Beach to Redwoods 8-31-08

We awoke to blue skies and no wind, but cold, the low was 48….brrrr. Knowing that the wind was coming we got ourselves together and headed to the beach. At the beach the wind was already cranking and from the north-west which is usually cold, but being experienced north coast beachers, we always have our big coats with us. I had to use my hood to keep my ears from blowing off my head and sunglasses to keep my eyeballs from being sandblasted.

I love watching the wind form the sand into ripples and funky designs. We always start our walk by walking into the wind…north up the beach so when we decide to turn back we have the wind at our back and pushing us back to the beginning. The tide was coming in and the water was very blue.

It was eleven when we got back into the truck and we decided we were done with the coast so we decided to go home and hook up and hit the road. We pulled out at noon and headed south on 101. The winds were between 20 and 30 mph and Eureka’s bay was whitecaps.

We took the Avenue of the Giants through the Redwoods; you’ll miss them if you stay on 101. It is a beautiful drive and so many of those trees are humongous! It is a narrow, windy, slow road, but that is the best way to enjoy the magnificence, there are lots of places to pull out to walk amongst the trees and have picnics. You really have to get out in them to get how big they really are and how they absorb sound.

We have come full circle as 31 years ago on Labor Day weekend we were married and had our honeymoon here in the redwoods. We stayed in a cottage amongst the trees near Richardson Grove. We love visiting these big trees.

It was past dinner time so we decided to pull into the Richardson Grove RV Park for the night. We’ve been here before; it is across the highway from a couple of the famous trees and gift shops. It was 2:40 and we had traveled 97 miles. This is a Passport America park and was $14 for full hook ups.

We had dinner and then scoped out the gift shop across the street. We found reasonably priced walking sticks, $10.99, which we have been on the look out for…so many places charge too much for them so we were happy with that. They are really a necessity when walking in the desert, helps to warn the snakes or pulverize them, whichever task is needed! Just kidding, I would never pulverize a snake…I would throw my stick at it and then run like hell though!

So heads up Ukiah, you are tomorrows destination! Not sure how long we’ll be staying yet or where we’ll be going from there.

Eureka and Trinidad 8-30-08

This morning was cool and gray with high fog. I did my workout, we had our morning toast and then we were off on errands.

The internet is quite often a great help living on the road. Larry had something he needed to have weighed for postage and on the internet he found where the closest Post Office was and he found one that was open for three hours today, when most are closed on Saturdays. It was in Bay Side just outside of Arcata and we got to see an area we have never seen before.

Then it was on to Eureka where there was a branch of our bank also open on a Saturday; another chore done and now we have plenty of quarters for doing laundry.

Now, seeing as we were already in Eureka we might as well walk around the historic district where all the cute shops and coffee houses were and we had a lovely time. We spent quite a lot of time perusing one section of one store for Christmas gifts and walked around and enjoyed the new paint jobs on many of the Victorians and the changes that have been made since we were last here. We found a couple of interesting book stores and in one new age bookstore had a lengthy conversation with a guest Astrologist who was present to give readings.

We found a bakery/coffee house that was new to us and they actually served my Latté in a real glass instead of a paper to go cup. It just tastes better in glass and almost everywhere now serves in paper even if you stay in. The building was old and while we relaxed with our drinks and our shared piece of Apple Pandowdy we studied on the one hundred year old brick wall which was kind of wavy and all the bricks were hand made. Some of the interiors are as interesting as the outsides.

After we were done with our fun shopping we went to Costco. I call this one in Eureka the Stealth Costco. You can’t see it from the highway at all and unless you look it up online or ask someone you wouldn’t know it was there. It is a smaller store but had what we wanted and DARN, we were there when we were hungry so we HAD to have a Costco hotdog for dinner.

From there we drove north to Trinidad, I needed to look in the two little gift shops there for something my Sister wanted, but they didn’t have it. We stopped to overlook the cove that is looking south towards Arcata and I had to take some pictures and this wild rose bush was pretty and framed the cove.

The fog had burned off and weirdly was hanging over the inland hills, but the coastline was clear and it was windy, so we decided to skip walking on the beach and just sat at this overlook for awhile and enjoyed watching the ocean looking north to Trinidad. We did some more cruising around and then it was back home. It was a very enjoyable day.

Arcata, Ca 8-29-08

Today Larry finished up at the helibase. The owner of the company was back, the com-trailer was released from the fire and we are done for now, until they need us again. While Larry was working I was cleaning, I wasn’t sure what we would be doing, if we were leaving or not, so I just kept busy cleaning until Larry got home.

We decided to hit the road, so we did our usual breakdown and got hooked up and hit the road at 11:15. Larry had called the RV Park in Arcata and they had a site available for one night, but we said we’d take it figuring if we had to move on the next day we would.

It was another sunny, warm day and the drive was really nice. Highway 299 doesn’t have much traffic on it because of the fires for the last two months. We stopped at the Strawhouse Coffee house and the lady in there told us how for it being Labor Day weekend it is very quiet. People were staying away and it takes them awhile to start coming back through. The fires are pretty much out, no smoke and there wasn’t the devastation that we had expected to see.

We arrived at Mad River Rapids RV Park just after 1:30 and we traveled all of 94 miles. It was sunny and cooler here than at Weaverville. It’s pricey here, $38 a night with our Good Sam discount, but at least we are not as close to our neighbors as we have been the last two weeks and we aren’t right on the highway. The people that were coming in behind us tomorrow, cancelled so we can stay another 3 nights if we want to. We committed to two nights and then we’ll see where we go from here.

We went to a local diner to grab (for us) dinner and then we headed out to the Mad River County beach. The road is narrow and winds back through dairy cow country and along the Mad River before it ends at the beach. The fog was rolling in, it looked like ocean mist at first, but by the time we got back to the trailer the sun was gone for the rest of the day.

The tide was going out and the fog, wind and ocean spray made it hard to see much of the ocean or even very far down the beach. We had a nice walk in spite of the wind and lack of visibility and we didn’t need our heavy coats.

After we got back in the truck I reached up to feel my hair and it was all stiff and damp with sea spray, but it looked like a style I’ve seen on other women and this style didn’t cost me anything! We went to the store and I felt very stylish, I would never manage to get that look on my own!

Last day 8-28-08

Our two weeks in Weaverville are done. We pull out tomorrow, the Friday of Labor Day weekend....foolishness....who knows, but we'll find out! We don't have any idea where we are going to end up, but we are heading west, and when we can't go any further west I suspect we'll head south, but we have no ultimate destination.

Today was hot again...96 degrees. Walked into town to the Post Office to pick up the mail Andrea sent us...my drivers license has arrived with my lovely new mug shot...hideous. It wouldn't be so bad if they would at least say smile to let you know they are clicking the button!

We ran into someone we knew from Chester. She had moved in '99 and is the Mom of one of Andrea's classmates. We figured out she was here when we saw her name on a real estate sign...her name is unique, and as small as this town is I figured it would only be a matter of time before we ran into her and there she was today, in the Post Office.

As long as we get an internet hookup tomorrow I'll let you know where we end up!

Kicken back 8-27-08

Today was a kick back day! We walked into town this morning, I was looking for a specific book at the book store and they didn't have it. I resisted buying any while I was in there....I just LOVE books. We went through a couple of the shops and then headed back home.

I forgot, Larry finally got his hair cut and a fine job I did, if I do say so myself. It was hot today, up in the mid nineties. I baked a batch of brownies before it got too hot. Spent the rest of the day reading and cleaning up files on the computer, a lovely day!

Happy Day! 8-26-08

Woo Hoo, Happy, Happy Day!! Our thoughtless neighbor pulled out yesterday!!!! Woo Hoo!!! I did the happy dance up and down our floor while I watched the bane of my third REM the past week pull out of the park and head off down the highway!! Bye-bye!




This park isn’t the tightest we have ever been in, but we are close. Fortunately we are on an end so we have this nice grassy area out our front door.

This second picture shows how close we were; at least we couldn’t reach out and touch our neighbor’s rigs through the windows! Our head of the bed is in that first slide-out you see on our rig. We’ve been in parks where you couldn’t put out your awning, not our favorite places.

The wind was cranking yesterday evening. Dirt was blowing and I think I saw some seaweed and a crab or two from the coast blow by in a couple of the gusts. It cooled down considerably too; we actually had to close all the windows. It was 46 this morning…brrr, fall is starting to head our way! It was slow to warm up today but it is doing a fine job of it….a stunning day.

Yesterday was our oldest Grandson Ian’s first day of school in kindergarten. He is so tall and grown up looking; though being his birthday is December 29th he is probably older than a lot of the kids! He told his Mom he had a good day.

Cranky 8-25-08

Yesterday was just so busy that Larry didn’t get his hair cut. Not really, we just forgot, though we did remember to go to the store and get groceries. The Tops Market was the highlight of our day. Our neighbor didn’t go to work so we didn’t have our usual morning disturbance.

THAT was yesterday! THIS morning, SLAM, crunch, crunch, crunch through the gravel; rattling of stuff, crunch, crunch, crunch through the gravel….SLAM; crunch, crunch, crunch, truck door closing, truck starts up and then drives off. THEN, the wife and teenager are apparently leaving for home this morning (thank god they loaded the car up mostly yesterday) BUT, there was still multiple SLAMS and yammering of voices, slamming of car doors and after about a half hour….oh about 5:30 they finally drove off.

Now I get that people have to do what they need to do. I get that people like to travel before the sun rises, BUT have a little…. consideration…for....your….neighbors…people!!! That may not have been so bad if we haven’t had to deal with it every single morning. Some people you might mention the problem too and they are apologetic and work with you, some people get offended and or they are embarrassed maybe, but then they get attitude and you wish you had just kept your mouth shut. Especially people with animals….heaven forbid if you find Fi-Fi pooping in your space or barking at you every time you step out of your own rig and it isn’t really the animals fault….it is the owners!!!!

As you can tell, having my third REM disturbed has made me cranky! I am going for a walk now, maybe I’ll re-read this and not post it….

Okay, I’m back…had a lovely walk, looked in a few of the shops and the Café Mocha has helped immensely but I’ve decided that the foregoing “crankiness” still stands.

We found that by walking down a side street you come upon the front of the Joss House so here is a picture of the front. It was closed today so hopefully we’ll get back there when it is open so we can see the inside…I would be surprised if they allowed pictures though.

There is a lovely, girly shop that is attached to the Weaverville Hotel and these last pictures are of the lobby of the Hotel…very pretty. Weaverville has retained its historic flavor even inside its old buildings. Unlike Tombstone where all the shops interiors were sheet-rocked and full of modern shelving and imported….well I can’t spell that fancy new word everyone uses today, so I’ll just have to say imported knick-knacks or junk.

Breezy and cooler today and with it heating up again the end of this week we may be here awhile longer. These forest people do not let go of their resources once they have them especially if they THINK it is going to be very hot and dry; a lot of hoarding goes on and consequently a lot of sitting around and twiddling of thumbs AND at a huge cost to the taxpayers. You people would shudder if you only knew!

Too windy today to cut Larry’s hair, so he’ll have to be a shaggy dog for another day or two…I doubt if he really would have wanted a cranky, third-REMless, PMSing woman with clippers “attacking” his hair today anyhow.

Rude neighbors 8-23-08

Today was uneventful. We went to Junction City to drop off paperwork again...our big field trip for the day. Larry is out at the heli-base in the morning first thing for awhile, mid-day to check on things and then before dark to shut things down.

We'll be moving on from here on Friday but to where we don't know. We had neighbor's move in next to us a few days after we got here and I don't think they get that when you live this close to others a little consideration goes a loooonnnggg way. He leaves at 4:30 every morning, we know that because he SLAMS his trailer door and it sounds like a gunshot going off under our heads! Then he bangs and rattles stuff outside before he finally leaves. When he gets home in the afternoon the door slamming really starts...he and his wife argue a lot...they seem to be very angry people and just slam every thing. You just deal with it because you know you will be moving on soon, but it still is tedious. The sites are narrow and trailer walls are thin and we all have our windows open with the heat.

Tomorrow's plans are REALLY exciting...I'm cutting Larry's hair and we are going to the grocery store...woo hoo!

More Trinity River pics 8-22-08

You almost got my equivalent of a blog voice-mail message. Today and yesterday have been pretty uneventful, yesterday Larry washed the outside of the trailer and I cleaned the living areas carpet. We aren’t obsessive about things being clean, but cleanliness and tidiness when living in a really small space just make life more pleasant.

Spots have been blooming on our carpet ever since the cherry cobbler debacle, I can’t remember if I ever shared that with you….I’ll have to look back. I really wanted to steam clean the carpet and I borrow our daughters, but not having any plans to be close any time soon I went out and bought a can of Resolve foam cleaner and it did a stupendous job! My sister reminded me that there are hand held steam cleaners on the market now and I will have to be on the look out for one…it would be ideal for our small carpets.

Today after my workout, which I changed up almost two months ago, we walked into town so I could get a latté…yum. It was back up into the 90’s today and humid, but very little smoke. We will be here one more week, but the operation is winding down quickly now.

I thought I would share some more pictures of the small piece of the Trinity River we were next to a few days ago. It is very pretty even with the burned out areas, the water is so incredibly clear that you can see all the rocks and textures of the river bottom. It is a favorite with fishermen, gold-dredgers and kayakers. The last picture is of Weaverville from a nearby mountain pass.

Heli-base Comm-trailer 8-21-08

Now I know you have been waiting on tenterhooks wanting to know what a Comm. trailer is and what the heck we are doing with it.

When there is a big forest or wild-land fire there are helicopters involved. Helicopters require a heli-base, a place where they come and go from and fuel up, pick up supplies or people. Helibase can be out in the middle of a field somewhere or in the middle of the forest, and sometimes they use a local municipal airport if the location is convenient. Helicopters require communication between them and base camp and most all operations concerning the helicopters are conducted at the helibase.

Which is where the Communications trailer comes in; it is like a mini-tower where all the landings and take-offs are coordinated from. Without the trailer it would be a card table and a couple of hand held radios under a tree or canopy out in the middle of a field.

These trailers have windows for viewing of the comings and goings of the aircraft like a tower and all the radios needed. Besides all the radios there are phones, all the office accoutrements, fax/copier, microwave, coffeemaker, and satellite for television and internet connections. It has air conditioning and all is powered by a 7000 watt generator. This particular company has two trailers and they get far more requests than they can fulfill, because they are frequently already committed to an “incident”. The trailers are pulled by a pickup truck outfitted with a ultra comfy camper outfitted with all the comforts of home so that the person with the trailer has a place to sleep and eat and retire to if they don’t want to avail themselves of the facilities at “Fire Camp”.

Larry is the relief for the two main guys and he is the radio tech for the company. He designed all the aspects of the radio/antenna layout; installed all the radios, antennas etc. in one trailer and then the owner and his son did the installation on the second trailer.

The trailers up keep and functions are the responsibility of the person assigned to it. He has to be there before the personnel to get everything up and running, checks on it during the day, trouble shoots if there are problems and then after the operations shut down for the night, fills the generator, cleans everything from floors on up and gets thinks ship-shape for the next day.

That’s the nutshell description of a Com-trailer and why we are here in Weaverville, CA. Operations are winding down on this fire, but the trailer will remain as long as there are helicopters flying missions.

Historic Weaverville 8-20-08

Today was cooler and cloudy. After 2 months the fire is starting to wind down. The air is still perfumed by smoke.

We walked around Weaverville this morning. We are only a couple of blocks from the historic area and the historic area is only about 2 blocks long. Weaverville was established in 1850…it was a gold rush town and is steeped in gold mining history.

Like many gold mining areas there was a large Chinese population. One of the attractions here in Weaverville is the Joss House. It is the oldest continuously used Chinese Taoist temple in California. It was built in 1874 replacing one that had burned. All that foliage lining that creek below the Joss house is all blackberry vines full of ripening fruit. The photo is of the back because we didn’t take the time to go through the museum today to get to the front, maybe another day.

There is a very nice museum which is where we found this relocated miners cabin built around 1895. It was disassembled and then moved to its present location and reassembled. No nails were used, the walls are held together with dovetails. The porch had to be reconstructed as it was irreparable as was a lean-to that was on the back. In the picture of the interior, the door that looks like it is open to shelves, is actually stairs to the attic.

Weaverville’s historic district is well preserved and has the usual little shops and eateries. I had a wonderful Latté at Mamma Llamas Coffee on our way back home. Not good that there is a coffee house within walking distance!

This last photo is of wild sweetpea.