandoned regularly there. We were glad to know the kitten wouldn’t be dinner for a fox or raccoon that evening.

We continued to and along the Avenue of the Giants.  This is the old Route 101 which goes through numerous groves of redwoods for 38 miles.  It was fun winding through the huge trees in the shadows even though it was a sunny day.  The forest floor was very red from the fallen needles and there was almost nothing growing on the forest floor.  We only had one mishap when we pushed one of the redwoods over.  We did enter a vortex (We know all about these from our Sedona visit.) where the trees all came to a point overhead. 

 We only had one mishap when we pushed one of the redwoods over.




We entered a vortex (We know all about these from our Sedona visit.) where the trees all came to a point overhead. Alison stood at the vortex point but luckily didn’t have a pyramid hat on to concentrate the energy. She did have lip balm on with a sunscreen rating so she didn’t burn her lips!

Next was Humboldt Redwoods State Park, located in world famous Humboldt County. We didn’t stray to far off the road to make sure we weren’t mistaken for Federal Revenuers. To bad the California bill to legalize personal use was defeated.


We arrived in Crescent City just in time for sunset over the Pacific.

On Nov. 3^rd we woke up to fog that was thick until we were almost to I5 near Grant’s Pass.  Most of Route 199, the

Redwood Hwy

, was in fog, but the pictures were fine and the trees colorful.  We planned to spend the night or maybe 2 in Portland, but without prior reservations it would have been costly, so we pushed on and spent the night at the Lewis River Inn in Woodland, Washington.  The property backed on the Lewis River, but since we arrived after dark we didn’t get to explore.

The next day we had a quick drive through Washington on I5.  In Seattle we took the express tunnel under downtown so made very good time and had only a short wait at the boarder so arrived in Vancouver by mid-afternoon.