Redwoods

I woke up very late this morning. I woke up at 9am! I sure took advantage of sleeping in a bed. By the time I got on the road, I arrived at the Redwoods Visitor Center around 10:30. I really wanted to see Fern Canyon – where the Lost World was filmed – and some big trees. So they gave me directions. I took a windy dirt road to Fern Canyon. Apparently the Canyon is owned by California so you have to pay $8 to get in. You’d think that this would include a bridge to the site. No. It does not. I left my Prius a mile down the road and walked the rest of the way. I then saw multiple Priuses pass me on my walk down the road so I guess I underestimated my car! Fern Canyon was really pretty. The walls are lined with ferns, unsurprisingly. They go up to 100 feet in some places. A creek runs through it and dead and fallen redwoods abound as well. I had to take my sandals off and walk barefoot. One of the other people there commented that he never knew how tender his feet really were. I could not agree more. Mine were killing me from some of the small jagged rocks. I then had a moment of clarity and decided to walk primarily on the larger rocks.

After Fern Canyon I went to the Lady Bird Johnson Grove. This is a sizable grove of old growth Redwoods. Some have survived fires that burned their entire core out and are living just on their barky sides to transport all of the water up to them. Others were impressive for their sheer size. Overall this was a moving experience. I spent about an hour and a half hiking around the Redwoods. Then I stopped at the beach to dip my feet in the Pacific. Apparently there are problems with people getting swept out to sea by sneaker waves so swimming in that area was highly discouraged. Being alone, I was sure to take their advice.

Then it was off to Lassen! That’s my stop for tomorrow. But the fun does not stop there! I wound through the coastal mountains and eventually into the Shasta Range. This put me down into Redding, CA where I had my daily meal – Hometown Buffet again. I feel so healthy when I eat there. First I have green things on my plate and second, I have no trouble walking in or out of the doors. If you ever wanted to boost your self-esteem, this is a good place. Plus it’s a good deal. They were disappointed that I did not want to “add their unlimited beverage bar for $1.99” As if you cannot get fat enough on their food.