THE Trip, THE Encore' :: Redwoods, Bike Off Road, Jolly Turn Arounds

Copyright 2014, CABS for Reflections From the Fence

This day's post is from May 30, 2013, well over one year ago.  Today we are NOT in California.  Just sayin - - 

After spending delightful hours at the Battery Point Lighthouse, we headed for the hills and the trees.  We were interested in seeing Jedediah Smith Redwood area.  First we drove around the Redwood National and State Park area.

Of course, we had to search out campgrounds.  Nice campsite, eh??  Look at those ferns.  Every time I see the size of the ferns and the moss hanging from the trees, I always think Jurassic Park.

Camping near this very large stump would be memorable.

Here is Man standing beside a Redwood and again, note the size of the ferns, 3 to 4 feet and larger.

We next headed over to the entry to the Jedediah Smith Redwood park.  Along the way, we were stopped on the road by a bit of trouble.

Oh, dear.  What a mess of that bike.  There were two riders, the bike went over 50 feet down a steep incline.  Surprisingly, neither was seriously injured.  Their trip was over for a while tho.

Bike was not drive-able.  Windshield, tail light and front tire/suspension damaged, just to start.

After the accident was cleared, we continued into Jedediah Smith.  Here is the California official web site.  And, here is a very informative web site I found.  Yes, the roads are narrow.  Yes, Jolly is wide.

Trees, no room for roads.

Man pulled over for me to take a photo or two.  I opened the door, but, still captured Jolly's antenna and side view mirror.

And, this is when and where Man said, NO more.  He was as nervous as a cat on a hot tin roof.  The road was so narrow and Jolly so wide, he was worried about meeting another vehicle.  He decided this was not a road for Jolly.  Considering that we had driven Hetch Hetchy at Yosemite, well, that tells you how much worse this was.  Sometimes you just need a rental vehicle and leave Jolly parked.

Turning around took several swipes frontwards and backwards.

Yes, I was out directing, watching carefully.

Leaving the park.  The giants were gorgeous, but, a trip in to Jedediah Smith will have to wait for another trip.

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THE Trip, THE Encore' :: Petrolia and More Redwoods

Copyright 2014, CABS for Reflections From the Fence

May 19, 2013  It has been a LONG day trip, sans Tana.  Remember, this was last spring!

As we turn away from the Lost Coast we see this sign, "Leaving Tsunami Hazard Zone"  For us, this is rather interesting, and just a little unnerving, out of our comfort zones.

As we approach the little town of Petrolia, it reminds us towns in the Northeastern USA.

Picturesque for sure.  It is a remote and very interesting place.  Wikipedia tell us:

"Because of its isolation, the Mattole Valley has cultivated a reputation for independence and self-sustenance, including a network of local resources, the maintenance of its own emergency help line (an alternative to 9-1-1), and even its own currency, the petol. A survey conducted in recent years determined that half of the community is located "off the grid" and relies on solar or alternative forms of power, or none at all."

Town name in stones:

Not far from town is the site of the first oil well in California, it was pumped in 1865.

Alrighty, leaving town there is a bit of a wash out on the road.  That is going to take some serious fixing.  Personally, I was glad to be riding on the other side of this section of roadway. (That is Jolly's dirty hood in the lower area of the photo.)

I did tell you I LOVE bridges, right?

I took this to attempt to show the curvy road.  Photo is less than stellar.  But the road IS curvy!

Humboldt Redwoods, sign hiding behind Flora and hopefully some redwoods.

Road narrows, Jolly fit, but, Man drove carefully and slowly.

We stopped at the Big Trees parking area, yes, Man, that IS a big tree!

This is Tall Tree, also know as the Rockefeller Tree, it was dedicated to John D. Rockefeller III, whose financial backing helped to save this area of old growth forest.  The Tall Tree is 42 foot in circumference, 13.4 feet in diameter and 359.3 feet tall per the signage that was nearby.  I stood WAY back and used the panoramic on it's side and barely managed to get Man and the top of the tree.  You can see Man down there, right??  All 5 foot 10 inches of him??

We had a LONG day, yes, we were very tired.  It was exciting, it was awe inspiring, quiet, huge, tall, curvy, huge, did I say, it was HUGE??  Nature at it's best, with little interference from humans, what an experience.

We have a bit more to see here before we wander up the coast just a few more miles.  We will move 30, 40 maybe even 60 miles at a time, sitting a spell, wandering back and forth on the coast sightseeing, enjoying, trying to absorb the beauty.  One trip may be all we get, and, in hindsight, it was NOT enough!  What a gorgeous place.  We have one month left on the coast.  Hundreds of photos.  Beauty beyond description!





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THE Trip, THE Encore' :: The Travel Log

Copyright 2014, CABS for Reflections From the Fence

May 17, 2013, from the land of the giant redwoods.

In the visitors center, Humboldt Redwoods State Park Visitor Center I found this, the Travel Log.  I see a early motor home.  And Sony Too did well considering we were using available light.

Back entrance door.

Folding lavatory? And, I think, the wash sink too.  Wish I could have gained entrance to have a better look at this set up.  Excellent use of space!

Sleeping quarters and storage.

From a different angle.

Outside, do love the window shape.

The other side.

While doing a bit of research on the Travel Log I found this page, which appears to be an archived version.  I have no idea how long that page may be there.  It was originally posted by the Humboldt Redwoods Interpretive Association.  The page has fascinating history of Charles Kellogg and the Travel Log.  I have done something here I rarely do, I have copied one entire section of their fine work here for you to read.  All that follows in blue is from their web page, I take no credit.  They state it is from a historical brochure. (I found this page was found via a link from a Wikipedia article about Charles.)

"What is The Travel Log

The Travel Log is a masterpiece of nature and craftsmanship. It is a section of a great redwood tree from the giant forests of Scotia, Humboldt County, California.

It is the largest single piece of hewn timber in the world. It is mounted on a Nash Quad Chassis, the only truck capable of transporting such a load and meet its requirements.

It is the creation of one man. With axe and adz, Mr. Kellogg hollowed out the log and shaped and fashioned it into this most beautiful and complete dwelling; it has kitchenette, folding lavatory, toilet, clothespress, 12 lockers, folding double bed, stove, dining table, bookcase, dresser, electric lights, running water, guest room with single bed, lockers, etc.

The log out of which this beautiful home is made is absolutely solid; walls, ceiling, floors are all of one piece, without check or blemish; it weighs six tons.

The color is natural, of a rich rose red. Mr. Kellogg, using his hands only, has rubbed 12 pounds of beeswax into the wood.

In the forest from which this log was taken stand the most ancient LIVING things on earth, many of them four to five thousand years old.

Through the courtesy and co-operation of the California Redwood Association, it was made possible for Mr. Kellogg to bring out into the world this grand and ancient thing.

This particular log is about four thousand eight hundred years old, the rings (each denoting one year’s growth) can be plainly seen and counted on the end. It was as old as the Christian Religion is today when Jesus Christ was on earth.

Redwood has properties and qualities peculiar to no other species of wood. It is practically indestructible. It lives on the ground or in it and does not decay. The stumps do not die, but send up sprouts which in time grow up to large trees, thus perpetuating this magnificent wood for humanity for all time. No fire ever destroyed a Redwood forest, and decay has no terrors for it. Redwood is a nonconductor of heat and cold. Do your bit to help America preserve them."

The RVer in me just loves this!





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THE Trip, THE Encore' :: Avenue of the Giants

Copyright 2014, CABS for Reflections From the Fence

May 17, 2013, It was a long day, Shelter Cove, Humboldt Redwoods State Park and then the Avenue of the Giants.  On leaving the visitors center I spied this iris.

This is the leaf of a small bush/tree.  The HUGE leaf!

This pole actually is a marker showing where the water level was during a 1984 flood of the Klamath River, 18 feet above flood level.  The water hit that green and red colored board at the top.

We stopped for a walk among the Redwoods, I was also struck by the size of the ferns, they were giants among the giants.

Man walking in the midst of the giants.

A downed tree, which will remain for years and years, slowly decaying, supporting many plants that will help to rot away the log.  Look at the size of that baby!  Taller by far than Man!  (Sorry bout the sun spots reflecting off the lens.)

One last shot of the giants.  Man IS that little blue spot.

It is almost impossible to not come away from the Redwoods without a sense of awe for Mother Nature and time.  They mesmerize and overwhelm.  I swore I heard music from the movie Jurassic Park.  I felt as if I had stepped back in time.




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THE Trip, THE Encore' :: Redwoods, Humboldt Redwoods State Park California

Copyright 2014, CABS for Reflections From the Fence

May 17, 2013, still months behind, it is what it is!  LOL

After visiting Shelter Cove we continued our day by driving to Humboldt Redwoods State Park.  The park encompasses over 53,000 acres, including 17,000 acres of old-growth coast redwoods and contains the Avenue of the Giants (32 miles of Redwoods. of which we drove part).

Now, there is no way (as far as I am concerned) to fully capture the size, the magnitude, the wonder of the redwoods with a camera.  What follows is an attempt, just an attempt.

As we drive the trees are frequently close to the pavement.  This photo, with glare (red-ish stuff included), is looking out of Jolly's front windshield.  You can see the side view mirror down in the lower right corner, if you look at the base of the tree, you can see the pavement, almost touching the tree.

This photo is an attempt to show the size of the bottom of the tree, reference the guardrail, which looks pretty small.

We made stops along the way, of course, this is Chimney Tree, in 1978 it was 78 feet tall, with a circumference of 504 inches.  The signage stated the center was burned out in 1914, and the diameter of the room is 12 foot 6 inches.  Surprisingly, the tree still lives.  I am not sure how that is possible - -

Stepping down a few steps, Man already inside taking a good look.

This is what you see if you look straight up!

Back on the road, another tree close to the road, in fact, the reflector is placed so as to protect the base of the tree from vehicles that come just a tad bit toooooo close!

When they fall, they must make a racket, eh??  Covered with ferns and flora and a path up the middle.  We did not take the path, wonder how far it went and where it took you??

And, of course, one must try to capture the height, I do so by turning Sony Too on its side and using the panoramic.  Fun to try.  Many of the photos have weird curves in the middle of the trees!  LOL  And, still I cannot get ALL of the trees, base missing here.

The "Shamrocks" are large here,  this photo does not show off how large they are, enchanting.  I know there is probably a perfectly good official name for this three leaf clover, which, obviously, I do NOT know.  Shamrock will just have to do.  Seems they were over an inch in diameter, maybe 2.  They were lovely.

Jolly sneaks through two redwoods.

At a visitors center they had this tree.  If I understand the signage correctly the tree fell in 2006, and these tags are placed at a cut that was 70 feet above the base??  WOW!

The tags read left to right:

1000 Vikings discover North America
1096 Oxford University founded
1160 University of Paris founded
1218 Genghis Khan conquers Persia
1368 Ming Dynasty begins
1453 Renaissance begins
1486 Printing press invented
1521 Cortez conquers Aztecs
1620 Pilgrims land at Plymouth Rock
1773 Boston tea party
1850 Humboldt Bay discovered
1928 California State Park system established

A  bit closer, of some of the tags!

We drove a few more miles in the park along the Avenue of Giants, and took a short hike.  More on that next time.




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