Granite Cliff Studio

Stories and Photography From a Two Week Camping Excursion (Part 1)

As we celebrate and reward ourselves from another summer living in Yosemite, our goal was to escape the heat, the crowds and the stress. Although the past year I have been commuting to and from the valley, my wife, has been in Yosemite the majority of the time. I have seen a trend of deglamorizing tourist destinations because of the repercussions of the social media culture. Well, I have lived in tourist destinations for over twenty years and Yosemite is possibly one of the most frustrating places, first to visit, second to actually live full time. Summer is so hot, full of long lines, lacks peaceful and serene locations that are easy to get to and bugs, lots of bugs. I only talk about these things because it really helps you understand that a long vacation is needed away from a vacation destination.

When we set our dates and requested for PTO, we had many ideas but the idea was to finish or continue a trip we started a decade ago when we drove from Huntington Beach to San Francisco. The trip was a nice slow journey up the coast seeing all the little towns and iconic landscapes on Highway 1. It was a trip we will never forget and my first experience exploring California. To resume, I pretty much plan all of our trips, I decided that we would start where we left off and travel through San Francisco and drive over the Bay Bridge and the Golden Gate Bridge. An experience for sure, driving into what the news describes daily as a lawless place is a little nerve-racking, especially since a day before we left a huge sideshow shut down the Bay Bridge and hundreds of people were seen on video shooting guns and even bystanders getting hit with cars. Well, thank goodness by day, the bay is still a beautiful mostly safe place or so it seems. Getting on the bay bridge is a nightmare with toll signs and lane closures that bottle neck thousands of automobiles with only single drivers, it was nice having two people and being able to use some of the car pool lanes. The beauty of driving over the bridge and the first sights of the Embarcadero, Alcatraz and the Golden Gate Bridge were enough to get us really excited for our next couple weeks. We took Fremont Street to Columbus Ave and enjoyed some intense people watching, for a couple of people who live in the country seeing this much action in North Beach and Chinatown was an attraction all in itself. The amount of restaurants was teasing us because we don’t really eat out much but we pushed through as we still had hours before our campsite. The Golden Gate Bridge was much more manageable and we checked it off the bucket list. We stopped and enjoyed an overlook as the marine layer blew fast and steady over the cables. A melting pot of tourists with almost no English to be heard.

After leaving the Golden Gate Bridge we headed over the mountain to the coast, onto Highway 1 and to continue what we started a decade ago. We drove a steep, curvy road through the Muir Woods and down to Stinson Beach, continuing on to our next highlight which was the Point Reyes Farmstead Cheese dairy (https://pointreyescheese.com). A cheese that my wife raves about, the Original Blue, was a must get from the source but we were pleasantly surprised with a nice tasting room and guide to help us discover some of their craft cheeses. Nothing like a cheese tasting right when you are hungry, we ended up getting four items and were on our way again. As tempting as it was, the Point Reyes area offered a cheese tour, where you could go to multiple dairies to try the local farmers creations but we decided to stop in Bodega Bay for some lunch.

On road trips where you have no cell service or very little internet connection, eating out can be an ordeal and a little bit of a gamble. We stopped at a little wharf on the water where two restaurants shared a parking lot, one with a polished decor and nice looking bar and dining room, the other a shack with a grill outside. What to do? Normally the shack is the easy choice especially as we could see fishing boats and oyster nets, when it comes to fresh seafood you don’t need all the fancy stuff but the indoor dining room on a cold windy day won, but as soon as we sat down we were rewarded with harbor seals and a giant sea lion popping out of the water and joining us for some fish n’ chips. A great choice in the end and the beginning of my fish n’ chips journey which I will rank later. https://www.rockeroysterfellers.com/ro-bodega-bay

After a nice full stomach we were ready to get to our site for the next two nights. The coast of “Mendonoma,” Mendocino and Sonoma counties, was gorgeous with rocky outcrops and coves traversing the Pacific Ocean. We arrived at Salt Point State Park, a recommended destination and our pit stop before we headed further north. A quick camp setup and then we headed to the cove across the street for sunset. Our home has been in the 90s and 100s so arriving at this windy beach we immediately layered up with beanies, glove and multiple jackets to acclimate to the much cooler weather, which was a relief and what we were looking forward to. The Salt Point trail went along the coast and we found a nice seat upon the piles of rocks that lay scattered all along the area. Again, we saw wildlife, harbor seals and our first whale sightings since leaving Maui, there were surprisingly quite a few humpbacks just off the shore blowing their spouts probably trying to communicate with my wife, the animal whisperer. After the sun set we retreated into the woods where it was warmer and enjoyed our first of many campfires and local beers.

The next day we awoke and had tentative plans to hike in the pygmy forest or one of the numerous trails in the area, but I noticed a very interesting building when we drove in the day before and convinced my wife to go and explore the historic Fort Ross. Just down the road we drove, entering the parking lot and seeing a few historic watch towers, guard shack and visitors center. The visitor’s center was great and you could tell this was major learning area for California history. Russians had made their home here in the early 1800s and to defend themselves from the Spanish they built a fort protected on all sides by the ocean and the mountains. Quite an interesting story of the Russian-American Company that was based here and throughout the Aleutian Islands. We then spent the next couple hours exploring the old buildings, a stockade, a trading post, a residence, a church and then down to another beautiful cove for some beach combing. Fort Ross was a a little gem on the Sonoma Coast and if you have time I highly recommend it. https://www.fortross.org

A little stop back at the campsite for some lunch and then we headed to Stump Beach for another California sunset. A short walk down a cliff opened up to narrow long bay with cliffs on both sides. Cormorants were fishing and perching on the cliffs, we were the only people here and as a person who has been to some beaches this was a very scenic location and I was impressed. A great place to hangout and enjoy some more local beers. Back to the site for our last night at Salt Point State Park.

Packing up seems to take a little longer than setting up, as you have to fold, roll and stuff everything back into their stuff sacks, bins and ultimately back into the car, which mind you was filled to the brim, any opening was filled with firewood and water. The fog greeted us as we got back onto Highway 1, only knowing our next destination and not really what was between us and there. You can do a lot of research but until you’re actually on the pavement, you don’t know what might catch your eye. Driving along, an eight foot Sasquatch caught my eye and I pulled over at a large building which turned out to be the Two Fish Bakery,(https://twofishbaking.com) we never met a bakery we didn’t want to sample. A nice clean and busy spot at the south end of the Sea Ranch Lodge, Stewart’s Point. A nice coffee, lemon poppy scone, bacon breakfast biscuit and their famous morning bun were consumed to get our day started. We had no idea that there were so many houses in the area. A never ending sea of second homes that felt like a Bay Area cult trying to keep us peasants out. No Trespassing, Do Not Enter, For Residents Only, Private Property signs blocked this part of the Sonoma Coast but we have experience with the high makamaka trying to keep peasants off public beaches, so we found a place to park and ventured down to shell beach. Walking just around people’s empty properties on a September weekend made the area feel wasteful and unneeded but we came out of the bushes to Shell Beach and it was a beautiful double cove with climbable rocks and arches. Some rare birds and harbor seals greeted us but my beach combing travel partner was disappointed because there were no shells at Shell Beach. It was nice little walk to get the blood flowing but back in the car we go.

I did have a few places I wanted to check out and on my list as a photographer was the Point Arena Lighthouse (https://www.pointarenalighthouse.com). All I knew was that there was a lighthouse, we arrived and there was an admission of $5 to visit the lighthouse and the person said for $5 more you can climb to the top, well, I followed up with, how tall is it, and a optimistic response of 144 stairs sounded easy enough for us, so we committed. A small museum that gave you the history of shipwrecks along the coast, how the actual the lighthouse worked, pictures of the destruction from the big earthquake and some movies that were shot there along with a gift shop was our starting point. We were required to do a tour with a young man who definitely was not meant for this line of work but added to the experience as we can laugh about it now and not to mention the other guests awkwardly glancing and giggling at each other, thinking what did we sign up for? After this memorable tour we headed up the circle staircase to the tallest light house on the west coast. A beauty, made of solid iron and stone with huge windows at the top, we saw another whale from our bird’s eye view as well as the hidden rocks that took out over 100 ships in the area. It was a clear sunny day and we could see for miles around, a great way to see the “Mendonoma Coast.”

Food and beer were required to carry on, we chose the North Coast Brewing Co. in Fort Bragg. I had been drinking the North Coast beers the last two nights and I was happy to check it out. Another fish n’ chips and a flight of beer for lunch as this would be my normal order throughout the trip. North Coast is independent and had a nice gift shop, we loaded up for our next site because we would be there four nights and you never know what kind of amenities would be in the area.

Arriving at Burlington Campground on the Avenue of Giants was special, our site was tucked in the corner along the road, surrounded by huge trees everywhere. We were pleasantly surprised that showers were part of this campground because we weren’t really sure how we were going to tackle hygiene on this road trip. Another camp set up but this time a shower and a thorough cleaning, it’s remarkable how quickly you can clean yourself when it requires quarters to start the shower. https://humboldtredwoods.org/burlington

We cooked a nice breakfast at Salt Point but since we were going to be here for longer we had planned to cook some meals so we had leftovers and plenty of food in-between activities. Breakfast tacos started the day but then we drove down the Avenue of Giants to the Sarvinsky and Flood Plain Produce farmers markets, to gather some fresh produce for chili and a lemon pepper chicken pasta. It was so nice talking to the locals about the area and even a little Humboldt State football talk, for those that don’t know they lost their football program and became a Cal-Poly campus. This was a big activity for everyone in the Humboldt County area and even got people to travel out of the area, so its a sore subject, but it seems people are hopeful it will return. We did a quick hike in the Founder’s Grove which was full of old growth coastal redwoods. A guided tour in a pamphlet taught us about the climate and the history of the area. A great start and then back to camp to relax and prepare our dinners. The Burlington campground is so nice that a lazy day can be met with no regret that you might be missing anything in the area. The two hundred foot tall canopy of coastal redwoods sway in the wind like a wooden wind chime.

A nice early start and on the road we go to Ferndale, California to start a backroad adventure to the Lost Coast. Ferndale is a small historic town famous for its Victorian style homes and businesses. Built around 1850, home to a large amount of dairy farms, also the gateway to the Redwoods and The Lost Coast. We passed through as it was too early for anything to be open but it appeared pleasant and the colorful homes stood out in the constant gloom of the temperate rainforest. We embarked on a winding, steep and rough road to get to a beautiful black sand beach that was getting hit with massive waves. The view to the south was very similar to the steep cliffs of Hawaii which helped explain the volcano remnants of the black sand and rocky outcrops. We stopped, walked and enjoyed the sound of the ocean, this was absolutely one of the most scenic coastlines I have witnessed and it was impressive that the surrounding land was occupied by cows and deer, not a hotel or tourist in sight. We continued in our Subaru up and over some decent sized coastal mountains leaving the ocean momentarily and passing through the small town of Petrolia, there the Mattole River led us back to the ocean where we again became beachcombers. A driftwood shrine stood tall on the beach, probably to excite backpackers who took on the long journey of the Lost Coast, a hike that is not necessarily long but is on the sand and can only be traversed during low tide. I found my second Kestrel, a small and mighty falcon, on this trip and he stared with interest and posed for a quick photo.

Through the woods we go to the Mattole Valley, an area I only knew from videos that I watched on YouTube to scout our little vacation, and to our surprise one of the hugest pot farms and first legal cannabis producers in the state of California. Honeydew Farms https://www.honeydewfarms.com was such an unexpected sight, driving, out of the corner of my eye I saw a crop in which I have never seen, an endless field of marijuana, something I will never forget. We continued to the King Range visitors center to get some info of the area and headed to the next town of Shelter Cove. The drive to Shelter Cove is steep almost like driving down one of those cliffs we were gazing upon hours earlier at the black sand beach. A small light house in a parking lot looked like a great spot to stop and have some lunch. We found a picnic table, laid out all the goodies we collected, local cheeses, spreads, fruits and satisfied our hunger, all while we watched sea lions bark and hop around the cove. After our snack we did some tide pool exploring and walked amongst the harbor seals and birds who were enjoying an amazing summer sun day, apparently the sun does not come out here often as we were told by a local that September is the area’s summer, where residents get their fix of sunshine. Overall, just to summarize this day trip, The Mattole Road or Lost Coast Highway is a legendary scenic road so diverse with coastal views and redwood forest roads, one should not miss this experience, take your time and enjoy the sounds, smells and feels of the Lost Coast of California.

About a week into our camping road trip and we awoke and wanted to explore some city life of the area, the nearby towns of Eureka and Arcata are the main populated areas of Humboldt County, also a place we could get a nice cooked meal and shop for some memorable gifts to each other for our wedding anniversary. We went straight to the square of Arcata and I thought it could compete with towns like Jackson Hole and Santa Fe for a fun retail destination with charming art galleries mixed in. If you could ignore the needles and feces, Arcata actually employed a number volunteers and law enforcement to keep this area as clean as possible. The Humboldt State campus store towered over one corner of the square but I was interested in the throwback liquor store on the corner, Arcata Liquors. I had been very impressed with the breweries and beer options in the area so far and decided to check out the local distillery options here, the attendant was super knowledgeable and I left with 3 bourbons and a gin from Humboldt and Mendocino. Instead of magnets and stickers I have started to acquire local booze, a true test in will power so I don’t finish the whole bottle and try to keep on the bar at home as an interesting story to tell. After being consumers at the Arcata Plaza we ventured around old town Eureka where a large outdoor vendor market was taking place. A nice lady at the chamber of commerce pointed us to a major attraction in town, the Carson Mansion, built in 1885, an architectural marvel that stood tall above the town for visitors to enjoy. A fine structure where we paused to enjoy the cool temperature but warm sun.

The following day we packed our tent and sleeping bags and continued north to our next temporary outdoor lot, Prairie Creek State Park, located adjacent to the Redwoods National Park. On the way, by the way of recommendation, we exited the 101 and discovered Trinidad, similar to Shelter Cove, it lay on a cliff overlooking little rocky islands but probably due to accessibility the homes and businesses were a little more luxurious. We ate at a seaside restaurant over looking a bluff and a beach, the Seascape served fresh seafood and it was delicious and fresh. Living in the mountains, my typical diet is void of the ocean’s treats so I took full advantage of every stop along the coast. After Trinidad, we stayed off the highway and stumbled upon Sue-Meg State Park. We went to a view point but could only see clouds, I am certain the views are probably gorgeous but the real reason to spend some time here is Agate Beach, to a couple of people who love looking for shells and treasures on the beach Agate Beach is full of colorful, milky and smooth quartz beach pebbles that we could not resist searching for the perfect options.

To be continued… Part 2 – Gold Bluffs Beach, Trees of Mystery, Lassen Volcano National Park and a Lake Tahoe bear encounter!