The Pacific Ocean comes into view on the Lost Coast Highway.
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Friday, September 16 After a scrumptious breakfast at the Ship's Inn, and as brief a stint as we could get away with at one of Eureka's delightful laundromats, we headed for nearby Ferndale, a quiet town abounding with small shops and Victorian-style houses.... |
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...and even some small Victorian-style houses! |
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The walls and shelves of the Ferndale Arts Cooperative on Main Street were filled with quilts, watercolors, prints, pottery, glassworks, oils.... created by the many artists who live and work in the town. I was entranced by the incredibly ingenious and intricate Rube-Goldberg-esque sculptures made by Stan Bennett whose workshop is located in the back of the Cooperative. Thanks, Stan, for taking time to chat! Ferndale is also the gateway to the Lost Coast Highway, officially known as Mattole Rd, and that is where we headed next. |
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Gray mist shrouded the hills that surround the narrow and twisty, sometimes gravel, road. |
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 Before long, the road plunged toward the ocean... |
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...allowing us to travel along the undeveloped shoreline for miles... |
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...passing by craggy rocks... |
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...and through dream-like mists. |
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Spectacular vistas opened up as the road turned inland, and we gained in elevation... |
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...until at last we crossed the boundary into Humboldt Redwoods State Park... |
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...a quiet and awe-inspiring place... |
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...where they have, not merely "BIG" trees, or wimpy "HUGE" trees, but "GIANT" trees... |
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...trees big enough to stand in... |
...or even walk through! |
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After taking a couple of short but pleasant hikes, we headed for Leggett and our evening's destination--Stonegate Villas--traveling on the Avenue of the Giants, another scenic alternative to Hwy 101. |
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A brief glimpse of sunlight streams through the redwoods on the Avenue of the Giants. |
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