Eureka! Remember how I was lamenting the lack of good iced tea in the middle of the country? I found Honest Tea in a convenience store in Eureka and darn near bought out their inventory. I think the cashier thought there was something wrong with me.

Tired of my usual camping breakfast of oatmeal or Cheerios, I went to Renata’s Creperie in Arcata, where I had a delicious crepe with banana, strawberry, and Nutella, as well as excellent coffee. I then explored the Samoa dunes area and got some pictures of crashing waves and dramatic skies, as well as some details of boats in a nearby marina. The only bad part of the day happened in Arcata, where I found most the unpleasant public bathroom I’ve encountered since the gas station bathroom in Nevada I had to use in an emergency 15 years ago. I’m still trying to erase it from my memory.

I continued down 101 toward the Humboldt Redwoods State Park. I’ve noticed that my little trailer gets more visible reactions from other drivers on the coasts than it does in the middle of the country. A couple of times, people smiled and pointed and waved as they passed me on the highway.

South of the town of Scotia, I veered off the highway to take Route 254, the Avenue of the Giants through the redwoods. The beautiful sunny day was welcome, but not really the best for photographing the redwoods, so I was glad I’d had the foggy redwood experience the day before. Still, I enjoyed the trip, and even drove my car AND the trailer through a drive-through redwood tree at Chandelier Tree, one of the tourist traps along the way. Hey, I’d come 6,500 miles so far on this trip — I’m definitely going to take my trailer through a tree even if it does cost $7.

I continued on Route 101, and as I had planned, headed once again toward the coast on Route 1. Wow, is that one twisty-turny, hairpin-curved highway. It almost made me feel a little woozy. It was a relief to finally see the ocean come into view. I made my way to Fort Bragg for the night, and decided to stay at the Beachcomber motel, which has wonderful views of the ocean and has some very reasonable off-season rates. I had a little bit of time to take a quick trip down to Sea Glass Beach and take some photos as the sun went down behind the crashing waves. I then enjoyed fish & chips and a nice dark beer at the North Coast Brewing Company before calling it a night.

I said goodbye to my friendly hosts at the Aspen Inn and left Fort Klamath to head south, toward the California Redwood country. In the Jedediah Smith Redwood State Park, I stopped at a few of the pullouts to admire the impressive, towering stands of redwoods. But I didn’t want to linger too long, because I wanted to really take my time at the Lady Bird Johnson Grove in Redwood National Park, which I’d heard was especially worthwhile. As I got closer to the coast, it got foggier and mistier, and a light drizzle had begun by the time I drove up the climbing, winding road to the Lady Bird Johnson Grove. Undeterred by the weather, I headed out on the short but rewarding hike through the redwoods. The quiet, foggy atmosphere was almost eerie, but beautiful and awe-inspiring. It’s challenging to photograph there, but regardless of what kind of images I come away with, it’s totally worth the trip just to experience it.

I continued south and ended up in the California coastal town of Eureka, where I found a campsite and then ate dinner at the unique and historic Samoa Cookhouse. This is the last surviving lumber camp-style cookhouse in the region, and it’s quite an experience. They serve everything family-style, so for a party of one, it’s a little overwhelming. Bread (soft and fresh and good), soup, salad, ribs and chicken and potatoes and corn, and then dessert… whew! It’s a good thing I don’t eat like that all the time.