Day 6 & finally on the internet...

Well we did in fact leave Fresno on June 1st and I have NOT been able to get on the Internet with my fabulous & expensive ATT card. When we arrived in Klamath, on Sat 6/6, we took the computer into Crescent City to see what the matter was, only to be told the att card doesn't work in these parts. I am now using the wi fi at the RV park, (of course, I didn't even know I had wireless) so after the owner showed me how to get on....here goes the new Northwest blog.......

Day 1 - 6/1 we left Fresno and had a very pleasant trip up Interstate 5 passing through the nightmare of Sacramento traffic and looking for a place to park overnight. As RV parks were very scare we finally found one in the city Woodland at the local fairgrounds. OK, here's the picture....we are parked in the fairgrounds parking lot, (lots of dirt) with electric & water only for $25. There was one other RV there who was staying for 2 WEEKS, visiting his daughter & this was the second year they had done this (unbelievable, 2 weeks in a parking lot .) Our nightly entertainment was to walk over to the baseball field & watch the 5 & 6 year old play tee ball. Needless to say, we were up early & left. Oh and did I mention the light above us made our RV look like daylight all night long.

Day 2 - 6/2 & 3 were much better. We arrived in the beautiful coastal redwood area staying in a great park, Richardson Grove RV, in Garberville, CA. After we arrived, we walked across the street, to view the Grandfather redwood tree and a log cabin www.one-loghouse.com that is made out of 1 large piece of redwood, that contains a bedroom, kitchen & living room. That afternoon we drove up to Richardson Grove State Park & walked along the Eel River and walk the trails through the redwoods. Day 3 was devoted to taking the 31 mile drive through Avenue of the Giants. This is a drive, through several small towns that have this beautiful stretch of redwoods, such as The Chimmey Tree, a 78' redwood gutted by fire, The Shrine Drive-Thru Tree (which we drove thru) Founders Grove, dedicated to the founder of the Save-the-Redwood League, the founders tree is 346 feet tall. The most spectacular thing about these trees, that even when they fall, they continue to serve as a host to other trees & vegetation that will continue to grow. The quiet and serenity of these redwood groves are unmatched by any other place I have ever been. This would be on "my to do list" for everyone. www.ancientredwoods.net

Day 4 - 6/4 & 5 We continued up highway 101 staying in a passport america campground in Scotia, CA. Another park surrounded by redwoods everywhere you look. The park was a dump, but the scenery was glorious. We did drive into Scotia which was a company town for the local lumber mill. The mill is only partial open today, with no more tours and the town is composed of retired mill workers. We did walk through the beautiful lobby of Scotia Inn, which was built with redwood. www.townofscotia.com

On Thursday, 6/4 we left for Ferndale, CA a small tourist town consisting of old Victorian houses. We parked & headed for the Ferndale Museum and then walked many, many streets looking at the beautiful restored buildings of businesses and homes. We also drove through the Ferndale Cemetery, which is quite a tourist attraction. It winds its way up a very high & twisty road with all of these very old plots to see & read. We then took a drive out in the country of Ferndale where there was suppose to be an old Victorian house you could tour, but the tours don't start for 2 weeks. However, the Master Gardener's were having a pot luck & invited us to join them & see the gardens & tour the old barn. We even had our picture taken with the group & will be ever known as the Fresno couple that crashed their party. They were so nice and very happy to have us. Real country hospitality. www.victorianferndale.org/chamber

The next day, Friday, 6/5 we took a drive into Eureka to see the historic downtown area, of course we arrived to early (is there such a thing?) as few places were open. We stopped at the local visitors center & got our information so we (or is the me) could plan our day and activities. Of course, the first thing Will noticed was that everyone was a "hippie with long hair" and that was enough of Eureka for him. Actually, just think Santa Cruz and you have Eureka. We did go in and out of store's and walked on their 4 block long boardwalk along the water. We then drove over the Somoa Bridge to have lunch at the Samoa Cookhouse, www.samoacookhouse.net a lumber-camp restaurant that still serves meals family style and has a fabulous logging museum. Lunch was terrific (Will had pot roast) and we BOTH had carrot cake for dessert, which was "off the charts" good. We then drove the couple miles to Woodley Island Marina www.humboldtbay.org and walked around the marina viewing the fishing boats. At one point, a commercial fishing boat captain called us over so we could see the huge halibut one of his customers had caught that morning. It was 98 lbs, the largest his vessel had ever caught. The guy that landed it (it took him 30 minutes to get it in the boat, was sooooooo excited he was calling all his friends & trying to get them to come down and see it before they cleaned it. (Rog, you would have been beside yourself!) After this walk we drove back into Eureka to view Carson Mansion. This is a beautiful old 3 story Victorian home that was owned by a lumber magnate and is now a private men's club with no admittance by the common folk, but anyway, it was beautiful to see from the outside. www.eurekachamber.com

Saturday, 6/6 we arrived at Klamath River RV Park, a beautiful Coast to Coast park that is located right on the Klamath River off highway 101. We face the river and have a great pull thru spot. Saturday afternoon we drove over to Crescent Cityto check on the computer, get information at the visitors center, saw a wonderful museum and learned all about the Tsunami that happened here in 1964. On highway 101 along the coast are Tsunami signs saying you are entering or leaving Tsunami area. We thought this was a bunch of crap and a hugh waste of money making these signs until we learned in Crescent City about their Tsunami that wiped out 6 blocks along the coast line of this city. Actually, the first Tuesday of each month they sound the Tsunami siren so the local folks will know what it sounds like. YIKES

Today, Sunday, 6/7 we visited Mystery of the Trees, a place a few short miles from where we are staying that was an amazing place that you walked a trail viewing more spectacular redwoods with a sky ride that took you to the top when there was an observation deck. A beautiful morning and well worth the $11.00 senior price to see it.

Well friends, that brings you up to date on our trip so far. Tomorrow will be one week and if they are all like this it will be a great trip. We leave here tomorrow and head for Oregon. Hopefully, I will be able to continue the blog and keep you posted of our were abouts and activities. I hope you will continue to post comments on blog or send me an email at sportsgirl107@sbcglobal.net but PLEASE folks -NO JOKES -as I just have to delete them. Thanks. Much love to all family & friends.