GREETINGS FROM FORT BRAGG,
California (CA), USA
I had to start today with a bit of bribery as it was going to be a long driving day – so first stop, Outlet Stores !
And they just happened to be in the town of ANDERSON, California ! How could we not stop there !
Red Bluff CA to Fort Bragg CA
The town was really on our way (well that’s my story) and as it turned out we were too early for the shops – so they will have to wait till another day.
And just as we left here, the rains came and stayed with us pretty much all day. Our main goal today was Redwood National Park. These spectacular trees are huge and dwarf anything else on earth in size.
The drive to get there was a long one, and we left just after 8am – and made longer by major roadworks along Highway 299. On a couple of occasions we would have to stop and wait in line for a pilot car to take the queue of cars along a road reduced to one lane only. we didn’t have to wait too long but the trip along the significant section of one lane – past all the roadwork in progress was very slow. And then when we did get back to two lanes, it was still slow as there were a number of trucks on the winding road and little opportunity to pass. The drive itself was through picturesque forested mountains with creeks and rivers often beside the road. However the constant rain and mist made any overall views obsolete.
When we arrived at the visitor centre we had a pitstop and look around and managed to get a quick photo. However the rains soon returned and we decided not to try to walk any of the trails – we wouldn’t have been able to see much anyway.
One other stop where we had coffee was in the town of Eureka. It is famous for its old Victorian architecture. One house in particular is huge and could easily have been used as the model for the Adams Family mansion !
It was originally built by a lumber tycoon, William Carson, and is now an exclusive “members only” club. The town itself is right on the coast and the waterfront is being improved in keeping with the rest of the town.
Just south of Eureka, we reached our most western point on the US mainland. It isn’t “the” most western point on mainland USA (that is Cape Alava in Washington, near the coast west of Olympic National Park – on another trip perhaps ?) but for half a degree in longitude, whose counting !?
We had reached the Pacific Ocean again but the views were pretty bleak and cloudy. So we turned south toward our destination for the day – Fort Bragg.
The Redwood National Park also combines with various state parks as there are clumps of the big redwoods spread over a wide distance. We drove along one of these sections – called the Avenue of the Giants – as we headed south.
It is truly spectacular. In some sections, the road literally weaves in and out of the trunks of these massive trees. Their canopies almost obliterate the sky and with todays grey skies, it evokes thoughts of haunted forests ! We managed a couple of photos but with the constant rain it was difficult to get anything other than through a wet window. Even on a good day, the scale would be hard to capture.
The last section of our drive was almost right along the coast. But with the constant rain the view was very limited. But before we got to this, the road section was again through thick mountainous forest ravines. It was some of the most testing driving I have ever encountered ! Some of the sections were over 20 miles of thick forest roads – all paved – but were constant hairpin bends, turning back and forth. And it was very slow. Not much traffic but very low speeds to handle the roads – made worse by the constant rain.
It was nearly 6pm by the time we reached Fort Bragg. Our hotel was at the end of town with few eating options nearby so rather than venture out in the rain again after such a long day, we decided to stop at a Safeway supermarket and pick up a few things. So dinner was a nice selection of cold meat, cheeses, salad, and bread sticks in front of the tv ! And after a long day – we both slept very well !!