Entry into California

Sept. 6-7, 2003

We followed US 101 along the Oregon coast into California and stopped to see the coastal redwoods. The picture to the right is of "Big Tree"; it is 304 feet tall and has a trunk 22 feet in diameter at the base; it is estimated to be 1500 years old.
 

Hiking through a redwood forest is awe-inspiring and humbling.

The redwooods are home to Roosevelt elk; we saw about 10 bulls that came to the meadows in the late afternoon for dinner. This bull, however, preferred the lawn of a private residence in the area. But he seemed to think I was intruding on his privacy during dinner time.  So I backed off.
 

After the redwoods we took a highway across the Trinity mountains to Shasta Lake to visit Nancy's uncle and aunt, Chuck and Margaret. The road follows the Trinity River for awhile; it is a pretty whitewater stream with people kayaking and rafting.  It would be fun to raft it some time.
 

After a very pleasant night with Chuck and Margaret, we headed south to Travis to see our grandchildren (and their parents).