Today we hiked in Redwood National Park. We didn’t really have a plan, or a trail map, which led to some minor anxiety as we realized that trees are not good landmarks for finding your way back to the car. The scenery was magnificent though. The trees in this forest grow up to 350 feet tall, as high as a 35-floor building, The air was so rich in oxygen that there was a constant feeling of being high. The park seemed mostly deserted too. We very rarely saw other people on the path, and if you just stood still, all you could hear was the sound of the wind in the treetops, or the clatter of ferns rattling against each other in the breeze.

After our hike, we headed out onto the road again, driving back through Crescent City to pick up a picnic lunch at Safeway, then parking off the highway in the forest to enjoy our meal. After lunch, we drove up highway 199 to Oregon, where we found the Treesort. Spending the night in a treehouse was a lot of fun. It feels like being a kid again. Our treehouse was called the Peacock Perch. It’s pretty cozy.

It’s Wednesday today. We’re going to head out to the coast again, and try to make it to Newport.

Yesterday, we drove from Fort Bragg to Crescent City today, stopping for a picnic on the beach. Each turn in the road brought a new spectacular vista. Further north, we entered the giant redwood forests, where trees live up to 2000 years. Today we’ll do some hiking among the trees, and then leave California for Oregon. I’ve booked a treehouse for us near Takilma, about 2 hours from here. Thanks for that tip, D!

We checked out of the Intercontinental at about 11 and left our stuff in the luggage room. We wanted to spend a couple more hours enjoying San Francisco before hitting the road. After a light breakfast consisting of a small bottle of superfoods juice blend from Odwalla, consumed on a bench in Union Square, we climbed to the top of Powell Street, where the streetcars named Desire trawl for tourists. We relaxed in a park at the top for a while, and then we picked up our rental car. The car is a huge, bright blue Dodge Grand Caravan, the granddaddy of minivans. We named it the Cookie Monster. We gathered our luggage from the hotel and had a relaxing late lunch at FIsherman’s Wharf. We explored the galleries there for a while, checking out the original Picasso and Dali works on display, etchings by Rembrandt, as well as a wonderful exhibit of Dr. Seuss art prints and sculptures.

By the time we got on the road again, it was nearly 3pm. The road, however, was spectacular. We decided to take Highway 1, which provided plenty of twisting and turning thrills for the Cookie Monster as it dives and weaves among the mountains along the coast of Northern California.

Occasionally, I’d stop to take a picture, but soon it was dark, and we searched for a place to stay. Just north of Fort Bragg, we found the Beachcomber Motel, and negotiated a room for $59. The place is actually quite nice, freshly renovated and right on the edge of the ocean. I felt inspired to shoot, so I went out onto the beach with my camera and took some night shots.

So far the secret trip has been a big success. We got up at 4:30am to go to the airport, and I didn’t say what we were doing until we got to Terminal 1 at Pearson. Then I explained that we were flying to San Francisco, spending the day there, and then driving up the Pacific coast to Seattle. Much of the trip’s content will be decided en route, so there’s lots of room for flexibility.

Arriving in San Francisco, we were greeted by warm and sunny weather, which is apparently not typical for this area. It was 25C all day, and bright and sunny. We checked into the brand new Intercontinental Hotel downtown, and set out to explore. We spent lots of time shopping, and then visited the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art. I only had my little camera with me, but the architecture in that place made me wish I’d brought the big one. Anyway, I did what I could.

Because of the time change, and our early start, our day seemed to last forever, which was a good thing. We had dinner at One Market, near the Ferry Building. I had an incredible Dungeness crab salad, and some perfectly-cooked bacon-wrapped pork tenderloin. We walked back to the hotel and collapsed in exhaustion. Today, we’ll pick up our rental car and head up the coast. More to follow…