End of Travels

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Last week of sightseeing. Sunday, October 05, Eureka.
By now I suppose some of you are wondering how we find being on the road, just the two of us, in a small car, for miles and miles, weeks and weeks. We left home at the end of August, about 5 ½ weeks ago, and we’ve now covered over 6,000 miles. I don’t think the housekeeping details of traveling are particularly interesting on the whole, but I will admit that it’s somewhat of a challenge to keep organized, focused and most of all, energetic when you’re so much on the move. So here’s a little insight into how we do it.

Here’s what we have with us: one medium size suitcase apiece for clothing; small duffel just for shoes/boots; larger duffel for workout/biking clothes and a bike bag full of biking stuff; hanging bag for party clothes (only left the trunk once so far); large backpack for laptop; these six bags go in the trunk. In the back seat: book box; small bag of magazines and a large envelope folder with “business” stuff; food box; cooler (medium size); and CD case for lots of music (everything from Rachmaninoff piano, pre-Baroque choral music, Sheryl Crow and Leonard Cohen, rock, world music, etc. etc.) as well as books on CD and CDs for our map software. We usually also have a bag with groceries. Now all of this is augmented by: 8 bottles of wine; 2 bottles of olive oil; 3 six packs of beer; 2 jars of jam, and a table lamp made from a large salt crystal, most will remain in CA with friends/family. And of course: two big atlases, and maps, maps, and more maps! I’ve got a small notebook that I keep in a seat pocket for notes as I go along.

We try to eat breakfast at the hotel, provided by the hotel or us. That’s easy because virtually all hotels now provide a small refrigerator and often a microwave in the room. (Robb here: Barbara is particular about her coffee, and she will bribe me with a hot chocolate just so I will agree to stop at the local Starbucks.) Sometimes we make sandwiches for lunch. But we almost always stop in mid or late afternoon to eat or drink something. We’re tired and need a pick-me-up. And we almost always eat dinner out.

I’ve come to several conclusions. (1) Access to public radio and the internet is really important to us. This has been greatly emphasized by recent news events, not only the campaign but the incredible, insane events of late with regard to the world of finance. Public radio is almost everywhere, but in the mountains and more remote places like the coast, it’s hard to pick up. Sometimes it is in the commercial bands—surprising. As for internet, we’re always looking for it and have to set aside time for it. I can’t do without it for very long especially because I’ve had some important business to conduct from the road, and I needed the internet to do it. (2) PBS is usually but not always easy to find on TV. Much as I dislike it, CNN was the most reliable way for us to catch up on the fast-moving events of these past days. (3) I remember so fondly the luxury of the wonderful RV we traveled around the country in, in 2004. The luxury of sleeping in the same bed for three months! And of being able to cook and eat your own food! Getting decent food on the road like this is HARD! But there are tradeoffs. Even a small RV is limited in where it can go, and since we like all the backroads and unexplored places, we would be frustrated. It’s a lot more expensive, of course, given the cost of gas or, even worse, diesel. So there’s no perfect way for us to get around, I guess. (3) I miss my regular workout schedule. Robb here: I also miss a regular workout schedule, and I’ve realized that I need vigorous exercise to stay in shape. I was able to run several days while we were in Piedmont, but since then, only hiking, and I feel like I’ve gained weight.

Now, most important: How do we get along in such close quarters for such a long time. Well, wonderfully, of course, because I am a saint! Have you stopped laughing hysterically yet? Actually, Robb is the saint! He carries almost all the bags (heavy) and is endlessly accommodating as far as chores go. What a great disposition. I’m happy to go along with almost all of his quests for adventure and happy that although my exercise at home is mostly been round and round (including swimming), I’ve adjusted pretty well to pound and pound. I feel good hiking now and my joints have behaved quite admirably. Yes, I get out of bed gingerly in the morning, you might even say somewhat painfully, but once I get going - I keep going!

Now, back to travel…In the past two days, from downtrodden Crescent City just 20 miles south of Oregon, we’ve explored wondrous redwood forests and the stunning coast. It has rained off and on these days, the first real rain we’ve had in over five weeks. It began in Crescent City, a lashing rain driven by a strong south wind, making it easy to believe that this area gets about 100 inches of rain a year.

It lessened in intensity the next morning and we took off for Oregon. Just over the border, we decided to take a side road, and then a side road off of that - just to explore, you know. Well, that road narrowed, the pavement ended and we found ourselves driving several miles on a single lane, dirt road into a deep forest of redwoods, other conifers, firs, ferns, deciduous trees and shrubs. What a beautiful, silent and slightly spooky place! The trees were so very tall, so very straight, and the lush greens of the ferns and other plants on the forest floor were luminescent in the mist. The road ended at a small parking area with a public toilet. We were alone, and it was wonderful. We ate a sandwich in the car and rejoiced in our exploration before turning back to head for Route 101.

Our next adventure was just as thrilling, but in a coastal kind of way. In Brookings, OR, we followed a sign for a park. This was an astounding find: park, yes, and hidden behind the water filtration plant no less, but the path took us out and up onto an astounding headland high over rocky coves and thundering ocean waves. The enormous power of the waves was mesmerizing, and we could hardly tear ourselves away. As we have all along the coast, we met several people walking their dogs. Think of being able to walk your dog every day in a place like that - it boggles the mind!

Eventually, we tore ourselves away to head back south. That’s when, just over the border again, we took another side road, recommended by a ranger, into the Jedediah Smith Redwoods State Park. There we followed the Smith River inland to another connection towards the Stout Grove of redwoods. (Note: Town of Smith River is the lily bulb capital of the world.) Foiled! We found the six mile road into the grove blocked by the Forest Service. What to do? We decided to hike in a little way. Here again I marveled at the primeval silence, look and feel of the forest, and at the luminescent green of the understory, most especially the huge ferns. The Rockies and Sierras are so dramatically rocky, dry and bare, slightly forbidding. They make you pay attention to where you’re going lest you make a misstep. But these forests are soft, almost maternal in their timelessness.

A trail to: “Stout Grove .5”, went through the forest along the river but ended at a creek with no bridge and no way to cross. Did we see the Stout Grove? Probably not. But we did see many enormous trees and marveled at their size and beauty. Some are strong and green. Others look hollow and dead at the ground level, yet are still alive in the canopy. And everywhere, huge fallen soldiers have become nurse trees to moss, lichens, fungi, and an assortment of young trees and shrubs.

(A word on Crescent City: We learned that the city was wiped out by a tsunami in 1964, and after that, by a flood. Even more, it’s a sad example of the decline of the fishing and logging industries, both of which have been pretty much killed by former “irrational exuberance.” Over-logging has destroyed river habitats important for the spawning of salmon, and over-fishing of salmon - well, we know what impact that’s had all up and down this coast. This year we taxpayers are paying salmon fishermen in the Pacific Northwest subsidies to try to compensate them for the ban on fishing imposed this year (no fish to fish!). Just another example of how a lack of thought and restraint has ruined the livelihood of those who … lacked thought and restraint! (A ranger at the Redwoods National Park told us that people still get angry at rangers because they can’t log the last 3% of old growth forest that has been saved for public use.) And all of us pay for it! Don’t get me started about Wall Street, etc. etc.!!!

All right, I’m calmer now. But really, the only saving grace for Crescent City right now is tourism, almost all of it just passing through on coastal-viewing sojourns. We couldn’t believe our eyes last night when we went to the movies. An eight-screen theater was completely empty when we walked in just before 8 pm! Only one other couple joined us to see Nights in Rodanthe (don’t bother). When we left there was NO ONE in the arcade next to the theater, and NO ONE in the lobby either. Saturday night! At the Safeway next door where we went to buy breakfast stuff - 10 times more people than in the theater. Twenty times! The joint was hopping! On the way back to our car, we passed three teens huddled against the wall outside - smoking pot. Good luck hiding it, folks - you could smell it a mile away. What’s in store for them? Get out of Crescent City, kids! By the way, some of the worst housing in the area (and I saw a lot of it) was on the Indian “rancherias.” These are Yuroks, and they live scattered around in these small settlements and have quite a few casinos along the coast. But it’s a sad lot; a group in the Safeway last night included one obviously drunk woman, another, and two teenagers. Help…)

We took another beautiful hike through redwood forest on the “Damnation Trail”, a path that dropped us through beautiful redwood forest, 1000’ feet down to the coast - requiring, of course, a strenuous hike up! Much of the trail was soft with red pine needles, but as we approached the coast it became more muddy and, in places, partly washed away, very tricky to negotiate. I could see what the heavy coastal rains do. We found downed branches in places and in others, a narrow course of mud where heavy rain had washed away the leaf litter. A ranger told us that they often close back roads in the forest because heavy rains cause trees and branches to fall on them. By the time we got back to the car at 2:30, we were sweating profusely despite cool temperatures and glad to dig into the lunch we’d brought. We were pooped!

We met a young couple on a tandem bicycle traveling from Bend, OR to Tahoe. These 20-somethings were pulling a little trailer carrying their dog (!), camping along the way, eating saltines, wearing flip-flops. Sweet, friendly kids who are probably strong as horses, very blasé about the altitude they’ll confront. I envy them their optimism, health and sense of adventure! Look for a photo in this blog.

It continued to rain lightly off and on as we traveled down toward Eureka. We took yet another back road along the coast and enjoyed the views, and arrived at a comfortable hotel. We had dinner we at a local brewery/restaurant, jammed with people, and enjoyed the huge contrast with sad, economically depressed Crescent City. A group of 7 kids (more 20-somethings) behind us were discussing Palin and politics. I couldn’t resist it. As we left, I leaned down into the middle of the group and said, slowly: O-bam-a. A huge laugh from them all! I said: We’re from Chicago. We’ve met Obama. I’ve seen him in action (true, committee meeting). He’s a good guy. Vote for him! They were great and we agreed that no matter how they vote (I suspect most will vote for him), the exciting thing is that they are all going to VOTE!

Before leaving Eureka we spent an hour driving around their wonderfully restored Victorian downtown and taking photos. They’ve done a beautiful job of bringing back houses large and small, shops, and hotels and inns. It’s a pleasingly colorful sight, and I hope it’s paying off financially for them too. It was obviously a significant investment.

Sign on the coast: Peacock Crossing
Picky Picky Picky (store)
Parking in Eureka: 2 hours for 20 cents

Thursday, October 9: last night on the sightseeing road! We spent the past three days meandering down the coast, still as blown away as ever by the dramatic beauty here. We headed to the Lost Coast (the most undeveloped area on the California coast) by driving off of Hwy 101, through tiny Victorian Ferndale to Shelter Cove on the coast. The road was one of those thin, squiggly black lines on the map -a two lane, stomach-churning adventure in car sickness. We didn’t actually get sick, but it was impossible to do any map-reading while moving. The road was rough in places, the top layer of asphalt worn away, and the road had washed away to gravel in a few areas.

Rugged mountains, in places open grassland but much of it wooded, made for miles and miles of unrelenting twists and turns, up and down, up and down. I loved the ranchland and we both loved a stretch that took us right along the ocean. The day was sunny and bright, and the ocean sparkled in the sun. Finally, gratefully, in late afternoon, we arrived back on the coast in tiny Shelter Cove. I found it an odd place, remote, small, dead, with For Sale signs everywhere. It turns out that way, way back in 1961, a company bought ranchland here and created a giant “luxury resort” with an air strip and 5,000 small lots. Well, a huge number of oceanside lots remain unsold today, while up on the bluff overlooking the ocean there are big fancy houses. Not much is going on in Shelter Cove now; summer is their “season.” There is no supermarket, no drugstore, no gas station. Our only options for dinner were a somewhat fancy place, and a bait shop-deli which had shut down their grill by 5:00. So we had to travel another 3 miles up to the area’s general store, and down again, for a dinner of … canned beef stew, heated in the microwave in our hotel room! We had a room right on the ocean and slept wonderfully to the sound of crashing surf.

The next morning we took off - on 20 miles of that road - toward Route 101 and points south. We stopped for lunch in a beautiful redwood stand right on 101, kept going, and finally made the connection with Rte 1 south, at last arriving at the beautiful coast while singing along to They Might Be Giants. Robb thought it was a very nice way to complete the circle of our trip by getting back to the coast, especially in the sun, with its miles of sparkling ocean, sea stacks and smaller rocks, dramatic headlands and coves! Wednesday night and we were so happy to find the Howard Creek Ranch (B and B) where we spent a wonderful night in 1996. It’s still very much a going concern, run by the same people, a beautiful place nestled in the hills at the edge of a creek that flows to the ocean. We had fun at breakfast talking to the other “inmates”, who included a young couple employed by the Forest Service in remote NE California. He is a firefighter, and I’m not sure what her job is, but it was very interesting to talk about the subject of forest fires with people who know what they’re talking about.

The next day, another gorgeous day (what luck we’ve had!), we visited a Ft. Bragg museum showcasing the logging industry of yesteryear, and stopped briefly at Mendocino. The coast is still very much ranch country here; in fact the coast in the county is apparently all open range, meaning that ranchers don’t have to fence their cattle in. So we still saw plenty of ranches along with the ruins of former ranches and the vacation homes that have replaced them. Despite the latter, the coast remains blessedly free of gross commercialism (Mendocino is a cutesy exception). Tiny towns like Westport, Anchor Bay and Gualala still have a local feel. No supermarkets, no franchises. Vacation homes and communities are mostly understated and hidden away (although there are exceptions).

Finally we headed through Bodega Bay, then out toward Petaluma one more time to Piedmont and the family activities planned for the next few days. We may post again after this, but I’m not sure. You can check once in a while, but as of October 13, we’ll be on our way home and look forward to reconnecting with you and our home-bound lives once again. Thanks for reading!

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Photos

Secret passage to the headlands
at a secret park right on the coast, behind the Brookings, OR water treatment plant!

Riding in the redwoods with a dog!
This couple was coming from Bend, OR, going to Lake Tahoe; the dog rode in the trailer.

Robb shows the size of a redwood
(his reach is about 6 feet)

A nurse log
providing nourishment for new growth

Fog in the hills of the Lost Coast
The mountains in the King Range go up to about 3000'.

A funky crab shack in Eureka
The town also has many pretty Victorian buildings.