Tuesday, February 12th 2013
Crescent City to San Mateo
The morning was somewhat noisy because
the motel was next to the main road. We left at 7.39 and tried to
find old town Crescent City. We did not have much luck with that, the
business district had some shops and offices but looked otherwise
pretty poorly. According to the map, we saw whole district, so we
left the town and started to head south. There were some clouds,
otherwise the weather looked pretty much the same. We had some places
on the way to visit and were planning to get home after the rush
hour. We stopped at the Lagoon Park and walked the Yorok trail. It
was one of the things recommended by the older guy in the visitor's
center. Obviously, no cars, cooler breeze and really noisy ocean. The
trail went along the coast for a bit (nice views) and then through
the woods (pretty nice too). We as well went to the beach for a
moment and then we were back. Nice beginning of the day.
We got off the highway 101 next to the
Praire State Park and drove on Newton (scenic) parkway. Again,
something we were told to do. Together with the dirt road drive in
Jedediah Park, this was the most scenic drive. We picked a small
trail to enjoy, it was Circle trail. It was still pretty cold. Two
cars in the parking lot. Really short trail, but amazingly beautiful.
Mossy, moist and incredible. There was a Big tree. It is really hard
to describe without being there.
Probably within half an mile we were
parking next to the state park's visitor center (open). It was really
nice building from 30's (it is interesting to see what Great
depression created and we still use it). The center had a volunteer
guy and was (I would hope) in the process of renovation (or something
like that). He was a photographer living close to Crescent City (he
said it is dump). After talking with him for a moment, we walked
short trail just behind visitor's center. Revelation trail. Again, it
was unbelievable what was just next to the road. Incredible forest
with the river just few hundred yards away. There were trees with the
rooms inside (from the fire) and some were burned all the way to the
top (chimney). It was (again) really impressive area.
On the map, I found trail called
Trillium Falls (almost 3 miles). It sounded interesting and we had
some time, so we were heading there. After leaving the visitor's
center, we saw some lazy elks laying around on the prairie. We turned
into the area called Elk Meadow and saw pretty big herd of elks (25
maybe). Most of them were laying down. There was as well dip with
about 6 inches of water. After being stuck in sand in Utah, we were
hesitant to drive over it, but at the end we did (it was jut fine).
And the walk, it was pretty walk through the forest, small water fall
and a lot of trees. J. got tired and was whiny. Oh well … We were
glad to back to the parking lot, where we had our lunch (13.10).
Less then 5 miles away (on the hill
with about 1200 feet elevation change) was Lady Bird Johnson Grove.
Nice trail and nice walk (not recommended). There were four cars in
the lot and really nice bridge crossing the road. J. was too tired so
at the end I decided to “run through” the trail alone. It was
tampered gravel all the way around and it was really amazing forest.
It almost looked like groomed area how pretty it was. Many hollow
trees, many big trees and not much mess. And obviously, I liked the
name Lady Bird. After getting back on 101 we stopped at the visitor
center (again) and hoped to get some poster (no luck, just few
postcards). Back on the road.
We were back in Eureka. We stopped in
the center of town (again) and walked a bit around. J. went into few
stores (including a bookstore hoping for a poster). Nothing special.
It was about 3.31 pm and time to hit the road for real (about 5 hours
to San Mateo). We stopped by Costco to get gasoline (it was only 3.99
compared to 4.17 everywhere else). The trip was almost over.
The weather got worse, there were some
clouds and it got really windy. We attempted to get a poster one more
time (Avenue of Giants visitor's center), but it was closed and we
were back on 101 heading south. The road was switching between nice
four lane highway and two way road (with many twists) almost all the
way to the bay area. It got dark. Golden Gate Bridge. San Francisco.
101 – 1 – 380 – 280 – 101 and we were at home at about 8.53.
Tired. Good trip.
