Lost Coast, northern California

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After farewells to Jess and Brian, we hit the windy road up towards Russian Gulch State Park, enjoying the coastal scenery along the way. We picked out what seemed like a good site at the campground, but didn’t factor in the acoustic nature of the gulch, which allowed us to hear every detail of every conversation around us, drowned out only by the literally screaming young girl, who kept it up for about eight hours of the day and night. Very relaxing. We put the kayaks in the water for a quick float around the ocean waves and amongst the big seaweeds and caves the next day. The waves didn’t sit well with Shane’s landlubber belly, but after some lunch he decided he’d live. Headed into the small coastal town of Mendocino in the evening and enjoyed a few hours at the local watering hole. Met a friendly woman (yes Mom, we talked to a stranger) who shared her life story with us, including her love of auto-racing, her lesbian development, use of medicinal marijuana, and interesting views on immigration and healthcare…..all with little or no prompting from us! Ah the people you meet on the road.
Hit the road north the next day and targeted the Lost Coast, a sweet 70+ mile section of secluded and undeveloped Cali coast nestled tight against the Kings Range Mtns. A coastal wilderness trail extends the length of it, and we planned on spending 3 nights checking it out. The ~30 mile drive from Highway 101 to the coast was pretty awesome…the first 5 miles are practically a one-lane road through old growth redwoods and then up and over the mountains and down to the coast, passing through the small town of Honeydew on the way (complete with two old guys on a bench and 3 lounging dogs in front of the small general store that constitutes the extent of the town). It was late when we hit the trail, but we put a couple miles behind us and set up our tent on the beach. We passed a big flock of American Goldfinches on the way in, and a pair of sea lions was bobbing around near our campsite. Good sunset. Hiked to Cooksie River the next day, passing an old lighthouse and cabins along the way. Consulting a tides table was a new backpacking experience for us, as some sections of the trail are impassable at high tide. We made it without getting our feet wet, although the Pacific winds sure were howling (not just windy, but San Clemente Island windy). We also passed a cool spot called Sea Lion Gulch…off the coast are some really big rocks filled with lounging, barking, playful sea lions, sea lioning about. We set up our tent in a cool driftwood windbreak structure someone had built and settled in.
The next day we decided to camp a second night at Cooksie as it was really swell. Did a little dayhike up the big hill behind our camp and enjoyed lots of wildflowers (and cow patties….I thought this was wilderness?) and coastal views of turquoise/blue waters, black sand beaches, and a cow’s ass. Picnic lunch and then we went farther down the coast a few miles to Randall Creek before beating the tide back to our camp. We gave our map to a pair of hikers whose own map was swallowed by the mighty Pacific, and before they left they gave us an Endangered Species Chocolate Bar (made from real Tiger)….what an awesome trade! Enjoyed another terrific sunset and some tasty chocolate. Hiked out the next day with more SCI-level winds in our faces, but made it out somehow. Saw some vultures picking at a dead sea lion and some washed up octopus tentacles. Also saw 7 snakes over the four days, after seeing hardly any at all during our desert southwest months….what’s the deal? Shane is of the opinion he might have become a Parseltongue. Off to the Redwoods!

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Comments

[Anne]

Harry and Parseltongue
Hey I just emailed you and forgot to ask if you will be in civilization to buy the New Harry Potter this Friday? I can't wait to get my hands on it and read it all night. Lauren I am sure hoping that Snape will turn out to be a good guy. :o)