From the Redwood Forest to the Eiffel Tower......

 

Yes, I literally sung that line of the song while driving through the forest!  The Eiffel Tower? What was I thinking? That didn’t belong in the song but made me laugh… and remember childhood songs like that.  Can you sing that one or America the Beautiful? I tried and could not complete it without making up words which is OK too!  I am in awe of these trees, forest and beauty that are called the Redwood National and State Parks.  I learned that CA combines their resources and has only one park instead of multiples within a BIG park.  There was no fee to pass through but still no dogs are allowed to hike on the trails. However,  are allowed on Howland Road which is a 10 mile road that cuts through the oldest, tallest Redwoods in the entire area.  And thankfully, this section was very close to where we are staying bc I am trying to conserve my gas…IT IS 4.39 a gallon for regular!!!!   No kidding, I almost stroked.  So I drove the 20 miles to Brookings Harbor , OR and filled up for 4.09!  What a bargain huh!  Not much to offer in that city but I could stay in these Redwoods for a while.   They are just so …….I can’t even find the right word!  The drive down Howland Road takes you through the forest that Return of the Jedi was filmed.  Remember the forest scene with the Ewoks?  Same place…..  The boys and I hiked about  2 miles down that road and didn’t see any bears…or Ewoks….  The Stout Grove is also a small loop off of Howland.  The pictures of me, the root and forest are all in Stout Grove.   It is about a mile loop.  Gorgeous… just somewhere you could sit for hours and take it in.   But the boys are in the car pouting so I can’t….

I do believe we finally have the best campsite ever!!  It is so remote that the boys have started barking and growling at people walking by bc we don’t see any down this way!  We are about 100 yards from the next site.  Very nice to have such peace and quiet, especially when it’s bedtime….We haven’t heard a peep..AND it’s pitch black….So you can imagine when I learned yesterday that we were in the midst of bear country and black bears are spotted on a daily basis in the campground 15 miles from here that my senses are heightened.  What timing last night when I turn off my headlamp after reading and a large wind rustles things outside just about the same time Monty scraped his paw down the side of my plastic mattress!  It sounded just like a slicing sound!  I jumped, while at the same time peeing and sweating a little!  And then I laughed…….But really….what a difference in how you hear things once in that tent.   I have realized that this site is actually too remote as they are bored not being able to people or dog watch. 

I feel that I have come FULL circle with my camping abilities.  Today is day 7 of our 10 day tent stretch and I’m very comfortable with camping.  Haven’t missed the camping cabins at all except for the water and electricity. But with proper planning I have my water containers in the car as well as any item I need to charge when I head out for the day.  The KOA office lets me plug them in and leave so I feel they are secure while I am out playing.  When I come back, I fill up my water containers and grab my fully charged electronics which will last me through the night and next morning usually.  I made my first fire and had them 2 nights in a row but found out quickly that I can’t afford them!!  It cost me 19.00 in wood to have 2 fires, each burning about 3 hours.  Ridiculous and will not be something I do often.  I had not made a fire in the past bc we simply hadn’t needed it.  But it’s so much colder back here in remote land that we needed the added warmth. You know BIG PUD!  He walked up to the pit tonight and then looked at me like, “what’s up with that bee-atch?  You know I like my fires!”  I told him we couldn’t afford it so he just got in the camp chair and went to sleep.   However, not before he made me laugh till I cried….I was sitting in the camp chair so he proceeded to try to get in the hammock.  He has not tried to do this yet.  We do it at home but he is helped in and sits with me while I’m there.  Well, he got it and the hammock commenced to swinging!! And the more he moved the more it swung…. He got so nervous and irritated he started biting the towel that was laying in the hammock like that was what was causing it to swing….The look on his face was priceless…So funny.  After I rescued him he got back in the camping chair… I don’t think we will be trying that hammock again.   But folks believe me when I say it was FUNNY!!

We leave tomorrow for a new campsite but I just know it will not be as beautiful as this one.....warmer probably but not prettier!

Below are pics of our campsite---looks straight out of LL Bean if you ask me!!  That entire area was ours.  Our plush sleeping accommodations.. Monty looking on with my first fire burning behind him.   The van with a massive tree behind.  The rest are all of the Redwood park…Howland Road and Stout Grove.