Monday, September 23rd Continued
GREETINGS FROM BODEGA BAY, CA. (Marjie writing)
It's Mon night here in the evil bird village (Hitchcock's "The Birds" was filmed right next
to our hotel in the 60's). There ARE a lot of birds here actually, Herons, Egrits, white
pelicans (hugh), Kites, Falcons, lots of shorebirds. Our room has a deck out back that has
about 5 steps down to the edge of the Bay. It's very very foggy here, so we can't see out into
the bay much, but the bird show outside the window is amazing to watch. (Of course, Ron is
totally bored, being a So Datoka boy, birds are to be hunted!)
I figured we needed a good catch up message since my last one at the Fork WA library, so
here goes. (Washington, the Evergreen State).
Before we left the Fork/LaPush area we checked out the State Park just to the north - Moro I
think was the name. This is where Rialto beach is, and the photos we sent with the huge trees
washed ashore. We saw seals playing in the surf (rough surf), and spotted our second Bald
Eagle flying directly over our heads. WOW!!!! After we left Fork we headed south to the Rain
Forest of Hoh (pronounced just like the getto way of saying whore - and no one smiles when they
say it either!) The three parks on the peninsula are all drive into valleys - one way in and
same way out. The roads just stop at a parking lot and you can hike trails from there. Of
course the drives are beautiful, with old growth forests to the edge of the roads and
beautiful rivers winding their way next to the highway. All the roads ended at fairly low
elevations in the parks, with lots of good hiking trails to take you up into the high country.
Oh boy did I long for my younger days (healthier days) and my trusty old green Jansport pack.
There is some absolutely beautiful hiking to be done up here. The hikers I did see are not
the easy-going Sierra hikers of CA . these are hard-core, well prepared expedition-type hikers.
It is much more remote here, and much rougher (changeable) weather. Anyway, Ron and I did
walk the Hall of Mosses trail in the Hoh (snicker), and it was undescribably beautiful. We
had another sunny day - IN THE RAIN FOREST! And the colors were just beautiful in the sunlight.
Streams of crystal clear water with beautiful spring-green plants in them. Ron took one photo
and it looks like there is NO water at all!
We realized we needed to make some tracks south - so we hit the road and headed for the WA/OR border. We sadly passed through acres and acres of clear-cutting .. Way up onto the hillsides. Lots and lots of loaded down lumber trucks rumbled by, mile after mile. The lumber industry proudly displays signs "harvested in 1985S, replanted in 1986, next harvest 2024". With every radio station playing Rush Limbah or Limbah-like hosts, I don't think my opinions would be appreciated. Washington is a very conservative state. After another long day - and much beautiful scenery later - we arrived at the tourist town of Long Beach WA. The area reminded me a lot of Cape Cod in New Enland - a spit of land with touristy towns along the length. The coolest was Oysterville, old fishing piers with gigantic piles of oyster shells along side the old buildings. A signS said "You take pineapples home from Hawaii, take Oysters home from Oysterville!" (ya, but the smell??? I'm not cleaning out the ice chest after that one!)
The next morning we explored two lighthouses and then headed across the Columbia river via two LONG bridges. WOW! We landed in Astoria Oregon (the Beaver State), and set out to explore the town. Gee . there's nothing there! We are still wondering if we missed something somehow. A lot of these small coastal towns seem to exist for no reason what-so-ever. The fishing industry is dying, the towns are not set up for tourism really, they just are there! Each seems to have an "old" downtown area that is partially restored (one or two of the old brick bldgs have been restored, a few old victorian houses restored), they all have a Historical Society/Museum and all seem to be from 1850-1880 something. I wish we had had more time, I would have stopped in the Historical Museums and learned more about why/how the towns began. Lots of great stories I'm sure.
South we went along the Oregon coast (and Ron's frustration with the Oregon drivers began here). We landed at Bonny Beach State Park, and wanted to stay in one of their Yurts, but sigh, you have to reserve them at least 3 months in advance. We almost didn't get a tent spot. We are NOT in Washington anymore. Bummer. We realized we better haul out the calendar and figure out some plans (yuck) for the rest of the trip or we are going to end up with no camping spots (California is ahead). That totally changed our attitudes (the planning). We became very familiar with the computers in Newport, OR (where I tried to send you guys pictures). I think if we went back one more time (4th time) the Librarian would have charged us rent!
In the Bonny Beach area were some cool natural phenomenon - the Devil's Punchbowl - an eroded cliff formation that the waves swirl into at high tide and make a rumbling sound. In the tourist area there was a Wax museum, and an Undersea Gardens. We found a huge crown of harbor seals in the Newport harbor - barking and squabbling for space on the rocks and docks to bask in the sun. Man are they loud!
We packed up Camp Brewer (in 35 minutes this time) and headed south. The Oregon coast to the south of Newport is much more beautiful than the northern portion. More of a Big Sur look, and a large sand dunes area. Really really beautiful. Rivers meeting ocean, trees, seals, high cliffs. beautiful. There is still logging in Oregon too, but the trees are not as large and the logging seems to thin out the farther south you go. Once you get into Northern CA, there is NONE. One now "historical" lumber mill near Crescent City, that is it for CA. Anyway, we checked out Coos Bay, OR. Very friendly people there. The Harley shop wants us to bring our bike back up for their 4 lighthouse ride in October (they are serious!).
We crossed back into California (the Golden State) and drove to the Jedidah Smith Redwoods - guess what? No camping available. South we go - we ended up at Klammath, Ca for the night. Cute little remodeled motel in the middle of nowhere - I mean nowhere! The "propriator" sends us further into nowhere to find a "locals only" dinner place - 6 miles down river - and ta-da, there is a little lodge, circle of RV-ers, some cabins and a BnB! The place is for sale if anyone is interested. Can't ya just hear the banjos playing now? I had Ron hide his "perdy lips" just in case. These are some hard-core fishing people, mix in a cooler full, I mean full, of beer and you have it. Needless to say, we kept our eyes down, ate our mean (good BBQ) and slunk back to our truck (brand new truck, probably never seen one of those here before - thank God it was dirty!) and headed back to our motel. Guess what? About midnight our neighbors arrive drunk as skunks, four of them, and proceed to wake up the entire place. Awful nite, enough said!
The next morning (early) we headed for Prarie Creek State Park. In the meadows I saw my first Rosevelt Elk. What beautiful creatures they are. Huge racks of antlers. (Another sunny day, BTW.) Down a dirt road. twisty and bumpy . about 12 miles .. Trees right to the edge on both sides . room for only one vehicle .. Ron was driving like a fiend --- HA, this is what trucks are made for he said! He was making that Tim-the-Toolman-Taylor arrrr-arrrrr sound. So, I did what any sane female would do, I held on and shut up! The dust from the road had turned everything on both sides a slivery color . gave the impression we were driving through a black & white photo. Cool. We came out at the shore! Small sand dunes, with grasses on them and long expanses of unpopulated beach. Right behind us (where we'd driven from) were cliffs and trees. Really pretty place. More dirt roads, and even a few stream crossings - yes Ron is still making the grunting sounds) and we turn the bend into the dirt parking area for Fern Canyon, and I kid you not, there is the hugest bull Elk waiting for us. Right by the truck! Oh my!!!! I'm ready to bound out of the truck w/ my camera and Ron grabs my arm . what are you thinking Marjie, it's a wild animal? (nevermind BIG). I got some great pictures from the truck. Wow, the smell of those things - I can't describe it - not a bad smell, just a strong animal smell. Even after the Elk wandered off, the smell lingered for about 10 minutes.
We put on our hiking boots, just as the sun was breaking over the cliff tops, and strolled along the road to the creek - right turn at the creek and you enter the most beautiful canyon. Words and pictures can not describe it, you just have to go there someday. The walls are about 50 feet high, the walls are about 20 feet apart in places, less in others. A creek runs through the middle, smooth rounded stones in the creek and along side. overhead are redwood trees. The canyon walls are thickly covered with ferns - 5-6 different kinds. It's cool and moist, dripping water from the sides. Absolutely beautiful. The whole area feels very wild and as though it still belongs to the animals rather than the people who visit.
Later we found the Avenue of the Giants - a 40 mile drive through redwood forests. Also absolutely beautiful. We were a way from the coast and it was actually hot. We both felt a great relief to see so many trees exist. After this we caught the beginning of Hwy 1 and headed down some twisty-turnys to the coast. At the coast we hit thick fog, we could not even see the shore below, just hear the waves. It's pretty much been like that since. You get just a bit inland and it's clear and sunny. We have no idea what the views are like in this part of CA. We ended up in Fort Bragg for the night - cold, foggy, drippy. Amazing how many biker couples we've seen - toughing it out. The next morning we found a locals cofee house in Ft. Bragg. Very interesting crowd of people up here - intelligent, artsy and ecologically minded. I didn't want to leave!
We passed through Mendencino CA - pretty restored old town - small. Very la-te-da though, I got some "down the nose" looks by shopkeeps for my jeans, tennies and T-shirt. Pllllliiiibbbb to them! Again, we didn't see much of the coast. Just rolling hills, cows, ranches, then hair-raising narrow roads with steep drops off the sides. Gez, I thought Big Sur was creepy in parts . that's nothing to the highway up here . no barriers at most turns. Whoa!!! We found Elk, CA to be interesting. Very tiny town - interesting little cottages to stay in. Pricey though, you can tell we are near the bay area now. Off we went to find Fort Ross. Wow, it this cool!!! An actual old fort from the frontier days - built by the Russians and the local Indians for the fur trade and lumber. The walls are still intact, the church, the store house, two cannon gun batterys, a few other buildings. Inside the buildings were roped off areas with the old tools and furs, cooking utinsils, cannons, cannon balls, flint-lock rifles - stuff!~ WOW. Great place to visit.
We kept heading south, this part of the "forgotten coast" is pretty desolate. The "towns" consist of a building or two . then you come across one with a few streets and a gas station . you can't tell by the map what is ahead. The town of Jener, at the mouth of the Russian River looked really interesting . but again the fog kept me from seeing a lot. They are just now finishing up a Russian River festival - kind of a community wide appreciation for the river and all it's tributaries. Big deal up here I guess.
We ended up in Bodega Bay, CA. Got a deal on a place right on the bay for two nights. Ron needs a break from driving, we need to do laundry, etc. We have reservations for Pfeiffer in two days . then camping at Little Basin (we hope) for 3 more days. Bodega Bay is where Hitchcock's "The Birds" was filmed in the 1960's. Everywhere we go people keep telling us, "It was right here, but it burned down after the filming". Gez, what's the deal with that? The movie was filmed here at the bay, and also a short distance away at Bodega town. We went there and found the old school house from the movie still in good shape. We ended up exploring all the way into Sepastopol, and got the oil changed in the truck!!!! It's still filthy though. We're kinda proud of that now, and don't plan to wash it until we get home again.
Whew, we are all caught up now! I'll see if Ron wishes to add any "notes from Ron" (he says no notes to add), then mail it off to you all. Hope you all are well and nothing too exciting has been going on in your lives. I actually miss each and every one of you! Take care of yourselves, We'll see you all in about a week and a half,
Marjie