---

Pacific Ocean off Olympic Peninsula / A Lake just before I turned off into the woods

          After I left the ferry, Tuesday, I drove down to the Olympic National Park, and found the park is much bigger then I thought, well over 300 miles around it. Driving on Route 101, I was not impressed.... The scenery was OK, but not what I expected. Things got better when I go lost looking for a specific campground. I ended up turning on to a dirt road, which got rougher and rougher, but the scenery was wonderful... Filled with very large cedar trees, up to 5 ft in diameter. After 5 miles, I found a way to turn around on this narrow rd, and backed the van between to large trees so it was no in the way, and as it was getting dark then, decided to just camp there. It was beautiful, I'll get some pictures up when I get a chance, A thought did occur to me in the middle of the night that some grizzly bear might come along take one look and say
Oh Boy, Canned Pollock!", and that would be the last of me.

---

          I drove on down to Mt. St. Helens, but the weather wasn't conducive toi visiting, and later Crater Lake in Oregon, was out of the question as the weather would have been too cold for the plants, so I headed for California.

---

          Wednesday Evening.... All is well, I'm in Grants Pass Oregon, and will be heading for the California Redwoods Thursday. I have pictures to add, and info to post, but couldn't find a connection, nor the time.
TTYL.... Ron

---

Thursday, I checked into a campsite in the Redwoods Forest this morning, got a good hot shower, and went touring.... Pictures to follow. I did stop at this biker bar in Orick, CA, called Hawg Wild, while doing my laundry, where there is the only Wi-Fi available. Mark was kind enough to tell me to feel free to stop outside anytime to use the connection. I checked my e-mail, and will go back there after writing this to update the page. See you tomorrow

---

The Drive to California

          Driving the 75 miles down route 199 from Grants Pass, Oregon, to the Redwood Parks, CA, is about the most scenic drive I've taken. Winding curves, and steep hills reveal new vistas every few hundred feet. The only thing that could make it better was if I didn't have to drive, and keep my eyes on the road. Further on, the road runs through redwood forests and enters California. and breaks out just before turning South on 101 near Crescent City, beginning the drive along the coast.

---

The Redwoods           Nothing can prepare you for the Majesty of the Redwood Forests, you have to experience it for yourself.           Pictures can attempt to communicate the height or breadth of these trees, some of which were seedlings at the time of the Roman Empire, (and those seedlings had to come from mature trees) but it's much more then that. Standing amidst them is like being in an awesome Cathedral, evolving in nature over millions of years. Even on a short drive, there are thousands and thousands of giant trees, most being wider that the span of your arms, and many wider then a truck is long. And, the hundreds of miles of road through the park do not come close to letting you see the vast interior forests.           I think that no one can come and just "See" them. From the minute you enter their realm, you "Feel" them ...They stand over you, embrace you, and welcome you into their world. Dwarfed by their size, I felt like a child amidst giants.... old, wise, and welcoming giants.

To give you some idea of the size, I parked my van in front of a tree by the side of the road, this was not the largest tree I saw, but the biggest one near enough to park next to.

---

I'll be leaving tomorrow, Saturday, morning heading south on 101, and then east on 299 over towards Lassen Valcano, but doubt that I will visit it. The weather forecast is predicting a cold front moving in tomorrow, and I think my plants would be very unhappy about that. So, I'm going to try and make it all the way over the mountains, and into some warmer weather.

News Flash!

OK... OK.... So I don't lead a good life, and that brings upon me Bad Karma. I left early this morning, drove down rte. 101, and turned East on 299. This road follows the Trinity River upstream as it twists and turns from the Pacific Ocean to it's source in the mountains It's wider with more turnoffs then Rte. 199, this route allowed me to stop and get some pictures.           Well, anyway, I entered a small town called Weaverville, and pulled in to get some groceries, and hear a slight scraping, sounding like brake problems beginning. Leaving the shopping center and heading for the barber shop for a haircut, the noise gets very bad! Oh Hell!.... Just what I need!           So, the barber directs me to the NAPA dealer, and tells me about a Bureau of Land Management campground about 5 miles away. So, I pick up new brakes, and carefully drove to the campground. Mumbling and grumbling, I proceeded to fix things. I ran into needing a tool, and the camp host, was kind enough to drive be back to town. Well! I find myself thankful that it happened just the way it did. I could have made it through town, and into the twisting hilly road and then have it happen.

          I left the campground early this morning and am writing from outside a Starbucks in Redding, CA. I'm going to head directly for Reno Nevada, where I hope not to lose all my money. So far, I have not been able to acquire a California map, in fact haven't seen one posted at any of the rest areas I've stopped at, so I'm having to feel my way across.

Wish me luck......Ron

My next entries will be on the Southwest page.