Trinidad CA

Finally got some sunshine and relatively mild weather starting Thursday. We visited the Trinidad Historical Museum and read the fascinating story of the Trinidad Head lighthouse. There has been a lighthouse there since 1871. A replica of the lighthouse was built on the edge of town overlooking Trinidad Bay. The original fog bell, all 4000 lbs of it sits close by.

For lunch we went to the Lighthouse Cafe in Trinidad and enjoyed the sun and food.

You can read more about it at www.lighthousefriends.com . Friday was a shopping day so we went to Eureka to Costco, Sears and Bed and Bath to pick up some things we needed.
It's been sunny but chilly all week actually. Afternoon temps have been in the mid to upper 50's. Perfect weather for long walks while geocaching. The great thing about this activity is that it takes you to places you'd never otherwise go. Even when we lived in the greater Seattle area, we'd find these silly treasures in the backwater areas that you'd never think of going. Small parks are a favorite of the geocaching community. Trails that run through uninhabited areas about around cities and are favorite hiding places for geocaches cleverly hidden behind fallen trees or stumps. The fun for us is the hunt and the scenic views many of the trails afford.

On Sunday we went to church at the very old and ornate Presbyterian church in downtown Arcata.

Afterwards we visited one of Marilyn's relatives who lives with a group of friends who share a common interest in percussion music. They invited us to stick around and listen to their jam session. It was bright and sunny so they hauled their instruments outside and demonstrated their craft. I posted a YouTube video of them. Just search on my name.

Near Trinidad CA

If I didn't know any better I'd think I was still in the Seattle area. It rained cats and dogs with plenty of wind most of Monday after we got back from Trees of Mystery. Fog rolled in too so we hunkered down and spent the rest of the day doing our puzzles and chatting. Which brings to mind another interesting observation. For those of you who don't already know, Marilyn and I are quite different. in terms of our personal characteristics. I'll be the first to admit that I am a "left brain" type. Grounded, logical and pragmatic whereas she is more "right brain". Creative, artistic and open minded. You would think that perhaps this difference in personalities would be incompatible. Yes, we do have our "rigorous conversations" and often end up agreeing to disagree. Having said that, we respect each other's point of view and never let those differing perspectives get in the way of our marriage commitment. With the chaos of getting ready to sell the house behind us, we can now simply enjoy each other's company without the added stress of outside pressures and duties.
  Driving south on 101 yesterday proved to be a white knuckle experience. I figure the total wight of the truck, camper and car to be somewhere between 16,000 and 17,000 lbs. Swinging all that weight around the twists and turns was quite a challenge. But we arrived safely in Trindidad and we're staying at Emerald Forest RV park. The daily rate is only $17 so it was a bargain we couldn't pass up. After dinner we went to the local casino for dessert. They put on a special dinner Tuesday evening and had a bunch of strawberry torts left over. Yum!

Here's a pix of our current setup. Reminds me a lot of our former home. Only the trees are tall redwoods instead of Douglas firs.

I took this photo just as the sun was peaking through the trees. I thought it was a nice morning greeting.

Smith River

That dinner at the chart Room Sunday evening turned out great. For an appetizer I had steamed clams, something that I've always fancied but rarely had a chance to get. What a treat! Fish and chips have been a favorite of mine. Their's was the best I've had since the Totem House near the Ballard Locks back in the 50's and 60's. Our folks would occasionally take us there for dinner and I still remember eating on the grassy knoll on the other side of 54th St.
Monday's weather outlook didn't look too promising so we left the park around 8:30 in an effort to beat the rain. We have never been to the Trees of Mystery and we wanted to see it without the hassle of raincoats and umbrellas. (yes, we brought both) Ol' Paul Bunyan and Babe are still greeting visitors after 60 years. Did you know that Babe's head fell off in 2007? We thoroughly enjoyed our visit and since it is my birthday week, I got my choice of fudge delights from the gift shop. I did NOT, repeat, did NOT eat the whole 1/2 pound in one sitting. I was walking! One of the nice things about visiting tourist traps in the off season is no crowds. We didn't bump into anyone while on the trails or the Sky Tram. We practically had the whole park to ourselves.
It's been raining here since Monday evening with no letup in sight. I compared the weather here to the weather in the Seattle area. Not much difference.

Here's some pix from the past couple of days. This one is my bride and me standing in front of the Brotherhood tree at Trees of Mystery

While geocaching we ran into this herd of longhorns.

I took this time exposure Sunday night looking south from our campsite. The glow on the left is from the lights in Smith River and the other glow is from Crescent City about 10 miles away.

Yours truly enjoying steamed clams. Yum!! That bowl was stacked high with 'em.

Smith River

What a great spot to park for a few days. We're in Smith River CA at Salmon Harbor RV Resort. Despite being a bit long in the tooth this place seems just the right ticket. We have a terrific spot next to the harbor beach.

I'm sitting outside on a picnic table and from here I can see a virtually unobstructed view of the horizon. Off to the right is a rocky promontory with a bunch of lazy California seal resting in the sun. It's amazing to watch the flow of water come in and out with the tidal cycles. Early this morning I could see flocks of waterfowl suddenly all fly up from the ground in unison and then land elsewhere again in unison. After a short breakfast we went to church and afterwards had fellowship with the small but very friendly congregation. We came back and then decided to go on a geocache hunt. For dinner we're going to the highly recommended Chart Room in Crescent City. We're celebrating my 65th birthday which I would just as soon forget. :-)

Here's a photo of an interesting rock formation I saw yesterday.

I call it "Seagull stuck in the sand and looking for his buddies above" or maybe "California sea lion arising from the shore"

Here's another one I found almost spiritual

On route to Smith River

On Friday the 14th, after three days in Eugene, we set off west toward Florence OR and the ocean. Many thanks to Rob and Debbie for their hospitality. Rob's fresh collard greens salads were amazing!
I hadn't been to Florence since the early 70's when an old friend and I passed through on our motorcycles. It was early spring and I recall that it was cold and rainy. In Florence, we stopped in the "old town" and did a short walking tour. The Suislaw Pioneer Museum was filled with examples of early life and photographs of the mills and the men and women who made their living here. It never ceases to amaze me the courage these pioneers had.

   We took a lunch break at a state park just south of Florence. After feasting on tuna fish sandwichs and chips, I stepped outside with my camera and took a few pictures looking for interesting images.

We are on day three of this adventure. Got off to a somewhat rocky start on Monday morning. It's rather funny in an odd way actually. I went to the truck to start it up and found a dead battery. It went, "click...click". That unmistakable sound of the starter motor engaging and then....nothing. "Perfect,,," I  thought gritting my teeth. We've said our goodbyes, kissed the grandkids, Celeste and Tom standing there with the grandkids and all I get is "click, click". Tom was so gracious, "these things happen", he said. So we did the jump thing and we were off.
First we had to stop at Evergreen hospital for an x-ray of Marilyn's knees as they were bothering her. We had a breakfast/lunch stop at our favorite, "on the road" restaurant, Hawk's Prairie in Lacey. Got to Portland and stopped at Jantzen Beach RV park for the night. Marilyn's brother Jay lives in a houseboat on the Columbia River. Jay is struggling with a serious health issue and the outcome is unknown. So it was important for us to touch base.

Tuesday we made our way to Eugene but on the way we stopped in Brownsville. We spotted a sign on the freeway directing us to the Linn County Historical Museum. We didn't need to be in Eugene until late afternoon so we spent and hour and a half learning about the settlers and history of this area. We arrived in Eugene and made our way to Marilyn's cousins's home. Debbie lives in a "shared" environment with several other like minded souls. She and here fiance Rob prepared a fabulous dinner for us and we had an interesting evening.