To the Lost Coast of California…
Sunday, June 10th, 2007Somehow it feels, right now, as we have been on the road for days. I think we have! Our arrival in Seattle is approaching fast, “California’s Lost Coast” was a destination given by a friend of mine… (Ben), and again I wanted to cover the distance without spending days exploring the in betweens as I would normally do. Of course it did not happen that way… It seems that after all these years traveling, specially in this country, I would have a certain upper hand on it, but I don’t… Deep down I think I don’t plan a route as one should, check the campsite’s policies, specially in California. Not only that, I like to have a certain feel for where we stay… an “ambiance’ if you might call it! The feel of the space… how can you figure that one out beforehand?
Actually we only left Saturday morning. Friday was a day of errands, and also a dinner in Elk Grove, compliments of Brian and Wendy… “Mr Computer” himself… You can thank him for reading this Blog… and thank him for any changes coming up… blame him if you do not like it! I have been struggling with my server since day one, first actually a “true” Blog… and 3 servers later, as I met Brian at the Pashnit Gathering, he has been “the one” to trust…
We left the Delta behind, most likely to return some day… the feeling when lost throughout those islands was always a great one, specially when a ferry materialized, I always knew that eventually we would get back to camp! On the road, I never thought traffic would be as it was on a Saturday morning! Flowing, but bumper to bumper on 12, to 80 to 37 to finally 101 north.
Finally passed Santa Rosa, Willits, the traffic died down, we saw more bikers than cars due to the annual Redwood Run… I think that is what they call it. I originally thought 101 would just be a Freeway, you know, the usual boring road, but in many stretches it turned into two lanes, greenery and more greenery, the French Broad River, the Avenue of the Giants, hills and hills and more hills filled with grapes… filling me right away with the senses that I have been longing for a while now.
As we were approaching Weott, I started checking the fuel situation, food also, we were just about on empty on both fronts… nothing! Willits would have been a good place to stop… fill up the tank and the cooler… as I mentioned, things never go according to the easy route sometimes.
Another 40 miles and we would be in Ferndale / Eureka. Wasting 80 miles later we made it back going south, (are you still with me?), and took the Ferndale exit for the loop above… Mattole Road. Ferndale, a Victorian town with a great looking Hotel. Destination? Arthur W Way County Park, passed Petrolia. Steep up hills, real step down hills, much broken road, but… Oh! What a scenery and what a peaceful and “lost” area… rugged and rough, a few locals here and there, flowers in bloom, fog rolling in a bit more north of here… just incredible.
The pictures are only a few, the hours were passing by, sure enough, as I tried to set up camp… my Dish would not get a clear view of the skies! There is a first for every situations, this WAS a first… bummed a bit as I like to have my 24/7 internet access, what do you know! Have faith… the Host of the campground told me about a BLM campground right on the beach by an abandoned Lighthouse… just a few miles away… Also at half the price… and 50 feet or so from the water!
This is it… this is were we are… unpacking and repacking was worth it, I will take this beach anytime, my backyard is now the Ocean! A nice breeze, the fog has stopped a few miles north, this is one of the outmost and furthest point on the Ocean in the northern Continent! Actually it is Cape Mendocino which we passed by and were we will return with more time. A couple campers are here, quiet, back to the basics… I had missed it… Spirit had also!
We already took a walk on the beach, the sunset is in about 45 mns’… I will wait for another picture before posting this. We can hear the roar of the surf, the waves breaking on the beach, will have to check out the tides, sometimes it sounds like a train going by! I feel as my whole being has just relaxed, just let go of the bit of tension caused by these past weeks, near by cities, crowds, time passing by too busy doing too much… too much compared to the pasts months away.
I live now a simple life… and of serenity, I think more than anything else. A lifespan dealing with people 24/7 has a tendency to open up a door where the sign hanging above spells “exit” or was it “exist”…
It was cold out there… wondering if I will ever experience any summer heat some day!… Will need to get dressing better next time… Enjoy… and be well.Ara & Spirit
A “DONATION”?… I have been asking if reading this BLOG is worth a dollar a month to you?… in the form of a yearly donation. Some think so and I thank them for helping the increasing publishing costs… For those not using PayPal, here is my snail mail… Ara Gureghian 853 Vanderbilt Beach Rd #245 Naples Fl 34108
