SUNDAY - Thanks to our one night stop last night, today we are looking at a fairly easy 100+ mile drive up the mostly 4-lane highway of US-101 instead of the winding and twisting CA-1.
We left our site just before 10:00AM, because we have a 2-1/2 hour drive and a 1:00PM check-in time at our next campground. We also scheduled a unique to California sightseeing stop about 40-miles short of our destination, so we should arrive fairly close to our official check-in time.
SCENES FROM OUR TRAVEL DAY
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For our sightseeing stop we planned on disconnecting from THE POD and then driving ROVER through a redwood tree. I called last night and someone told me I could barely fit through.
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However when we arrived at the entrance gate it was a different story. NO, a full sized F-150 XLT would not fit through the tree because of the width at the mirrors.
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There are two other drive-thru trees here in northern California, but I bet none of them have these cool chainsaw carved animals at the entrance.
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Later on, off the side of US-101 we saw smoke. I hope it's some kind of controlled burn.
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Not all of US-101 is 4-lanes. This section was kind of tight to wind our way through. You can see that the tree on the right has been hit before by something about 8' off the ground.
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Believe it or not! We are the only occupied site here tonight out of 55 sites. However, they did just open for the season 4-days ago on the 15th.
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Our site here is quite large, with the South Fork of the Eel River behind us.
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We no sooner had THE POD all setup when we drove 6-miles to the nearest lunch spot. It appears the Big Foot in the area are drawn in by the Giant Redwood Trees.
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As soon as we returned from lunch...
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...Tricia followed a trail down to the river.
The whole reason we chose to stop for a visit in this area is to explore the 31-mile long scenic drive called the "Avenue of the Giants". The giants they're referring to are the Coastal Redwoods of course!
Our campsite is just a half mile west of the scenic drive (designated CA-254) in the lower quarter of the north/south drive.
Just outside of the Giant Redwoods RV Park is the second drive-thru tree located here in Myers Flat. Unfortunately it is even narrower than the previous tree we tried to visit earlier today in Leggett. We've got one more chance to drive ROVER through a redwood tree, that will be along our route two weeks from now in Klamath. Wish us luck!
The Klamath Tree was dug out in 1970 and is the last one to be created. The Leggett tree was cut out in the late 1930s and the Myers Flat tree was originally hollowed out by a fire over a century ago. Then afterwards the opening was enlarged to create the drive-thru posibilities.
Here's a 1-minute sneak peek of the "Avenue of the Giants" on our way to lunch today!
TUESDAY - After a full day of on again/off again rain yesterday, we decided not to wait another day before heading out to explore the "Avenue of the Giants" scenic drive.
Even though the weather forecast is no better today than it was for yesterday or tommorow, we're heading out with our fingers crossed.
AVENUE OF THE GIANTS
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Our scenic drive along the Avenue of The Giants started out with a bang.
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It wasn't long before we found ourselves out hiking a short distance into the forest.
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This view reminded both of us of Alaska and started a short discussion about our return.
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There are several "touristy" stops along "The Ave", as the locals call it.
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This stop is called The Immortal Tree, as if there aren't thousands of trees in the area that can't make the same claims as this sign boasts about.
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This "Immortal Tree" does have a nasty burn scar at the base.
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Another touristy stop is at the "Eternal Tree House".
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This location has a 20'x20' room carved out of a dead redwood tree stump.
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Here's a short video of the entire "room" inside the tree.
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You can see the Eternal Tree House stump in the center of this circular group of trees.
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Enough of the touristy stops, let's get back to the beauty of driving "The Ave".
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You have to watch your mirrors when going by some of these trees next to the roadway.
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One of the most popular stops on the drive is "The Founders Grove" location.
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The "Founders Tree" is a very short 100-yard walk from the parking lot. In other words, if the tree fell it could easily crush ROVER way back in the parking lot.
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Downed trees are left to rot to feed the forest floor, sometimes for as long as 400-years.
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Here's a tree that was consumed from the inside out by fire.
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Looking up from inside the tree you can see it's almost completely hollow, but still alive.
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On this tree the bark burned through on opposite sides, creating a pass through area.
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Looking up when in the redwood forest you get the feeling of being insignificant.
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The only time they cut trees here in the forest is when they block the footpath.
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The giant chainsaws make some interesting scars on the tree's center.
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What looks like a giant nest up in the tree is actually a burl.
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A burl grows when the tree experiences any number of stressful occurrences.
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Tricia had a little fun climbing up the back side of this root ball.
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We are now getting close to the star of this half mile loop trail.
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In March of 1991 during the rainy season, this giant tree fell and hit another tree, causing it to lean. A week later it fell into the tallest tree in the entire grove, causing it to fall.
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This is the base of the 362' tall "Dyerville Giant". When it fell it splattered mud 15' up a tree trunk located 50' away.
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A jumbled mess of three or four fallen trees.
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The Dyerville Giant stretches out along the ground for more than a football field.
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This is the condition of the two large trees 35-years later.
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Even laying on their sides they make you look small.
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All alone in the woods without another soul in sight.
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There's another one of those burned out trees up ahead.
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Yes, the trees do occasionally fall and temporarily block the roadways too.
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This landslide blocked one lane of the roadway and so far they've just left it alone.
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Inside the Humboldt Redwoods State Park's Visitor Center is the unique "Travel-Log".
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In 1918 Charles Kellogg toured the U.S. in the "Travel-Log" to promote saving the redwoods.
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Kellogg passed away in 1949 and in 2000 the Travel-Log was restored and then donated to the Humboldt Redwoods State Park to put on display.
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Redwoods aren't the only big things here, the Bigleaf Maple has leaves the size of your head.
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There's another one of those slimy Banana Slugs, this time Tricia got up close.
Looking for our Visited States Map and Data? How about our State by State Bucket Lists or Visited Campgrounds List? If so, click on the sign below to be taken to our other website.
For our sightseeing stop we planned on disconnecting from THE POD and then driving ROVER
However when we arrived at the entrance gate it was a different story.
There are two other drive-thru trees here in northern California,
Later on, off the side of US-101 we saw smoke. I hope it's some kind of controlled burn.
Not all of US-101 is 4-lanes. This section was kind of tight to wind our way through.
Believe it or not! We are the only occupied site here tonight out of 55 sites.
Our site here is quite large, with the South Fork of the Eel River behind us.
We no sooner had THE POD all setup when we drove 6-miles to the nearest lunch spot.
As soon as we returned from lunch...
...Tricia followed a trail down to the river.
Our scenic drive along the Avenue of The Giants started out with a bang.
It wasn't long before we found ourselves out hiking a short distance into the forest.
This view reminded both of us of Alaska and started a short discussion about our return.
There are several "touristy" stops along "The Ave", as the locals call it.
This stop is called The Immortal Tree, as if there aren't thousands of trees
This "Immortal Tree" does have a nasty burn scar at the base.
Another touristy stop is at the "Eternal Tree House".
This location has a 20'x20' room carved out of a dead redwood tree stump.
You can see the Eternal Tree House stump in the center of this circular group of trees.
Enough of the touristy stops, let's get back to the beauty of driving "The Ave".
You have to watch your mirrors when going by some of these trees next to the roadway.
One of the most popular stops on the drive is "The Founders Grove" location.
The "Founders Tree" is a very short 100-yard walk from the parking lot.
Downed trees are left to rot to feed the forest floor, sometimes for as long as 400-years.
Here's a tree that was consumed from the inside out by fire.
Looking up from inside the tree you can see it's almost completely hollow, but still alive.
On this tree the bark burned through on opposite sides, creating a pass through area.
Looking up when in the redwood forest you get the feeling of being insignificant.
The only time they cut trees here in the forest is when they block the footpath.
The giant chainsaws make some interesting scars on the tree's center.
What looks like a giant nest up in the tree is actually a burl.
A burl grows when the tree experiences any number of stressful occurrences.
Tricia had a little fun climbing up the back side of this root ball.
We are now getting close to the star of this half mile loop trail.
In March of 1991 during the rainy season, this giant tree fell and hit another tree,
This is the base of the 362' tall "Dyerville Giant".
A jumbled mess of three or four fallen trees.
The Dyerville Giant stretches out along the ground for more than a football field.
This is the condition of the two large trees 35-years later.
Even laying on their sides they make you look small.
There's another one of those burned out trees up ahead.
Yes, the trees do occasionally fall and temporarily block the roadways too.
This landslide blocked one lane of the roadway and so far they've just left it alone.
Inside the Humboldt Redwoods State Park's Visitor Center is the unique "Travel-Log".
In 1918 Charles Kellogg toured the U.S. in the "Travel-Log" to promote saving the redwoods.
Kellogg passed away in 1949 and in 2000 the Travel-Log
Redwoods aren't the only big things here, the Bigleaf Maple has leaves the size of your head.
There's another one of those slimy Banana Slugs, this time Tricia got up close.
