WEEK 9

Sunday, June 27th

PLAN: more touring about, laundry, or taking it easy.

We manage to sleep in, get a little laundry done, and we do take it easy.

COMMENTS: After sleeping in, Cindy and Irene go shopping. I try to get some journal info entered. Irene's downstairs' neighbours, Jim and Jen, invite us for cocktails. A few hours later we climb back upstairs all talked out, or almost. They are wonderful couple.

Monday, June 28th.

PLAN: was to leave Walnut Creek and go north into the Napa Valley.

We don't. Instead, at Irene's invitation, we stay another day.

COMMENTS: Need to finish off the laundry. Cindy takes long time due to all of the clothes needing time in the washer. Me, more time trying to get journal info entered. Then, we invite Irene out for dinner. Somehow, she ends grabbing the check. Thank you! again. Irene also takes us on the grand tour of her community. It has everything: 2 golf courses, 3 swimming pools, tennis courts, billiards room(s), photo darkroom, ceramics, sewing, crotching, theatre, lawn bowling, and lots of other activities.

Tuesday, June 29th.

PLAN: more of the Napa Valley.

We don't. Istead, we decide to drive over the Golden Gate Bridge and go up the coast as far as reasonbly possible.

COMMENTS: We are slow leaving Irene's. First decision is 1)acrosss the Golden Gate and right up the coast or 2)stay inland and up hte Napa Valley. Cindy want to do the bridge. I want to do the bridge. Over the bridge it is. From Rossmoor we go west to #24, I-580, then I-180. We cross the long Bay Bridge into San Francisco. A few twists and turns and wer're on Haight. It is "hippy-like." 50/50 chance that we will find Ashbery this way. A car is covered in fur. People look 'hippier," the hoes are painted more psychodelic, etc. We do get to Ashbery. It looks "boring' and not "far out, man." For those not up with recent history, the Haight/Ashbery area was THE hippy haven area in San Fran.

I don't redo Lombard Street. I figured with photos I'd lose over an hour of travel time. A few more turns and ther's the bridge. I miss the viewpoint turnout. Okay -- middle lane is further from edge. Oh, oh. Lanes reduced t 2. Remember, I don't like hights, and long, high bridges. We're almost across and to the right is the viewpoint on the north side. I get over in time.

Wow, it is windy up here. There is a passage under to the west side. Under we go. I get that feeling in my knees as I look down. So, don't look down. The other side is closed to pedestrians. Back we go under the superstructure, again. Oh, those knees. Several stairs later we are back at the road level. Oh, the awesome views. The bridge to the right, the city off to the left; the Bay Bridge is way over to the left off to Oakland, Alcatraz is closer to the left, the whole bay/harbour is in front of us, the ocean is way off to the right. We are up high; the wind is fierce.

We pick up the Pacific Coast Hiway. Twists and turns, up & down, on the edge, tight turns for miles and miles and miles. We are usually on the inside so it's not so hairy; but the twists and turns may see us on the edge. Down to 5mph, up to 40mph, down to 20, up to 45, back to 5, on the edge, tight turn up, around past a side canyon; on we go north. Not able to cover 70 miles in an hour here. Lucky to do 30 miles in an hour especially when stopping often to appreciate the views. Some of the best views are at points I cannot stop the car. Road too narrow, car behind too close, no where to pullout. Beaches, coves, craggy coastline, ups & downs, side canyons, the view from above, the arms, shoulbers and especially the neck are sore. Neck keeps whipping around -- one eye on the road and one in the rear view mirror, and both trying to catch the view. Up/down/left turn/right turn/on the edge/around/up/twist/turn/turn some more.

All the switchbacks are making Cindy naucious. Even I'm getting close to it on some tight curves. For lunch I have a muffin and a diet cola; Cindy has pepto bismol and a diet 7-Up.

Hours more of switchbacks and awesome views. We try to stop for dinner; a very tasty one: Closed/closed/closed/way too expensive. Continue on. Well, it's this one or another hour to the next town. We settle for an Irish pub/dining room. It ended up hte ost expensive meal, yet, but what a meal!!!! Cindy has pepper steak; I have the captain's platter (shrimp/scallops/fish/seabass). Soup, salad and entree all excellent, dessert too; so was the service. Adjacent motel was $75 - $130. Next place is $130 for a nice ocean view, etc. But the nice view -- it's getting dark, and there will be fog tomorrow morning. When I draw this to their attention, the price drops to abut $100. Elsewhere, same thing, $125 becomes "only" $90. Still too much. Next town is bigger. More choice. I settle at $65. in Fort Bragg.

Gas was as high as $2.50; I paid $2.139 earlier. I see it here for $2.219 and top up before heading further north and likely higher prices.

Earlier, at the Point Reyes National Seashore, there was a mountain lion alert. We saw seals on shore at the inlet.

Wednesday, June 30th

PLAN: up the coast and spend the night at Eureka, California.

We contiunue up the coast.

COMMENTS: Foggy as predicted. It is siting high like a low overcast. Parking lot is wet. Rain last night. But, we are still without a rainy day since we left Chicago. It is cool, and a breeze keeps the fog away from the road. We're going north again. and it is more switchbacks, twisty-turny, up & down for miles. And, more awesome views. Eventurlly, we are off Rte #1 (the Pacific Coast Hiway) and onto US101. Just south of the town of Leggett, we pull into a private park and pay $3.00 each to view/drive thru the "drive thru" tree. There is a redwood tree so big that cars can be driven thru it. Coincidentally, there is a Ford Escape ahead of me. It fits -- I won't -- the roofbox is too high. The trees here are huge.

We are away from the coast now and theturns are more sweeping. Soon we are on the Avenue of the Giants. Huge, thick and tall and close. The road is narrow; narrow like the Lakeshore where the telephone poles are so close. Quick turns, fairly flat -- miles of trees that are awesome. These trees ARE huge. I stop and walk thru one that has a natural hole at the base. Another downed tree has a hollow segment tall enough to walk thru. Eventually, we get back to the coast and to Eureka. We motel it at Super-8 Motel.

Thursday, July 1st. CANADA DAY!!!!!!!!! We put on our CANADA t-shirts for the day.

PLAN: Further north up the California coast then inland to Crater Lake, Oregon.

We decide to forgo inland and enjoy the coast.

COMMENTS: Breakfast in our room. Back onto US101. Today we continue up the coast. More great views and off the coast in more huge redwoods. An inland drive and we come to the Ladybird Johnson Grove. More huge redwoods. During a lengthy chat in the parking lot, we hear of Fern Canyon, in a state park up the coast. We get up the coast, pay the day-use fee, and proceed to the parking lot which is a couple of miles thru along a dirt road but ends up right at the coast. There is a fairly level short hike (half km) into the very fertile valley. Large variety of ferns adorn the sidewalls of the canyon. A small brook, stream flows thru the middle. Very picturesque. Some of Jurasic Park 2 was filmed here. At the end of the trail, one can return the same way, or take one of two or three other trails. We opt to go up and back a different way. Up several stairs, past lots of old growth and huge trees. We get back to the coast and the ranger there tells us that we just missed two young buck elk. One the way in from the hiway we had seen a heard of females and a few young. From Fren Valley, we continue north to jCrescent City and motel it for the night.

Friday, July 2nd.

PLAN: tour around Crater Lake.

We don't. We never got there. Revised plan is to continue up the coast of Oregon.

COMMENTS: It is getting harder to get up early. We have done so mu;ch we are running out of energy. Has the adrenalin stopped flowing? Is it because we have not seen the sun any morning since we left Joshua Tree before L.A.? Fog, smog, or overcast has met us every morning while we have been on the coast. Was this really sunny California?

As we As we go further north I consider that travel up the coast is much slower than I thought it would be. Do we cut inland to Crater Lake now or continue up the coast? We decide to stay with the coast, and to take our time. Then the road seems to straighten out. Fewer tight turns means we go further, faster. The road is moving away from the coast more often, too. We don't see as much of the beautiful coastal views. We couldn't see much anyway due to the fog. A few scenic viewpoints draw us to the coastal edge. Wow. Still great views. This coast is just great. About half an hour later we are into Oregon and the fog has lifted. Clouds come and go all day. Rte 101 gets away from the coast. We take a few side trips to coastal towns and get some more great views. As it is getting later in the afternoon, we need to think of where to stay tonight. About 4 campgrounds are full -- this is the US long weekend, too. We near Reedsport, or. We end up in a motel. Luc=nch/dinner in town. Then a drive to the coast back tracking to where ATVs and 4-wheel drives are permitted on the dunes, motorcycles, too. The dunes are alive with the sound of engines. There are hundreds of motorcycles, ATVs, OHV (off hiway vehicles), pickups, SUVs, etc. Maybe a thousand. I head out to join them on the loose sand. It is too loose. I'm spinning tires. With the roof box and all of our gear we are too heavy. A slow u-turn and I have to get out of this.

Saturday, July 3rd.

PLAN: to the Oregon Dunes State Park.

We get up to Lincoln City.

COMMENTS: Another foggy morning. Road is mostly clear but fog rolling off the mountains and along the seacoast. We haven't had rain since May; 3rd. Is it rain or low fog today? It's fog -- no drops falling into the pond along the hiway. We take side trips into a couple af towns and a few beach loop goads. We get to Lincoln City. Motels show marquees for rooms at $35. They are asking for $89 when I pull in. Another marquee at $50 is now asking for $129. It is holiday time and most places are full or almost full. Prices have jumped everywhere up here. I find a new Motel 6 at only $;75 plus tax. We stay. Just down the road is a discount mall. In we go. Books, shirts, etc., all with no tax.