Big-Ass Trees: Part 1

This was the first big redwood that I saw near a spot to pull off the road so I could take a picture. I was very excited. I had no idea how it would feel to actually hike among these huge guys, but I was about to find out. And thanks to the magic of a camera timer and a tripod, you'll actually get some sense of scale here (I'm 5' 2.5", for the record). If you've never been, go. If you've been, go back when there's not so many damn people around. Hiking weather was perfect for a few lightweight trail-running jackets, neck and ear coverage. Reminded me of hiking in the Smokey Mountains in late March.

Somewhere along US Hwy 199 in the National Redwood Forest

Crab Fishing in Crescent City

I wasn't planning on doing much in Crescent City, my first coastal city. Grab some info on the local redwood forest (info stations in the park are closed this month), grab a bite, look at the ocean, move on. But after tooling around the big trees for a while, I became distracted be the prospect of a marine mammal rehab facility and set out to find that. Just east of Battery Point, my guide book says.



Maybe so. But I didn't see it, and I ended up walking out the pier at the point, taking pictures of the lighthouse, which is only accessible at low tide, and watching people fish for crab. Old men, young couples, a family with an adorable toddler, a middle-aged woman. Everyone and their brother was out crab fishing in the middle of a Monday. And one enterprising harbor seal was foiling them all.
My favorite guy: The 60-70ish man who said it was good for me to go hiking because it "keeps ya off the streets."

Battery Point, Crescent City, CA

Hungry, hungry harbor seal

Battery Point Lighthouse, Crescent City, CA

From OR to CA: $1.99

I chose to overnight in Grants Pass, OR so that I would have a fresh day to take on US Highway 199, an often narrow, curvy route that cuts through the Cascades and spends a good deal of its time in California winding along the Smith River. And as I spent the morning driving through redwood-covered hills, along steep drop-offs, and under rock fall areas, I patted myself on the back for that choice.

Rogue River, Grants Pass OR

Rogue River at sunset.
Building on the left is Taprock Northwest Grill (where I had dinner)

Beaver?

Nope - gotcha! 

This is a bear outside the bank next to Taprock Northwest Grill. 

Taprock loves bears.

Driving through Sheep Country

Sheep grazing along I-5 in Linn County, OR

When I set out from Portland in my not-as-cute-as-a-Chevy-Aveo Mitsubishi Gallant, I was looking forward to a 4-hour straight, easy interstate drive with little distraction except perhaps some beautiful mountain vistas. No one bothered to warn me that I was about to drive through Linn and Lane Counties which, by my observation, have the most sheep next to a highway anywhere ever (except perhaps Britain, but I've never been there).

Tasty Portland

I'm reluctant to leave behind the fabulous food scene in Portland, but I'm looking forward to wine country and the SF Bay Area which have never disappointed me. A quick review of everywhere I ate outside my cousin's house.