Day 1: Travel to Redwoods

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Today is a long day. We're up a bit after 3 to get out to Dulles in time to check in for our 6 am direct flight to San Francisco. Factoring in the camping gear (tent, sleeping bags, etc) and clothes, we have 5 bags, 3 of which are hockey equipment bags and 1 a baseball bat bag so I feel almost like we're our own little sports team as we wheel the bags around on those smart carts. Lucky for us, United Airlines allows military members the perk of 3 bags per family member, even when not flying for official travel.

Thankfully there are no delays and we arrive on time, our bags are quickly up on the baggage claim carousel and there are no hitches in getting the rental car so we're out of SFO and on the road heading north before 10 am local time. There isn't much of a hang-up getting through San Francisco and over the Golden Gate Bridge onto 101 North. We continue up through some scenic wine country in Sonoma County before cutting west off the highway toward Highway 1 along the Pacific Coast. Although there are nice views of vineyards in Sonoma and then farther along in Mendocino County as well, the road is curvy and slow. We pass through Mendocino, which is a neat little town right on the coast, lots of B&B's, inns, a golf resort, etc. Looks like it would be nice to stay and hang out here for a few days.

We continue north and Highway 1 merges back into 101 so we're traveling a bit faster now. We hit Humboldt County and our first view of the redwoods. It's been a long day, but we decide to seize the opportunity to take the scenic route and travel along the Avenue of the Giants. It truly is an amazing ride, and it's difficult to describe just how awesome these trees really are. We're spending the next few days here among the trees in the Redwood National and State Parks, RNSP (a bit of trivia: it's the only park in the national park system operated jointly with a state).

The kids are getting antsy now so we kind of speed through the last bit of the Avenue to get to Patrick's Point State Park, one of the state parks that comprise the RNSP. It's right on the beach and we have a good campsite not all that far from the ocean. It doesn't take all that long to set up. Pretty soon afterward, we've got dinner over the campfire ready and s'mores for dessert.

It's been a long day traveling and tomorrow we'll be out hiking on the trails amongst the redwoods so it's off to bed.

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