California

I love California! Dave delivered his father's old truck down to its new home in Los Angeles and I rode along as far as Oakland. We took our time and had a leisurely trip; we stopped frequently and visited with friends and family along the way. 

The Lost Coast of Northern California is quite remote and sparsely populated and there was hardly anybody else on the road. It is really pretty country with broad, empty beaches and miles of crashing waves. The cows grazing in those lonely seaside fields have million dollar views! 

The redwood trees are so impressive. We had both read Richard Preston's book, The Wild Trees, a few years ago and went out in search of big trees in Washington on a trip a year or so later. We saw the biggest spruce tree in the state and a couple of great big Douglas firs but nothing really compares with the redwoods in California. They just took my breath away. We went through Jedediah Smith, Prairie Creek and Humboldt Redwoods State Parks, and we drove along the Avenue of the Giants. Isn't that a perfect name for a scenic highway?

We stopped in Ft. Bragg for coffee and then lunch and spent a while at the harbor entrance watching two Coast Guard boats doing some training exercises in the surf. A small crowd gathered. Big excitement in a little town.

It was good to get away from home for a few days and it's always nice to see some new country. I love seeing ripe lemons on trees in January. On this coast, that only happens well south of here.