Out in Plain Sight

Entrance to Yosemite

We have been in the East Bay area for about 5 days now. Spent a day in Yosemite

 

Deals at the park sign

                                                                                   Check out the repair....definitely male influenced.

DUCT TAPE 'E'



Bridal Veil



Archway entrance just up the road

Spent a bit of time looking at El Captain from various points along the park loop. We did spend about 15 min watching two climbers that had a tent staked to the side of this...it was pretty cool. 

                                      **********************************

Issues with the photo upload feature demands that I publish our San Francisco day at another time.
Ciao!    

Mountain views, ocean waves on the road to Redding - 8 November 2010

Monday, 8 November 2010

Up early, Mike and I prepared to depart Klamath, CA after staying an extra day due to the deluge of rain that was predicted and delivered. On a loose timetable we decided that pulling a 30' RV through a downpour/high winds, on steep mountain passes wasn't how we wanted to spend a day  - when by waiting one day we could do it in sunshine - we are on the road, have enjoyed 70+ miles of Northern CA coastline on the Redwood/Hwy 101 route, 125 miles to Redding to go. At this time of year it is largely free of motorists - seemingly local traffic. Lovely drive, except for that lone biker dude on his red Honda who decided to PASS us on a CURVE and laid his bike  down and across the road to the other side....almost lost my lunch...but thankfully he was able to continue on down the road. (stoopid, stoopid)


We spent Saturday at the Prairie Creek State Park portion of the National Redwood Forest. On a loop tour of the park with it's many pull-outs and trailhead parking, we had a leisurely day exploring the spectacular Giant trees, feeding a Stellar Jay almonds (he obviously was the parking-lot beggar resident) and being overjoyed to view the Roosevelt Elk herd (approx 25-30 in #) stop HWY 101 traffic to cross over to a larger meadow with ponds.

Corkscrew Tree



Big Tree



Yurok Baskets

 and the search continues for all things Native American

Moss Grove

In looking at the Corkscrew tree we came across this grove of trees covered in moss and if you looked up there was the sky...we still can't figure out why there was no canopy but every tree was covered in moss....some had ferns growing from the branches....amazing.
Lots of interesting finds when you also look down......

Fungi





Mushroom White








Red mushrooms



 

Forest floor



 

and brown mushrooms

 

Deals on the Orick beach

 

Mike is 6'....this outside a coffeehouse in Orick - once again another 'face' for my collection.



Yurok Redwood Canoe

More Native Am. artwork.....

Heading to South Bay area for a few days.....check back soon.
Ciao...

  



Giant Redwoods, Ocean Views - 5 November 2010

Friday....no doubt about it, we are at the coast! Woke to a heavy fog that had rolled in over night, however the fisherman on the dock didn't seem to mind....nor did the sea lions that periodically popped up to see "wassup".

We drove to Crescent City to look at the Harbor and their lighthouse....which due to high tide we couldn't get to....however, it is out in the harbor, a 2 story house with a beacon on the roof. Designed originally for the Coast Guard to watch the coastline during the war, it was designed to look like a farmhouse...and it does.  Along the way we had quick glimpses of the Pacific....it was rough water today. No surfers or beachcombers.

rough water today, nobody in sight, AND yet we
really appreciated that fact.








Wood Carving - no ID



We stopped at the tourist trap, aka - Trees of Mystery - while they have an extensive and impressive Native American Museum hidden behind the chotckeys...this is a kid focused stop. The only mystery I discovered

 was that this statue, which appears to be carved out of a

massive redwood and is at the entrance to the parking lot....

not one piece of information was located on it, near it or

close by. We were on our way out so I didn't ask, wish I had now.

 

Kid focal point - these massive statues of Paul Bunyan and the blue ox - BABE....just freakin' huge.

Moving on to the Jedediah Smith Redwood State Park, home of old-growth Redwoods, the loop is narrow, winding around and through 300' trees. It was beautiful on this overcast day...few cars or people to hamper our trip. No trailers or motor homes allowed, although the volunteer at the Information Center did tell us that Class C drivers do venture in....venture out with damage to their vehicles...missing air conditioners, any awnings, etc. Rentals ususally lose their deposits....no turnarounds on this loop.


Entrance to Jedediah Smith Redwoods



narrow



  

 

 

 

 



still narrow

  

This inside.....and they just cut the middle out for the roadway.     |   (above) the left side inside view.

I've always wanted to be 'inside' a tree....check this off the bucket list :



One must look UP




Mike next to a fallen tree



Always looking for faces in things....found one in the Redwoods. Cool don't you think? I did take a moment to consider how it would look on my "wall of masks"....

 

this charmer is a 'banana slug'....eats everything but redwood seeds and seedlings....grateful that this beauty wasn't one of the critters that we've discovered.

But we did see three-leaf clover everywhere....the forest floor was covered with it...pretty, sweet and magical.  I kept thinking about "Lucky Charms"...

Hope you enjoyed another day of travel with us.....

Happy trails.....sleep well.

.

The Great Escape....3 November 2010

Lucy

Lola

Hello friends....my name is Lola Morgan and this is my sister >
Lucy Madeline, in one of two normal poses....(she is either on a lap or in a basket sleeping)
....NOT a big help in the 'rescue me' department.

HOME

 

My humans have deposited us inside a big long box, and have fled the large comfy space known as 'home'. It has taken them days of packing and stowing our cat box, litter, food and toys. The worst part was being dragged out from under the dark confines of the bed where I was hidden, almost invisible, behind a large container, once I was alerted by Lucy and her mewed warnings of impending doom. The last time this rude event occurred we were escorted to a noisy, other animal smelling building ---- poked, prodded, impaled with sharp pointy objects and implanted with microscopic chips .....supposedly for our "protection".... but I know I can hear mooing from the moon now.

Although we are familiar with this particular space, it is not home, but the view from our windows is pretty awesome. We saw a hawk guarding a field from a fence post, and a young doe trying to cross I-5 from the median....sure hope she made it across.



RV Theatre Screen



 

Our first night out....Sutherlin, OR - roughly 30 miles from Roseburg. Our RV lot turned out to be an old drive-in theatre....with free movies on Saturdays - and they throw in the popcorn. November schedule: Star Wars, Episode V, Episode VI and the Santa Claus for 3 of the 4 Saturdays.

Thursday morning it was a race to see who could get ready to go first...Coats groomed, breakfast and morning rituals completed Lucy and I assumed our normal sitting positions to watch the activities of "lets get the heck out of Dodge" in record time.


Azalea Exit 88 and Fog




Sunny Valley  Exit 71 and  Fog

  Much of the day was in and out of sun and fog....as the ocean gets nearer


OR Caves sign @ Cave Junction



We will come back to visit the caves at some point in the future...there is oh, so much beauty in Oregon to discover.



Welcome to California




Redwood National State Park North Entrance





Gorgeous trees



 

View of the beach from US Hwy 101 - AWESOME! 





Pacific Ocean

  Surfer  dude

     In and out of sun and fog all day

We are parked now for the next few days....time to sleep in peace  while our humans explore the California Redwoods, Crescent City and Klamath.

  



  out the back window of our RV in Klamath, CA

outside our kitchen window/door

the Klamath River - near the headwaters of the Pacific Ocean (about 50 feet from us)     


It's been a long day and both Lucy and I are completely tuckered out....hope you enjoyed our Great Escape....we believe the humans have regained control and will be checking in with you all in the coming days.
 
 
 
 
 

Ciao!