After packing my wet tent (there’s nothing worse than packing a wet tent) I started down out of Oregon toward California. My goals were to visit Redwood National Forest and meet up with my cousin in Berekley, CA for a meal. I chose to head over the coast and the Pacific Coast Highway. I’m so glad I did. US 101 – “the 101” in Californian – is a twisty, “turny” road as it crawls the coast, winding its way through the mountains along the coast. The coastal mountains come right down into the Pacific Ocean, and are majestic to say the least. Steep mountainsides covered with douglas fir and redwood trees, although some places in Oregon are clearcut, something that Maine and many other states no longer allow. This aside, the views are spectacular; if you ever get the chance to drive this road, take it. If you’re on a motorcycle, even better.
I settled into a campground a campground in Redwood National Forest which was a combination national/state park, staying at Jedediah Campground where my campsite was surrounded by old growth redwoods 100+ feet tall and 3 to 4 feet across at the base – these ancient trees have seen a lot in their lifetime. The campground was lovely, they honored my senior access pass and the shower was definitely needed.
