Fires burning extensive portions of California surround us. Our intended progress southward is in jeopardy but since we really don’t need to be anywhere until late November, we decided to wait on information about whether or not we can continue on 101 until we were done fooling around. We decided to procrastinate before determining how we are going to get out of here. We therefore had available fun time so we decided to use it.
We had enough fun trying to scope out Arcata yesterday so today we chose to go on a different journey of discovery by heading north from Mad River RV Park. We took 101 north about 20 miles until turning off at the Kuchel Visitor Center of Redwood National Park near Orick. We wandered in, watched their movie, browsed their gift shop and then exited the center’s rear doors for a stroll on the beach. We were careful to avoid getting suckered by sneaker waves by staying away from the surf, which was open for business. The coastline near the visitor center is gorgeous with big seastacks offshore and magnificent cliffs above the shoreline.
After a short walk, we hopped back into the truck and continued north up 101 until we turned off and took the squirrelly road to the Lady Bird Johnson Grove of Redwood NP. The road is very narrow and quite exciting when loaded log trucks come the other way, particularly when we were driving in the lane closest to the abrupt cliff. After a few miles, however, we turned off into a small parking area and crossed the pedestrian bridge starting our hike into Lady Bird Johnson Grove. We did not see any Lady Birds but we were treated to a grand stroll through an astonishingly impressive Redwood, Douglas Fir and Hemlock forest with extremely pudgy trees throughout. We saw some more trees with almost vulgar appendages although it just may be filthy imaginations.
The trail is a bit longer than I am used to but certainly worth the effort I forced my old, stiff, creaky muscles and joints to exert. The surfaces are good and there are not a lot of long climbs, for which I am grateful. I noted a much slower speed for me at the end of our hike than at the beginning. I hope Peg doesn’t get pissed at my snail-like speeds when hiking.
For some pictures of Lady Bird’s Grove and some nearby coastline, click here