Highway 101, California, USA

My finger hit publish before I had written any conclusion to the previous post, sorry about that, but I figured I was close to done and I was too tired to fix it. I got road trip groceries to supplement the ones from Uncle Mark after my Golden Gate tour day, and then I was up the next morning to go get my first ever rental car. Through a few bookkeeping mistakes, both mine and theirs, I endured a long hour on hold dealing with various car rental locations before finally heading out for the redwoods. And I will say that I really really really don't like driving someone else's car. It is not fun for me, especially on highway 101 which has a lot of speed limit changes (65? 45? 55?) and constant signs about "RADAR ENFORCEMENT". I tried to suspend my terror to enjoy the sights, which got easier when I entered the REDWOODS!!!! Which made all driving discomfort worth it!!! I traveled from San Francisco to Eureka on Day 1, venturing onto the Avenue of Giants for an "auto tour" and was just continually floored by the scenery. There are no words or photos that will do them justice.

  

I was able to meet the cat and dogs at my Airbnb before passing out for the night and getting up early for my complimentary 2 eggs from the chickens. I headed to Loleta Cheese company for a taste test and amazing grilled cheese from the grilled cheese bar!!! and continued to the Humbolt Bay Wildlife Refuge. It had been raining for a long time evidently before my arrival (see 'lake' above) but I was really happy to have gorgeous days! I was taken with the barn (not why people should stop at a wildlife refuge!)

  

And the moss!

  

And the actual wildlife...



Continued to Trinidad! (California haha)

 

Before getting to more redwoods! I stopped at Prairie Creek to walk on a really cool short "multisensory" trail (for people with visual impairments but also for me/everyone) and really marveled at how the parks have been working to be accessible for a long time (1981 was one of the signs I saw for an accessible trail). I got to hike for a little more time, totally obsessed with the moss on these trees, almost as cool as the redwoods!



It doesn't photograph well (or I am a terrible photographer) but it looks cool. Also elk. Just chillin.



But more trees...



and trunks



and roots



and ferns



and bridges


and amazingness!!!



I headed north to Crescent City to find my very basic hotel (but with a fridge!) and do laundry (gross clothes!) This morning I kind of ran/rock climbed this island (it is attached by a road, I didn't swim there!)

 

and got to watch a sea lion flex its muscles getting up onto this lounge place



(so intense, sea lion muscles! Interesting!) before seeing my final redwoods



and entering Oregon! My next post! Ta ta for now!!