IS THAT BIG FOOT?

Monday, 5/31/10. This weekend marks Memorial Day and we thank all the men and women who served our country. As a Marine, Tim called his buddy Rick, who served in Vietnam as a combat medic and thanked him for his service. What did you do this weekend?

Northern California must have the perfect climate to grow olives, because we are passing olive orchards by the dozen and there's an olive tasting bar up ahead!

There are green olives, and black, khaki, brown and purple olives. Tiny ones and colossal ones. Satiny and wrinkled. Mild to sharp tasting, brined, or stuffed with cheeses, garlic and nuts. All kinds of olive oils! Tim doesn't like olives, so I took his place in the tasting line. YUM. Wine and olives are a natural pair! To tame salty olives, a crisp white wine goes well. For olives dressed with vinegar, pair them with a young red wine. I find that any wine will do.


In the distance, the Cascade Mtn Ranges are to the right and Trinity Mtn Ranges to the left and Hwy299 takes us once again up steep inclines and down valleys. While driving, the scenery changes often and is so dramatic.






Sometimes, though, the scenery stays the same>






Two hrs away from Eureka, we decide to settle for the night in Shasta/Trinity National Forest (Big Foot Country) along Hwy299. TAP?.... Trinity Adventure Park, looks lovely and we park by the wild and rushing Trinity River.
















Ribeyes on the grill, veggies...campfire marshmellows, reading time, and Zack on guard.
















Tues, 6/1/10. At 11:30 a.m., continue driving along Hwy299, stopping at historic Willow Creek. We must say, the bakery had the best carrot-apple muffin EVER. The Bigfoot collection was quite interesting. Can you identify the foot prints below?



















Eureka!, we made it to Eureka and Hwy101. There's the Pacific Ocean!!






Coastal redwoods (world's tallest living tree) grow in a narrow strip along the Pacific Coast of Calif and southwestern Oregon. They grow from seeds the size of a tomato seed yet can weigh 500 tons and stand taller than the Statue of Liberty. Stopping in Redwood National Park, we hike the Lady Bird Grove Nature Trail, a 1-mile loop winding through an old-growth redwood forest. It is very dense, wet and mossy. Douglas-fir and western hemlock share the skyline.



















Off Hwy101 to Coastal Drive is a very narrow, partially paved road with high bluffs and sharp curves and where "trailers and motor homes are prohibited." (get the picture?). In a remote section, we find the World War II Radar Station--a cement building with wood exterior, disguised as a farmhouse and barn (1940s).













Precariously and safely we return to Hwy101 and drive north for 40 miles to Crescent City. It's late and we chance an RV Park at Village Camper Inn. Office is closed..self-register.. leave $ in envelope...pick a spot...quiet, near the woods. The rain begins.