Comfort Inn N Sts Redwood Coast Crescent City

So we decided that we had had enough of motels, so we decided to camp out for a couple pf nights, we selected this beautiful spot outside the national park, it was surrounded by giant red woods and right next to a river... and (as we found out after paying and setting up camp ...

This is the goal, we'll see how road conditions and traffic cooperate!
Well, almost at Crescent City despite a flying tire from a wide load trailer withing the first hour of the journey. I was in the passing lane beside the caravan of vehicles escorting the doublewide to its roost, but thankfully not within range as a rear tire bounced across my lane and into the median.
Never a dull moment. Hmm, yes there was when I was waiting for ...

To get back to the Pacific, we must drive back north into Oregon and we choose a narrow, less-traveled road near Yreka, through beautiful forests and along the ugly and murky Klamath River. Once we enter California again we start to see the huge trees of Jedediah Smith Redwoods State Park, but it is dark and we get a motel room in Crescent City and hope to see some more redwoods tomorrow.

September 5, 2009 (Saturday) – Klamath, OR

Leaving Heceta Beach and the lovely city of Florence, we decided to divert from the coast over to the interstate. The constant brake, accelerate, brake routine was aggravating Wendell's sciatic nerve and causing him increasing leg pain. He thought a break using the cruise control might be helpful so we continued a few miles south to Reedsport and headed east on state highway 38. This route took us along the ...

I last left you on the road between San Diego and LA, and I write this current entry at in a tent on the coast of very northern California in a tent on the beach with just the sound of the waves (and Ben and Alfie) for company. Right now is one of those moments that makes me really happy to be alive and seeing so much of the world. I consider myself very fortunate.

In true style I will take a moment here to describe a bit about the roads ...

... girls all cooked meatballs and spaghetti with a salad on each plate in the shape of a person. That was all while the parents went for a walk by the river. We arrived back to be waited on - wonderful!

We could have happily spent another couple of days on the coast and amongst the redwoods, but unfortunately time was running out. Only 2 weeks to go now....

... south. We both finally found some good walking shoes, $60 for some Merrells - that's £30!!, found a place to stay and headed towards the Pacific Coast on the Panorama Highway to find the Trail Head of the Matt Davis Trail. The Panorama Highway hugs the mountain side and snakes its way through the forest towards the coast, its actually part of Highway 1 and takes us towards Stinson Beach, south of Point Reyes which we visited a week or so later. The Matt Davis Trail starts ...

... played hide and seek. We spent the night camping in this state park. Our next night was also spent in a different part of the Redwoods - in the Redwoods National Park near Crescent City almost at the border with Oregan. The campground just off of Hwy 199, called Panther's Flat, was one of those unexpected finds. The campground is right along the middle fork of the Smith River, we slept to the lull of the running river.

... beach glass, various shells (oyster? Mussle? Purple, with nice mother of pearl underneath and on the inside), and I even found a complete sand dollar about the size of a silver dollar. Michael joined us for just a few minutes of the combing, but as often he spent more time watching the waves (which is perfectly fine). Finally, we ran out of time so we got loaded up then checked out and hit the road. Our first stops for the day were here in Crescent City ...

... night. I hiked down to the plaza and realized it was where I had hung out before in Arcata. The show that night was lots of fun. I danced like crazy and ended up hanging out with Stick and Crazy Pete. James and I went down to the square to get beer but everything was closed. Two fun crazy ladies asked me to drive them home. I did so and we had a fun night in their hot tub drinking kahlua. I got ...