Sunday Update

The last I posted was just before Yosemite.

We spent two nights in the park in the North Pines campground, and the setting was unreal. The massive rocks encompassing the valley we were in were awesome. We did one family hike to the lower Yosemite Falls (aka the lower Yosemite Trickle at this time of year). I did a couple runs, including one to the Vernal Falls which was much more impressive. It was a tough run towards the end with lots of stairs getting steeper all the way. The last couple sets of stairs I had to hike, and then hike them down vice running. One highlight of the trip was going to a Night Skies program where we learned a lot about the constellations, and the dark sky there in the valley was an excellent place to see the night sky. Another was hearing the bears walking through the campsite late at night looking for food! Better have that food in the bear box!! and Katie's car seat on top (so they don't try to get into the van). Camping here in California is a different cultural experience than in VA. It seems to be a much younger venture, more crowded and much louder. Car alarms frequently going off after quiet hours begin and then ensuing arguments about who was the last one to put the keys where become late night entertainment as you lay in your sleeping bag trying to go to sleep.

From Yosemite we drove on west and skirted around the San Francisco and drove up north on 101 all the way to Ukiah, CA. We did nothing eventful besides drive that day (Friday). Saturday morning we woke up and continued north. We pushed hard to make it to Redwood National Park just before the visitor center closed so we could get a stamp in our National Parks Passport book. We continued north to the Prarie Creek State Park campground where I hopped out to do a run to Fern Canyon where the rest of the family picked me up.

This run on the James Irvine Trail was one of the most memorable runs I've ever had...and memorable moments in general. These Redwood trees in many ways are more spectacular than the Giant Sequoias...not as massive at the base, but more densely placed and taller. It was like running in a wonderland with the massive trees, the soft ground (much of it rooty, though), the green fern, and the last bit of sunlight filtering through the tops of the trees. I felt like I was in a fantasy movie or something....this is a MUST see, and I say that above anything else we've done so far. If you want something memorable, stay near or preferably camp IN the Redwoods (there are plenty of places), and take a long hike through the groves.

Last night (Saturday) we stayed in Crescent City, CA, where I'm writing from now. We'll head north this morning along the Oregon coast to Coos Bay, OR, then head east towards Eugene, then up to Portland and finally along the Columbia River to Stevenson, WA.

I really miss having 3DL170 along with me, especially as we passed a Cloud the other day that presumably was also on its way to Skamania. I'm thankful though that the family is here to share all these experiences -- it's one thing to see something alone and then relate the story to others, but to be able to remember it together is way much better! :-)