REDWOOD FOREST AND THE OREGON COAST.

WE SADLY LEFT MORRO BAY AND HEADED NORTH TO THE REDWOOD FOREST. STOPPED FOR ONE NIGHT IN A SMALL CAMPGROUND,SURROUNDED BY TREES AND PONDS FULL OF FROGS LOOKING FOR MATES.IT WAS OFF THE ROAD, BUT THE NOISE OF THE CROAKING FROGS WAS DEAFENING.
WE THEN DROVE TO JOHNNY'S RV PARK. LOTS OF FULL TIMERS, BUT IT WAS KEPT UP AND CLEAN. ACROSS THE STREET WAS THE HUMBOLT BAY. OREANA LOVED IT BECAUSE SHE COULD ONCE AGAIN RUN AND CHASE THE BALL IN THE SAND.  WE LOVED IT BECAUSE IT WAS VERY CLOSE TO THE NATIONAL REDWOOD FOREST.
THE ROADS WERE NARROW AND DARK,BUT STILL VERY PRETTY. YOU COULD ONLY SEE THE SUN WHEN YOU LOOKED UP. THE TREES WERE SO TALL AND LARGE IT WAS BEYOND BELIEF.  WHEN YOU READ ABOUT THE TREES IT IS MIND BLOWING THAT THEY START FROM A PINE CONE THAT IS AS BIG AS YOUR FINGERNAIL. THE SEEDS ARE THE SIZE OF TOMATO SEEDS. THERE WAS ONE TREE THAT WE STOPPED AT, IT WAS CALLED THE "PERPETUAL TREE" IT HAD BEEN THROUGH A FOREST FIRE IN 1906, LUMBERJACKS IN 1915 AND A FLOOD IN 1964. IT WAS 325 FEET TALL 58 FEET IN CIRCUMFERENCE.  IT SMELLED OF DAMP PINE AND WET LEAVES. IT WAS BOTH COMFORTING AND FRIGHTENING TO SEE. IN MANY WAYS IT WAS LIKE A CHRISTMAS, WITH ALL THE RED TREES AND THE GREEN LEAVES AND MOSS.  MANY OF THE OTHER TREES WERE COVERED WITH A GREEN SOFT LOOKING MOSS. THIS ADDED TO THE FRIGHTFUL FEELING .THERE WERE FREQUENT "GROVES" THAT YOU COULD WALK THROUGH. SOME HAD FAMOUS NAMES, LIKE THE LADY BIRD JOHNSON GROVE AND OTHERS WERE IN MEMORY OF A PERSON. THEY HAD GROVES OF TREES THAT WERE ENHANCED WITH FLOWERS AND OTHER TREES.  AFTER DRIVING THROUGH THE FOREST WE HEADED BACK TO CAMP.  THE RIDE HOME WAS ALSO EVENTFUL ,WE SAW LOTS OF DEER AND ELK. THE MALE ELK HAVE ONLY FURRY STUBS FOR HORNS,AS THEY SHED THERE HORNS EVERY FALL.
AFTER 2 DAYS AT THE RV PARK IN EUREKA WE HEADED NORTH TO MYRTLE CREEK OREGON. WHILE IN OREGON WE HIKED THE TOLEEGA FALLS AND THE WATSON FALLS, WENT TO COOS BAY AND WALKED ALONG THE CLIFFS. THE CLIFFS WERE RAGGED AND DOTTED WITH SMALL ISLANDS.  SEALS INHABITED MANY OF THE ISLANDS AS WELL AS CANADIAN GEESE AND CORMORANTS
OREGON IS VERY BEAUTIFUL, IT HAS HIGH ROLLING HILLS THAT ARE DOTTED WITH SHEEP, COWS AND HORSES. THE WILDLIFE IS PLENTIFUL AND A VERY IMPRESSIVE SITE.

MORE PICTURES

HERE IS A CONTINUATION OF PICTURES OF THE COAST AND MORRO BAY AREA.

THE CALIFORNIA COAST

WE SPENT A WEEK IN BAKERSFIELD FOR THE REPAIR AND MAINTENANCE OF THE CAR AND RV ONLY. THERE WAS NOTHING TO SEE OR DO IN BAKERSFIELD.
WE MOVED ON THE MORRO BAY ON THE 19TH.  THIS PLACE IS WONDERFUL. IT IS A VERY ARTSY TOWN THAT REMINDS ME A GREAT DEAL OF ROCKPORT.  LOTS OF SMALL ART SHOPS,BAKERIES AND CANDY SHOPS AND GIFT SHOPS.  THE GREATEST ATTRACTION IS MORRO ROCK. IT HAS A LONG HISTORY FROM 1540.  MANY A SHIP WAS GUIDED BY MORRO ROCK, TO FIND A SAFE HARBOR.  IN THE 1950'S THEY CREATED SEVERAL JETTIES AND A ROAD TO CONNECT THE ROCK WITH THE MAINLAND.  IT HAS BEEN A TOURIST ATTRACTION SINCE.  IN THE SMALL BAY IS EASY ACCESS TO A LEASH FREE DOG BEACH, A SMALL SEA OTTER FAMILY AND A SURFER'S PARADISE.  WE HAVE SPENT LOTS OF TIME ON THE BEACH WITH OREANA AND I HAVE LOVED FEEDING THE SQUIRRELS.
WHILE HERE WE SAW THE ELEPHANT SEALS,HEARST CASTLE,DROVE UP ROUTE 1 ALONG THE CALIFORNIA COAST, PISMO BEACH AND BIG SUR.  WE SAW A HERD OF ZEBRA AND WE FOUND A BEACH WHERE WE GOT TO WALK AMONG THE SEALS.  THE ZEBRAS WERE A PART OF A HERD THAT BELONGED TO THE HEARST ESTATE.  WHEN HE GOT ILL HE SENT MOST OF HIS WILD ANIMAL ZOO TO OTHER ZOOS , BUT RELEASED THE ZEBRA INTO THE HILLS AROUND THE CASTLE.  THEY HAVE SINCE FLOURISHED IN THE HILLS AND ARE OFTEN SEEN GRAZING WITH COWS OR HORSES IN THE COUNTRYSIDE.
THE CALIFORNIA COAST IS BREATHTAKING, THE ROAD IS NARROW WITH HAIRPIN TURNS AND MANY ELEVATIONS AND STEEP GRADES DOWN. WE STOPPED AT THE RAGGED INN FOR LUNCH.  THE MEAL WAS SUPERB,AND THE VIEWS WERE OUTSTANDING.   WE WENT TO EVERY SURROUNDING CITY AND TOWN.  THE FLOWERS WERE IN  BLOOM, THE YARDS WERE A FULL RAINBOW, OF VARIOUS MEDITERRANEAN AND CALIFORNIA  FLORA.
THE WEATHER WAS PLEASANT, WARM DURING THE DAY AND COOL NIGHTS.
IT IS VERY EXPENSIVE HERE, GAS WAS FROM $4.15 TO $5.99 A GALLON.  THE GROCERY STORES CHARGED .10C PER BAG. AND A MEDIUM PIZZA WAS $22.50.

CALIFORNIA HERE WE COME

IT WAS A WARM DAY WHEN WE LEFT YUMA. NO WIND AT ALL, SO GOING THROUGH THE CALIFORNIA DESERT WAS A SIGHT . THE DUNES WERE LIKE LARGE SWIRLS OF WHIPPED CREAM UNDISTURBED BY THE USUAL DESERT WINDS.  IT WAS A SHORT FIVE HOUR DRIVE TO OASIS PALMS RV PARK IN THERMAL CA. WE HAD STAYED THERE BEFORE, IT WAS PLEASENT SO WE DECIDED TO STAY AGAIN.  WE PASSED THE BOARDER PATROL CHECKPOINT.  WE HAVE NEVER BEEN STOPPED AND QUESTIONED. THEY TAKE ONE LOOK AT US AND WAVE US ON. WE DO NOT POSE A THREAT TO THE ILLEGALS OF THIS COUNTRY.  WE PASSED THE SALTON SEA, THE ORANGE GROVES AND THE DATE FARMS TO ARRIVE AT OUR DESTINATION.
     THE OASIS PALMS RV PARK IS CLEAN AND WELL KEPT, EACH RV SLOT HAS A CITRUS TREE OR TWO IN IT. EITHER AN ORANG TREE,GRAPEFRUIT TREE OR LEMON TREE. WE ARE TOLD FROM THE BEGINNING TO HELP OURSELVES.THE PROVIDE TEM FOOT POLES TO HELP WITH THE PICKING.
     WHEN WE FIRST ARRIVED WE PICKED A SPOT THAT SEEMED QUIET AND REMOTE.  THAT TURNED OUT TO BE A BIG ERROR.  THERE WAS A SMALL POND AND BETWEEN THE POND AND THE RV WAS A FIRE RING.  WELL MANY OF THE PATRONS LIKED TO GATHER AROUND THE FIRE,THAT ONE OLD MAN CONSIDERED HIS DUTY TO MAKE AS LARGE AS HE COULD, TO TALK,AND DRINK AND YELP.  THE FIRST TWO NIGHTS WERE OK THEN IT GOT COOL AND A BON FIRE WAS MADE.  THE SMOKE WAS SO BAD WE HAD TO CLOSE THE WINDOWS AND TAKE OFF.  WHEN WE TRIED TO SLEEP THAT NIGHT WE COULD NOT BREATH. I GOT UP AT 1 AM AND STRIPPED THE BED AND MOST OF OUR CLOTHES AND WASHED THEM. I WASHED THE RV WITH LYSOL AND FIRST THING IN THE MORNING WE CHANGED OUR SLOT.
THE AREA WAS OPEN WITH PALM TREE FARMS, OREANA AND I HAD A GREAT TIME WALKING AROUND THE AREA. SHE HAD A MEMORABLE TIME CHASING RABBITS.  WHILE IN THE AREA WE TOOK DAY TRIPS TO JOSHUA TREE PARK AGAIN AND 29 PALMS, AS WELL AS FINDING ALL THE VINEYARDS,DATE FARMS AND PRODUCE FARMS IN THE AREA. SOME OF THE PRODUCE GROWN ARE ARTICHOKES,SPINACH,BASIL,CILANTRO AND SCALLIONS.

ON THE ROAD TO YUMA

WHEN WE LEFT KINGMAN,AFTER THE COLD MONTH WE STAYED, WE TOOK THE SOUTHERN ROUTE TO THE WARMER YUMA. WE STOPPED AT LAKE HAVASU CITY FOR A SHORT STAY AND VISITED LONDON BRIDGE.  THE CITY OF LONDON SOLD THE BRIDGE BECAUSE IT WAS SINKING. THE BRIDGE WAS MADE FOR HORSE AND CARRIAGE,AND NOT FOR AUTOMOBILES. THE 200 YEAR OLD BRIDGE WAS RECONSTRUCTED IN LAKE HAVASU CITY. WE WERE ABLE TO WALK ON THE BRIDGE AND UNDER IT. THE LIGHTS ON THE BRIDGE WERE FROM MELTED CANON FROM BONOPARTE'S ARMY. IT WAS A THRILL TO WALK WHERE VICTORIA,DESRALI,AND SO MANY OTHERS WALKED.

FROM THERE WE DROVE TO YUMA.

IN HACKBERRY, WHICH IS 15 MILES FROM KINGMAN IS THE GENERAL STORE. THIS IS A SITE TO SEE. WE SPENT ALL DAY THERE. IT HAS ESSO SIGNS, TEXACO SIGNS GREYHOUND BUS SINGS, MULTIPLE GAS PUMPS FROM THE 20'S TO THE 60'S. A RESTORED WORKING AND FOR SALE CORVETTE. THERE IS A CAR GRAVE YARD AND A PARTS GARAGE. THE INSIDE HAS A WORKING SODA FOUNTAIN MULTIPLE MANNEQUINS IN PERIOD COSTUME AND A TOTAL WALL DEDICATED TO ALL WHO HAVE VISITED WITH SIGNS CURRENCY FROM AROUND THE WORLD. THERE IS ALSO A WORLD MAP THAT PEOPLE CAN STICK MULTIPLE COLORED PINS IN TO LET US KNOW WHERE THEY ARE FROM.