Day 4
Redwood Forest 1



Today we had a leisurely drive from Umpqua Lighthouse down to Crescent City CA, stopping only twice: for Pizza lunch in Gold Beach, and at the BORDER. Wow, did you folks know they still had border stations between California and other states? How ancient is that?

Our hotel wasn't ready yet to move into the room, so we went on a short excursion to a beach and to the redwood forest. (Saving the bigger excursion for day 5.)



First stop: Crescent Beach, just south of Crescent City. We had fun playing on the beach but it was so windy that we ultimately had to give up. You don't need to worry about sunburn there, you need to worry about getting all of your skin blasted off.






We did all the important beach things, like building a sandcastle and walking along getting our feet wet, and taking lots of photos!



I got some great photos there of a couple of beautiful birds (and several ugly ones). I was scanning the skies trying to get an Osprey when this seagul flew right into my line of sight. (Thus the amazing close-up... I really wouldn't try intentionally to get right underneath a seagul like that!) I also managed out of a dozen photos or so of Osprey to get at least two photos that were pretty good!






Second stop: a drive Southward through the redwood forest. Xenia "couldn't wait" to see those giant redwood trees. We drove past the Trees of Mystery where we plan to go tomorrow, and kept right on down to the Drury Road, Old Highway 101 that turns off and goes through the beautiful trees. We turned off there and went for a short walk through the redwoods, ooo-ing and ah-ing as we looked up at the giant redwoods.



We got back to the hotel late and went next door to a mexican restaurant for our last (thankfully) seafood meal of the fast. (I've had seafood so many times on this trip I think i'll throw up if I even look at a fish in the next several months.)