searcyf@mac.com – Page 94 – Travels with Fred

Cross Country Trip – Day 34

22 April 2018

I have the worst luck with motels, resorts, spas, etc. when it comes to sleeping. I stayed at the Campbell Resort in Chelan [She LAN – long a]. I was ready for bed at 10:30 pm when someone above me (I was on the ground floor) started moving not only themselves around, but it sounded like furniture.

I was able to doze off but was awakened at 12:30 am when it sounded like someone running on the floor above me and then jumping up and down. I called the front desk and they said they would send security to check on it.

It eventually died down but I was awakened at 3:30 am by a hammering noise, more running and jumping. Oh well.

I got up at 5:30 am and got showered, shaved and dressed and headed for Starbucks across the street for breakfast. I noticed two police officers sitting having coffee and they were conversing with another person about an incident that had just happened.

I mentioned I needed them last night at Campbell and one of the policemen laughed and said that was common for the resort this time of year. Apparently, there are a lot of young people that flock into Chelan right about now.

I made it to Lake Chelan Boat Company at 9:00 am and was told where to park the car for the next three nights. I got my tickets (outdoing in incoming) and we were off at 10 am on the dot. We did not take the Lady of the Lake, but instead the Lady Expreess.

It’s a two and a half hour cruise up Lake Chelan to Stehekin [steh HE kin]. Chelan comes from Tsillane (original spelling by fur trappers) and is supposed to mean “deep water.” Stehekin supposedly means “the way through”.

Near the small encampment near Lucerne on Lake Chelan

Lake Chelan was carved out by two glaciers some 17,000 years ago. The upper lake is called the Lucerne Basin and it was formed by a glacier from the North Cascades. It’s the deepest part of the lake at 1,386 feet deep (Lake Chelan is the third deepest lake in the U.S. behind Crater Lake and Lake Tahoe). This part of the lake is approximately 30 miles long.

The Narrows which separates the Wapatu Basin from the Lucerne Basin of Lake Chelan

The second basin is the Wapato Basin and it was formed from a glacier from Canada. It is only 400 feet deep and 12 miles long. The Wapato Basin and the Lucerne Basis are joined at The Narrows where the lake is only 1/4 of a mile across.

There are 95 full time residents of Stehekin and even though there are vehicles, there are no roads into the town. The cars and trucks here had to be brought by barge up Lake Chelan. Most people in the town are national park personnel but there are some other occupations.

I find it strange that with a full-time population of 95, most of them have no idea what the others are doing. If you ask someone in town if the restaurant is open, they say maybe but only for lunch. It seems there may be a touch of competition going on in the town.
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Robbie (short for Roberta) and her daughter met me at the boat and we loaded my gear into the back of a Ford Explorer (mine for the stay) and they led me to the cabin.

Robbie operates a bakery (not open for the season yet) and has two rental cabins. I’m in the smaller one and it is really cute. It has a sun room, a living room, large kitchen, downstairs bathroom and bedrooms up stairs. It has one large queen bed in one room and another bedroom sleeps four on single beds.

Robbie recommended some hikes and I decided to hike the 1.5 miles to Rainbow Falls. This fall has received a lot of great reviews on travel sights and I have to agree. It is quite impressive with the spring melt.

There is a 312 foot drop for this fall which has its source very far back in the mountains so it picks up a lot of melt from the surrounding hills.

I suspect I’ll have an early night tonight. Since there is no grocery store in the town, I brought freeze dried food to tide me over for three dinners and three breakfasts. I can have lunch at the restaurant in town – maybe, if it is open – no one seems to know.

Old Stehekin School – one room school house

Since you are reading this today, I obviously have wifi – provided by my hostess.

Errata

I meant to mention in last night’s post about the apple trees. In route to Chelan were thousands of them all in bloom. It took me a moment to figure them out. They believe it is more of a psychological result, mind over matter, type of effect. viagra sale without prescription Conversely, the effects of time will also manifest via a breakdown of your body prescription de viagra canada components. The ingredient works at a physiological level in treating erection problems. viagra super store Generally, lack of energy can contribute to low libido level in men as low libido can viagra soft 100mg also lead to poor erection or erectile dysfunction. The way the trees are pruned is surreal. You see the trunk and the branches and white powder puffs of blooms.

Cross Country Trip – Day 32

20 April 2018

It started out a sunny day and that gave us a lot of hope that we would have clear views of Mount Saint Helens. We headed out after breakfast and hit highway 7. , when we got to Morton, Washington, someone who will remain nameless but with the initials Tom Green suggested we turn west on highway 12. It was the wrong way. We figured it out after we got to the entrance to Mount Saint Helens visitor center and realized all the roads were closed into the park from that entrance.

Our intention was to take highway 12 to Interstate 5 south and enter the park through the south entrance. After our mistake, we got on 12 east and hit I-5 and made it to the visitor center. We balked at the $5 admission fee to tour the center and opted instead for the view of Mount Saint Helens from the visitor center.

However, by the time we arrived, it was overcast and we were afraid we would not be able to see the mountain. However, when we got to the visitor center, the volcano was framed perfectly along the side of the center.

We debated as to whether to drive the road to where the road closed and finally took the plunge. It was 39 miles to where the road was closed and we would have to turn around. I’m glad we did the drive. Every turn led to a more spectacular view of Mt. St. Helens.

Mount Saint Helens and valley that received pyroclastic flow

I remember when it erupted in April of 1980. I used to teach students about the eruption and used it as an example of the power of volcanoes. However, I was not prepared for the sight of the missing part of the mountain.

I’ve seen all the National Geographic images, the videos, and even documentaries but nothing quite reveals the scale of the amount of the mountain that is missing until you see it close up.

Somewhere around 1300 feet of the mountain’s elevation disappeared and left a gaping hole in the side of the mountain.
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As interesting was the blast zone and the valley that was flooded with 150 feet deep of pyroclastic flow. The valley below the mount still looks very bare. All along the new road above the valley floor are markers telling you when the area was replanted in vegetation to replace that destroyed by the blast.

One marker, seemingly a little tongue in cheek said it was decided it was not a great idea to rebuild the road on the valley floor below. No kidding!

On the return trip, we ate at a restaurant that was once one of the only homes in the area to survive the blast. It’s sobering to realize 57 people perished in the eruption.

Surviving home, now restaurant within blast zone of Mount Saint Helens

This is the last night at Mount Rainier and its been great. The room has been crowded with two people but Tom and I seem to work well around the small size of the room.

I head out tomorrow for Chelan, Washington which is the jumping off place for Lake Chelan and my ultimate destination of Stehekin, Washington at the end of Lake Chelan. I’ll spend one night at Chelan at a resort, take a boat to Stehekin and spend three nights in a cabin. Then I return to Stehekin and another night in Chelan before heading to Idaho.

I suspect my three nights in Stehekin will be without wifi or phone service so bear with me on the lateness of the blogs.

Cross Country Trip – Day 33

21 April 2018

I got packed and off at 7 am this morning. Tom was staying longer because he had a red eye flight back to Fort Lauderdale and he wanted to leave as late as possible. That would cut down on the time he would have to sit in the Delta Lounge at SeaTac Airport.

I really appreciate Tom coming to share this experience with me. He’s a great friend and we had a wonderful time laughing and poking fun at each other. It certainly made the experience better.

I headed first for Marblemount, Washington (the only entrance open to North Cascades National Park via I-5 and highway 20. Once in the park, the visitor center was closed (although I had asked previously if it would be open) and so I decided to travel as far up highway 20 as was open. Most of the road is closed due to snow.

North Cascades National Park entrance from highway 20

I did get a shock when I pulled into the maintenance facilities for the Gorge Power Station. A siren went off just as I got out the jeep. I wondered if it was a dam failure. One look at the clock told me it was the noon siren.

Back when I was a kid in Morton, Farris Lumber Company used to blow a whistle at starting time, noon, and quitting time. I had forgotten that and don’t think I’ve heard a noon whistle or siren since my childhood.

There were some great overlooks and I got to see the turbine section of the dam and then the actual dam itself.

Gorge High Dam at North Cascades National Park

One overlook in particular was covered in moss.
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Also, most of the road into the park had trees that were draped in mosses. It was quite the eerie effect. Perfect for Halloween!

Moss on trees at North Cascades National Park

After about an hour and a half in the actual park, I headed back to I-5 via highway 20 to Chelan, Washington, on the southeast end of the North Cascade National Forest. The drive was amazing and beautiful – two adjectives that I’ve overworked this trip but fit the description.

It’s been a long day. The drive was just a little over 11 hours total.

In Chelan, I am staying one night at the Campbell Resort. I set sail tomorrow on The Lady of the Lake up Lake Chelan to a town called Stehekin. There are no roads there and the only way to get there is by boat, sea plane, or hiking. The boat leaves at 10 am in the morning so I need to pack everything for the trip tonight.

Outside my room at Campbell’s Resort in Chelan, Washington

I leave the jeep in the boat company’s yard for three nights ($24 for 3) and someone will be waiting for me at Stehekin with a vehicle of some type (there are roads in Stehekin, just not leading into it) which will whisk me to a cabin for 3 nights. I doubt very seriously I will have any phone or internet service, so don’t expect any posts after tonight.

I’ll try to day hike a little, depending on the ankle and probably do a lot of cabin sitting. You are suggested to bring all your food since most of the stores in Stehekin are still probably closed for the season.

Cross Country Trip – Day 31

19 April 2018

The Longmire Lodge is quaint, close (as in small rooms) and since it has been refurbished, has probably lost a little of its charm. However, it makes for an excellent home base for exploration.

Every meal Tom and I have had in their restaurant has been excellent. It’s a very small kitchen but they have a menu that has something for everyone. I met a vegetarian couple this afternoon and they say the chef takes pains to create something interesting for them every meal. The staff go out of their way to make you feel at home and comfortable.

After breakfast, Tom and I decided to return his tire chains since we would be using the jeep for our travels. The place was nice enough to only charge him for one day’s rental instead of two. After that we decided to try to find a spa we had seen on the way in. I thought it was close to the park, he thought it was between Elbe and Ashford (I was right). In any case, we drove to Elbe where Tom had seen a particular church he wanted to photograph.

It’s a German Lutheran Church and as much as I hate to admit it, it was charming. Next to the church was a series of vintage railroad cars. You can rent a railroad car to spend the night. They have converted all manner of cars into sleepers and they rent out like motel rooms. There is also a restaurant in a diner car.

On the way back to the park, we noticed two spa signs. The first one was OK but both Tom and I prefer a male massage therapist (we were corrected that they do not go by masseur or masseuse any more) and they only had a female.

The second place must be popular because I was told that for an appointment, they needed three weeks notice.

As we returned to the park, we took a short walk down Kautz Creek Trail. Like my tsunami signs in Redwoods, there were warning signs all over the place about mudflows from Mount Rainier that could occur at any moment and that the mud flow was the consistency of cement. We did not tarry long. There was evidence of mudflows in the past and apparently there have been some major ones in the park. I suspect the spring thaw is the best time to get caught up in one.

The gate to Paradise opens at 9 am and we were entering the road to Paradise a little after 9. Paradise is the name of the place where you find a second visitor center and the Paradise Inn (closed for the winter). It is aptly named!

Paradise is some 5000 feet higher than Longmire and you continually climb the mountain via hairpin curves. Every so often as you round the curve, you would get a glimpse of Mount Rainier – sometimes enveloped in clouds and sometimes set off against a brilliant blue sky.

Two sections of the road had signs that warned of avalanches and that there was no stopping or parking along those stretches of the road. The park service did an excellent job of clearing the road and there was only one little part that had a little ice on the road.

Once in Paradise, we discovered the visitor center was closed as well as the Paradise Inn.

Visitor Center at Paradise – closed for the season

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This is some of the most spectacular scenery since I’ve seen Yosemite. There weren’t many waterfalls, but you kept seeing one mountain peak after another. You might think you were in the alps.

Snow banks at Paradise were taller than the vehicles

After we returned to the lodge for lunch, Tom headed for a nap and I headed for two hikes. One was a 1.5 mile loop through the administration facilities and ranger cabins over a suspension bridge and into a campground (not open) .

It was this innocuous trip that I got my best views of Mount Rainier. You could really see the full expanse of the mountain and what it would take to make it to the top.

Also, near the entrance to the campground at the community center building was a memorial to those park personal who had sacrificed their lives trying to rescue people stranded on the mountain. It was a moving memorial with four names carved into the stones.

Memorial to those who lost their lives trying to save others stranded on the mountain

The second hike was a 0.7 mile hike around the mineral springs that gave this hotel and park its start. Much of the hike reminded me of a temperate rainforest.

A restored original cabin was in place and two of the mineral springs were available to view.

One of the original cabins of Longmire restored by the national park service

By the time I got back, it was 3:30 pm and Tom was still napping so I headed to the lounge to do the blog. I met a couple from Seattle and we shared information on trips. I recommended two Tauck trips: Desert Southwest Tour and the Bugaboos. I think they are really interested in doing those two. They were kind enough to show interest in my day’s photos and of Death Valley.

Tomorrow, Tom said he would like to do some short hikes so I think I’ll take him on the two I did today. I also want to head to the Mount Saint Helens Visitor Center. The ranger said on a clear day, you can see the mountain from the center. Also, one of the roads is partially open and we might be able to get closer. It’s about an hour and half drive south.

Cross Country Trip – Day 30

18 April 2018

I left The Dalles around 8:30 am. Before leaving I tried to find local jeep dealers to get a new set tires for the jeep. They are getting a little low on tread. They still have some but I’ll probably have to replace them before the end of the trip.

I found a jeep dealership in Gresham just east of Portland that had the specific tires I wanted but the person who did the alignment would not be in for several weeks. They would not put the tires without the alignment and I wouldn’t want them to. I tried a couple of other dealerships in Portland but no one had the tires. In the end, I gave up and decided to head on to Mount Rainier.

Several years ago, John Bell had been in the Columbia River Gorge on a riverboat cruise and he had seen a road sign for historic highway 30. He wanted to take a picture but they were on a tour bus and never got the chance.

He asked me when I was here 2 years ago to take a photo of the highway sign. Unfortunately, I forgot to do. it. This trip I was looking for the sign but the attractive sign he’d seen had been replaced by a dull brown sign that just said “Historic Highway 30”. The standard park issue.

I stopped back at Multnomah Falls in case the gift shop had a facsimile of the sign but they didn’t. I then got off I-84 at Troutdale and headed to highway 30 just in case they had an old sign still where I saw it first. Nope. Not there. On the way back to I-84, I saw a museum for old historic highway 30. I stopped and asked the person at the desk if they had a photo or post card with the old highway sign.

She informed me the only person who might know about the road sign was in a meeting at the moment. I said, OK, I’ll look around the museum until he gets free. As I was walking around, I made my way back to the front desk and there in the front of the museum was the road sign as big as life. I sent the photo to John and it turns out it was the one he remembered.

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Old Historic Columbia River Sign now only found in a museum

I got to the Mount Rainier around 1:30 pm and checked in. It’s a small room (it’s an old hotel – 1926) but has a full shower.

Longmire Lodge with Mount Rainier in the background

I walked a little around the area of the hotel until I thought Tom Green would arrive and just as I walked into the lobby, he was checking in. It’ll be close quarters that we share in the room, but at least Tom doesn’t snore.

Tomorrow, we’ll probably head up to Paradise (11 miles past our lodge) and maybe head to Mount Saint Helens.

I thought the Redwoods were spectacular but the road into the park is really special. I hope to do a little hiking (my ankle is still bothering me) and some local sightseeing.

We get free breakfast with our room for the next three nights, so that is a plus.

Cross Country Trip – Day 29

17 April 2018

It’s been a long day. I got out of bed at 5:30 am and was packed and loaded and on the road at 7:30 am. I stopped for a brief breakfast at a restaurant on the way out of California.

The drive north on 199 is something to see. I pretty much took my time on the “S” curves taking in the scenery along the way. Eventually, 199 feeds into Interstate 5 at Grant’s Pass. I stopped for Starbucks (yes, I know) and then headed north on I-5.

About 50 miles out of Eugene, Oregon, I though about getting the oil changed in the jeep. I was down to 7% left on my last change and the new vehicles have a thing about not letting you destroy your engine. I once ran low on Diesel Exhaust Fluid (DEF) and a dire warning came up on the dash that said the engine would shut down and I would not be able to start the jeep unless I replenished the DEF. I didn’t want to take a chance with the oil.

I called a jeep dealer in Eugene and they said bring it in and they would try to get me back on the road in an hour’s time. They were good to their word. The whole process was easy (and cheaper than Fort Lauderdale). I also had them change out the wiper blades (it is Oregon, after all) and the whole deal cost $102.

As it turns out, the person I talked to on the phone ended up being my agent at the jeep service department. He’s a graduate of the University of Oregon in film and is currently getting a second degree in business.

Once the jeep was serviced, I checked and they had failed to reset the oil monitor. It was still reading 7%. There is a way to reset it but the guy who tried to do it for me couldn’t and had to take it back to the service department. Eventually, they got it reset and I was back on the road.
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I hit a traffic jam on the interchange from I-5 to I-84 at Portland (heading to The Dalles). It took a good 45 minutes to get through the traffic. Once I was free of the jam, I made pretty good time.

On the way, I noticed a turnoff for Multnomah Falls, my absolute favorite waterfall in the world. Strangely, you could not get on historic highway 30 – the first tourist highway specifically built for tourists – and the gateway to the falls, but you could pull into a center section of I-84, park, and then walk under I-84 to the Falls. This beats trying to fight traffic and find parking on the very narrow highway 30 – no matter how historic.

Multnomah Falls – Upper Falls 542 feet, lower falls 69 feet

From there it was a short drive to the Comfort Inn at The Dalles. I immediately started a load of clothes and I’m finishing up the drying as I type this. This is a fairly nice place but it is showing its age.

Tomorrow, I try to find a way to the National Park Inn at Mount Rainier. Tom Green will meet me there and we’ll spend three days driving around, doing short hikes, and hopefully eating some good food – if we don’t freeze to death.

Cross Country Trip – Day 28

16 April 2018

It rained all day yesterday, all night last night, and it was drizzling this morning. Yet, later in the day the sun broke out and it was an absolutely fantastic day.

I really feel very fortunate to be able to do this trip – physically and fiscally. I’ve decided three nights at a place is just about right. Just when I think I might get bored with an area, something new draws my attention and I have time to explore it.

This morning, I opted for Mickey D’s in Crescent City so I could get an early start on the road. I traveled south of Crescent City looking for the Klamath Beach Road for the Coastal Drive Loop. Supposedly when you find the road, it becomes one way so you need to find the correct turnout. I did. It’s a beautiful drive along the coast with glimpses of the Pacific and some stunning overlooks.

Shades of John Belushi and 1942, but there was a camouflaged radar station made to look like a farmhouse along the route. The Japanese really did have submarines off the California, Oregon and Washington coasts during WWII.

Camouflaged WWII Radar Station on Coastal Trail

Eventually, the one way traffic now becomes two-way (luckily, I got the directions correct and made it back to highway 101.

From there I headed to Yurok Trail Loop (named after an indigenous tribe) and did a short 1.6 mile loop. This was a stunning trail. You walked along the cliffs above the Pacific and through what can easily be classified as a rainforest.

One view of the Pacific was particularly amazing.

Also, along the trail, you felt you were in a jungle with the mosses growing all over the trees hanging over the trails.

Next was a stop at Crescent City to get a view of their lighthouse in the distance.

Then a close up view of the sea lions basking in the sun and arguing.

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Point Saint George (just out from Crescent City) really blew me away. First the wildflowers were blooming to beat the band. Next, you have a stunning view of Castle Rock. I wonder if it has anything to do with Castle Rock Entertainment?

Just about everywhere I hiked this day had tsunami warning signs. This area of the coast is very vigilant since it so often gets tsunamis.

My last stop was the pièce de résistance. When you check in with Jedediah Smith State Park, they hand you a park brochure with a piece taped to the brochure as to how to find Stout Grove. At this time of year, you have to leave the park to get there through back roads. However, during the summer and low water, there is a seasonal bridge across Mill Creek. I’m glad they called specific attention to it.

The Lady Bird Johnson Grove yesterday was very nice. The Stout Grove is beyond description. Photos, of course, don’t do it justice but even they turned out pretty good. This is a must do if you are in the area.

A word of caution… the roads are very rough although not as bad as the ones yesterday. It’s still a challenge to drive but worth it when you get there. It’s a 0.5 mile loop or you can take a little longer trail for 1.6 miles.

I’ve been to Muir Woods, Mariposa, and now Redwoods. Of the three, the Stout Grove beats them all.

Tomorrow I leave for The Dalles, Oregon and the Columbia River Gorge. I hope to see Multnomah Falls once again – my absolute favorite waterfall in the world. Then after one night, it’s off to Mount Rainier National Park and 3 nights at the National Park Inn.

Cross Country Trip – Day 27

15 April 2018

The weatherman was good at his word – 100% rain for the entire day. It must have started around 4 am this morning. I kept hearing these plops and finally realized it was supersized drops of water dripping from the branches of redwoods high above the cabin. As the morning wore on, the plops came faster.

I had intended to start the day by heading to Redwoods National Forest some 40 miles south of Jedediah Smith State Park. You take highway 101 along the coast for a while and then you steadily climb. You are required to keep your lights on because even without rain, fog fills the hills on this stretch of highway. Add to that 15 mph curves and you get a thrilling ride.

The park map listed Lady Bird Johnson Grove and I decided to try my hand at the short 1.5 mile loop regardless of the rain. It’s suggested that if you have a 15 foot vehicle, not to attempt the road to the grove and definitely not if you have a trailer behind you. The grade is 15% with twists and turns.

Once you find the parking lot for the grove, you cross a very attractive bridge to get to the trail. It’s a gentle uphill climb and then the trail levels out. You get to the grove about halfway along the trail.

I equate this walk with tours of Europe where you walk into a cathedral. The silence in this forest is the best. You can hear your own footsteps.

Like the vaulted ceilings of cathedrals, you have nature’s vault of redwoods above your head. Like the cathedrals, streams of light illuminate the forest floor. I haven’t been in a cathedral yet that can compare to the experience of a walk in a redwood forest.

There’s a nice plaque dedicating the grove to Lady Bird Johnson. She apparently was present at the dedication so she certainly saw the redwoods in the grove named after her. Interestingly, it was done under the direction of Richard Nixon.
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Dedication plaque for Lady Bird Johnson Grove

After my LBJ Grove walk, I headed back towards Jedediah Smith via 101. One suggestion on the park map was to take a side trip to Elk Cove and Gold Bluffs Beach.

There were certainly elk at Elk Cove – at least at the parking lot and restrooms. They were all over the place and paying tourist not one bit of mind.

Got Elk? These were exceptionally close!

The road from Elk Cove led to an unpaved road to Gold Bluffs Beach. This reminded me of the rutted road for Titus Canyon in Death Valley only this road was much worse – washboard rough with huge holes in the unpaved road. In some cases, the road was almost completely washed out.

Once at the end, you got to see a camping and picnic area with spectacular views of the wild Pacific. The waves were coming in like gang busters and you were constantly being pelted by rain.

I made it to Gold Bluffs and back without any real problem – thanks to the jeep. Some people were taking ordinary cars down the road and I had to wonder about that.

Once back on 101, I took another side trip to the Newton B. Drury Scenic Parkway which takes you through another stand of coastal redwoods. It is amazing to be driving in daylight and need headlights to see ahead of you because of the shade from these giants.

I finally made it back to Crescent City and had lunch at a nondescript seafood place right on the ocean. I had fried oysters and a salad. It was OK but not as good as Kelly’s Landing in Fort Lauderdale.

Upon reaching the park, I immediately headed for the shower. It’s a pay shower with up to 5 minutes ($1.25). Of course, the first minute is waiting for the water to get hot. I haven’t experienced pay showers in years. At least this one worked.

Tonight, I intend to stay in and cook on the front porch of the cabin – no open flames inside the cabin. The porch is sheltered and I intend to bake biscuits and add Canadian bacon to some and wild plum jelly to the others and make a meal off that.

Then it’ll be off to sleep with rain dripping from the redwoods.

Cross Country Trip – Day 26

14 April 2018

It was sad to leave Richard and Connie. What a swell place and swell people. I finally got off around 9:30 am and stopped at the Sundial Bridge in town. Richard insisted I needed to stop and see it and I’m glad I did. He said it pretty much put Redding on the map. It’s a great investment for the city. All along the river on both sides of the bridge is an exploratorium park. It’s good for both kids and adults.

Sundial Bridge in Redding, California. Designed by Santiago Calatrava for the city of Redding, it took 11 years to complete from its inception and cost $24 million.

The gps ever strangely routes me somewhere I didn’t anticipate. It took me through Medford, Oregon (from I-5) and then back down into California. It seems there are not too many roads that lead west out of Redding. In any case, it’s a drive I’ve made twice before to go to Crater Lake so I knew it was very scenic.

I got to Jedediah Smith State Park/Redwoods National Park around 2:30 pm and checked into the cabin. No water, no bathroom (you know I fixed that with my port-a-potty) but it has heat and electricity. However, no mattress or linen, so I pulled out my thermalite pad and sleeping bag and blanket and blow up pillow. I should be fine.

Cabin 24 at Jedediah Smith State Park/Redwoods National Park

The good news is there are showers in state parks and the bathroom/shower is right behind my cabin.

The cabin sleeps 6. I seem to fill up the space.

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I walked around a little and was blown away by the profusion of western trillium (Trillium ovatum Pursh). It’s everywhere in the park and it’s my first time to see this plant other than in books. As the flower ages, it turns a beautiful pink or rose color.

Western Trillium (Trillium ovatum Pursh) – flowers turn pink as they age.

Of course, the main feature is the coastal redwoods – the tallest trees in the world. They are everywhere. This is the largest stand of redwoods I’ve ever seen – even greater than Muir Woods.

Coastal Redwoods (Sequoia sempervirens) – the tallest trees in the world.

After getting settled, I headed into Crescent City (population around 9,000) and stopped off at the Safeway to purchase goodies for dinner and breakfast. Crescent City has been hit by more tsunamis than any city in the U.S. The park information alerts you to the possibility of tsunamis while you are within the confines of the park.

If an earthquake lasts for 20 seconds or more – you are told to duck and cover – and then run for higher ground. Let’s hope I don’t have to do any of that this trip.

Tomorrow, I head south along 101 to the actual Redwoods and then begin working my way back towards Jedediah. I intend to do short day hikes that are either easy or moderate (my ankle is still sore – but better) and some scenic drives. The rain forecast for tomorrow is 100%, so it might be a little damp on the trails.

Hurray! I have two bars from ATT so I have phone service and internet!