Redwood National Park, CA

May 29 & May 30:

  We woke up solemn and swell under the sleeping Redwoods, with a state of enchantment awaiting us right outside our front door flap  . . . The sun peaked through the high-up branches, twinkling down on us through the top of the tent. The excitement set in as we quickly remembered where we were and what was ahead. We hustled to pack up camp and scurried out of the campsite and through the meadow, which was again filled with mass amounts of Elk! Like a crazy kid with no chaperone, I ran into the meadow and struck a pose -- already -- TODAY WAS AWESOME!!!

  We hit Highway 1 & continued north. We headed up the highway and then down a dirt road that led us out to Golden Bluffs Beach State Park. The coastal trail took us deep through an entangled forest and out onto the beach, which we cruised up with the windows down, music off, and listened to the ocean seethe.  There was no one around and we had no idea where we were, and knowing that made it that much better. We soaked up the salty sea breeze and headed onward, further up Bald Hill Road and to the Redwood Creek Overlook. Once again, pure gorgeousness and NO ONE around!!! Perfect time to bust out the grill, crack open a few beers, enjoy some lunch, climb around and wander aimlessly. We were 1,000 feet above sea level and could see the entire coastal mountain range expansive and extending in front of us, with the ocean big and blue, just beyond -- pure panoramic awesomeness.

  After lunch, we ventured further down the road to Lady Bird Johnson Grove where more Redwood magic was waiting. The hugeness, the green-ness, the collections of lush, hillside blooms and huckleberry shrubs sprinkled all around . . . A little slice of paradise atop the old, ancient, wind swept ridges of the forest. Lady Bird Johnson was an environmental activist as well as a former first lady, quoted as saying, "Become so wrapped up in something that you forget to be afraid." Venturing deep into that forest we'd never been to, amidst the fuzzy limbs and disheveled, overflowing growth, I felt nothing, nothing, nothing but love ~

 

Brad couldn't even

"My heart found it's home long ago in the beauty, mystery, order & disorder of the flowering Earth."

- Lady Bird Johnson      

 

Samurai Soldier of the Redwoods

  After our lovely forest hike, we found our way back to Highway 1 and kept north. Throughout the afternoon, we took any and every side road that pulled us in, catching glimpses of wonderful, undreamt moments in time. THIS -- my friends -- is what it's all about. It's why it's so important to let yourself feel that reckless abandon, the liberating feeling of wander, the infinite, expansive feeling of freedom -- and getting lost, letting that feeling take you whichever direction your heart desires. One of our travel tangents took us down a simple road that veered off to the left in the direction of the sea, followed a cliffside up, up, up, and climbed right up to a hidden high point. We got out and walked up to the edge, and within the beautiful Pacific coastal view, special moments trickled in as our eyes began to adjust. We found ourselves looking over sea lions flip-flopping and playing in the surf, and even salmon large enough to see from where we were swimming down in the open mouth of the river. Then we looked over the great blue and for the first time of our trip, we saw WHALES -- Big grey whales!! The Earth migrating and moving down below, Klammath River Overlook was truly a treat -- a rocky, windy, very big and very blue frontier, where the untamed wilderness put on a most memorable show.

Can you see the whale?!

& the Sea Lions?!?! -- on the beach across the river!

  We then ventured up to Crescent City and out to Point St. George -- where we saw a castle in the sea!!! Yea okay, it was actually just a lighthouse atop a rocky boulder out in the ocean, but the magic of the day made it seem like more. (Seriously, I really did think it was a castle.) Crescent City is kind of a cracked-out, slummy place with very questionable characters (to be brutally honest--weird vibes). . . So we left the city and headed right back into the wilderness in search of our next destination: Jedediah State Park. We set up camp at Site 83, and this was by far the best campsite we stayed at in all of California. Beautiful, clean, and private, with great facilities (bathrooms AND showers), and they even had Wifi!! Best part about this campground is it's nestled right along the gorgeous, sapphire hue of the Smith River. This river is a must-see/do!! We set up camp, and I made a big breakfast sandwich for my love while he built me a toasty, cozy fire. We roasted marshmallows in the moonlight before settling in for a good night's sleep.

  The morning of the 30th, we awoke and straight chilled at our campsite for a while. A bit of rest and relaxation was in order, and we were already amidst the stunning Redwoods, cozied in our PJ's and marveling up at the gorgeous green moss lining the trees and hanging from the red branches -- it was wildly majestic and the most inspiring jungle-esque scene -- definitely a campsite worth staying and enjoying. When we finally got moving, we ventured up and down the Smith River, stacking rocks along the riverside, finding dinosaur eggs, watching rushing water fall and collect in whirlpools of riverbeds. The emerald, sapphire blue-green of the river on top of the rich red and green of the Redwoods is a royal site to see ~

 

"DINOSAUR EGG!!!!!!!"

  From there we drove down Howland Hill Road, a gravel road that divulges right through the massive Jedediah Smith Redwood Forest. See, it was almost Brad's 25th birthday (which is June 2) and I had done a little planning ahead. If you don't already know, the Jedediah Smith Redwood Forest is where one of the most epic Star Wars battles was filmed, which of course happens to be one of my boy's favorite movies! Once we parked for a short hike through the forest, I clipped a Jedi braid to Brad's hair and busted out some super badass light sabers that even lit up and made sounds! Super cheesy surprise, but I watched as Brad's wheels started turning ~ & into the forest we went -- hurdling over fallen trees, jumping off the sides of trees, ninja/jedi'ing our way through this epic forest setting with our toys. There were a couple times people came strolling through and we got a little bashful and embarrassed . . . but some of them were super into it too which made it cool again! Hands down, most epic way to celebrate 25 years of life!!! Happy (almost) birthday to my love, my life!! (Funny story -- we actually got lost in the forest and ended up having to walk a mile back on the road with our light sabers, where people drove past us craning their necks to see the star wars forest freaks - hahaha, pretty comical experience to say the least.)

shit got real

 

~ happiness ~

 

 

  After the epic birthday battle was complete, we headed back to the campsite to enjoy all sorts of yummy goodies for Bradley's birthday. We popped open a bottle of champagne (which Brad promptly chugged), mixed up some guac, grilled some carne asada (his fave) with corn on the cob, potatoes and onions, and had a grand ol' feast!!! For dessert, we enjoyed a mayorca pastry with custard and jelly (outstanding), which I adorned with candles so he could make his birthday wishes and send them off into the night ~ Twas a great way to celebrate Bradley's "almost" birthday.

"Almost" Birthdays are the best!

  . . . And the epic odyssey continues!!!! The next day we would cross the California-Orgeon state line, a place neither of us had ever been but a place that stole us away and lingers in our minds still to this day -- definitely our favorite state we explored! Much beauty lies ahead . . . But til then . . .

~ May the force be with you ~

xoxo, Tent Girl

Mendocino Headlands, CA

May 28

  We woke up in Fort Bragg State Park under the golden, green glow of the treetops. We had a nice, easy morning organizing and re-arranging Baby Kia, and let our groggy morning minds wander of the adventures ahead. Up until this point, we had planned everything out to the day - Literally, we  had followed our itinerary like a timeline with specific days plotted, reservations made, and bullet points with "things to see & do." This morning was the first morning we had woken up to a blank slate, an open atlas, and an even more open road. Ahhhhhh, the freedom!!!

  Once we reconfigured our little traveling abode, we hopped back on Highway 1 and cruised North. We were soon led to the cute, quaint little seaside town of Mendocino Headlands. This town consisted of a grid about 4 streets wide and 4 streets deep, with one long winding road that led all the way to the edge of the coast. I stepped out, stood there for a moment, and was completely blown away. The rocks and boulders anchored the land as the wind swept over the water and into my face. With arms outstretched and heart wide open, a reckless feeling of abandon captured me in that moment. There is never a time I have felt more free ~

 

  This precarious feeling of freedom swelled like a wave that morning and carried us through the rest of the day. We enjoyed some blueberry coffee cake & iced coffee next to the old, weathered homes of Mendocino and let the flourishing feelings carry us on.

  We continued north and stumbled upon the beautiful, enchanting, mysteriously untouched Lost Coast. We were like adventurers, philosophers, discovering the undiscovered and making pacts and promises, spending our days planning our whole future within each and every fleeting moment and chasing that tenacious, spellbound revelation of feeling  lost then found. We decided we would live in the harbors of Sausalito, with a cabin in the forest just north to retreat to and then move to a farm just north of there to raise a family. We would live off the land and sail the open seas and surf the virgin waves of the Northern Pacific!

  We made a pit stop at the Eel River Brewing Company and had a beer sampler (followed by a kick-ass kung-fu salad and a melty, drippy, messy reuben) before we truly entered our next scouted destination: the beloved and long awaited Humboldt Red Wood Forest!

~ Brad ~

*love @ first sight*

  The beauty of these trees . . . The splendor quietly surrounding their space . . . It was an ancient present experience, coming to know these beautiful creatures that have stood tall and raw on this earth for so long before us. If only trees could speak ~ We meandered the Avenue of the Giants - a world famous scenic drive that runs 31 miles in slight alignment with Highway 1, but with even more awe-inspiring moments of adventure. There were portions of the road that even Baby Kia could barely squeeze through, and I felt like the road was made just for us to find. We only encountered one or two other travelers along the way, and for 31 slow, powerfully awestruck miles, I felt only the essence of the pure, raw magic of the Redwoods. The colors were penetrating and shapes were sky scraping. This road is a MUST TRAVEL for any and all adventurers out there. The mystical forest twinkled and came alive as the sun started to set on our most glorious day, and the colors grew richest and brightest right before dimming into the dusk and resting for the night to come.

  We wound up at Elk Prairie Campground, wherever the hell that is, and drove in as 27 elk (yes - there were 27 - I counted them twice!) were feeding in the twilight. Great big animals, so quiet and withdrawn and regal, chilling in the tall grassy field looking as content and satisfied as can be. I rolled out my yoga mat at campsite 60, a great little spot tucked away from the rest, as Brad blazed a fire and I spent savasana under the sweet serenity of the treetops. My toes wiggled happy and humored as I quietly acknowledged that this moment I'd dreamt of was right here before me. The bed of the Redwood forest nestled me as I rested, body and breath, in an emotional moment of dreams believed, captured and received. 

  Powerfully overcoming, silently alluring, California's Redwood Forest came alive in my heart and mind that day. If only I knew then what wild Redwood adventures were awaiting . . .

Stay tuned. ;) 

xoxo, Tent Girl