Big Trees

Our stop in the Humbolt Redwood State Park put us in big trees. We camped in a second growth area with trees growing in rings from the stumps of big trees that were cut years ago. There were bear proof boxes for us to put our food and items that had touched food in.

Our next stop took us thru Fernbridge, Ferndale, Rio Dell and Scotia, California. The road lead thru Stafford, Pepperwood, Redcrest, Weott, Myers Flat, MIranda, Phillipsville, Redway, Garberville, and Benbow, California. We stayed at Richardson Grove State Park.

Piercy was one of the next towns, and at Leggett we began our journey on route 1. There was a climb from around 500 feet above sea level to over 1500 feet above sea level. Then we made a ten mile descent to the ocean and on to Westport. It was interesting to go from the big trees to the ocean in one day. The sounds and smells of the waves were different from the silence of the forest.

Cleone, Fort Bragg, Mendocino and Albion, California were towns we traveled through. After Elk, California we camped near Manchester, California. Some of our group hiked about one mile to the beach and experienced the very cold water of the Pacific Ocean. It seems there is a Humboldt Current that flows past Alaska and brings cold water down the coast. The water in the ocean is always cold.

On through Point Arena, Ca., we traveled through Anchor Bay, Gualaia, Sea Ranch, Stewarts Point, Ca. The day was rainy and cold, so we stopped at Fort Ross, Ca., and spent our only night in a small motel. All the shivering riders were happy to be in rooms instead of tents.

After Jenner and Bodega Bay, Ca. we turned inland to go through Valley Ford and Tomales, Ca. On through Marshall, Ca. to a camp near Pt. Reyes Station put us in our final night in tents.

We road Sir Francis Drake Blvd through Samuel P Taylor State Park and our last views of Redwoods. On to Lagunitas, Woodacre, Fairfax, Ca. Then through San Anselmo, Ross, Kentfield, Larkspur and Gorte Madera, California put us in Sausalito. We crossed the Golden Gate Bridge into San Francisco, California and the trip was over.