in the morning i walked over to the gate to have access to the internet and actually saw elk. i was shocked and did not expect to see any elk during my trip. i admired from a distance though some people did not do the same thing as they attempted to get close.
once the local visitor center opened, i left my campsite & perused in the gift shop. the building is an old ccc building from the 1930s; an old relic of the past I always enjoy seeing & can spot a mile away. even though i plan most things in advance, i did not go in knowing this detail so it was a pleasant surprise. i also went on the short cathedral tree trail nearby which really only provides a glimmer into the redwoods park. i didn't have a lot of time so this would do & i love a morning walk when the sun is at its prettiest (in my opinion). it allowed me to see streams, cross a few bridges and see a handful of the great big redwoods including the cathedral of trees. it is also is an interpretive trail so there are signs along the way providing additional info (which i love!).
the ccc building
along the trail is a boardwalk.
i then made my way back north to klamath where i would visit trees of mystery, a roadside attraction where you can see redwood formations, chainsaw sculptures, and other "more dated" features. in no way is this a con; i really enjoyed this visit. it feels like a midcentury attraction (which it is - established in 1946) that have mostly disappeared in the unites states.
along the way i actually had to pull over and call 911 as i saw a car on fire on the side of the road next to all these trees. when i went at opening hour, it was pretty empty. it was nice to have the park to myself & enjoy nature without whaling children. inside the attraction, you can see carved trees, giant wood trunk statues, cross over a rope bridge, and even go on a skyline. i can imagine this is a lot of fun for kids & families; i would have loved it as a kid.
paul bunyan & babe the blue ox have welcomed visitors since 1961 & 1950, respectively. apparently babe's head fell off in 2007.
there are also quite a few fun bronze statues,
there is a section where you can walk on a canopy bridge. it was very fun.
i then had to pay for the most expensive gasoline i have ever paid for in my entire life. i heard this area was more expensive but as i was not so sure when i would see a gasoline station i decided to stop and pay over seven dollars a gallon for the cheapest gas available.
anyhoo my destination for the night was eureka. picked up some coffee & a burrito & ate my lunch at fort humbolt state historic park. it's not so much of a museum it really is just a park that provides some interpretive history & is probably more for school children than the public. it tells the history of the old military fort that was established here in 1853. you walk further along the park and you can see views of the ocean and also a few more relics including some old trains and smaller dwellings. it was still worth my time.
the hospital building, the only original building still standing,
you can walk inside a couple of buildings, but there is not much information.
fall leaves :)
also in the park is a little interpretive path that tells about the history of the area's logging industry, including the culture of logging camps. there are a few buildings, some equipment, & a locomotive.
i then made my way to downtown eureka which was a really nice looking old town. there were a lot of beautiful older buildings and a big large square and some nice murals. the one unfortunate thing was i did not feel safe. i have walked through a lot of old towns & downtowns in this country & this was the one in recent memory where i felt the most uneasy. there were a lot of homeless people & folks with erratic behavior. i was surprised because there weren't that many people walking the street to look in the shops or anything (it was a weekday). i looked around real quick and decided to go back to my car because i started noticing someone following me; i knew this because i kept zigzagging across the street.
the carson block building (1892)
an old bank
a skellie friend.
i then made my way to get some food & checked into my airbnb. this was such a cute place and the host was so nice. she wanted to make sure she was home when i arrived and had a sign that welcomed me by name. the airbnb was a little granny unit on the property and she lived in the main house with her cats. the airbnb was set up to look like a beach house and had everything you needed including samples of really nice soaps & and a coffee machine. i think this was one of my favorite airbnbs i have ever been to for just the experience. the host was so nice and friendly and it really felt like a bed-and-breakfast experience without the breakfast. i ate my meal and watched the real housewives (that seems to always be on tv when i am traveling).
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the next morning i left the beach to travel inland towards shasta, an important place of CA history that i had never visited. on the way, a deer jumped out on the road and scared me. the drive was lots of twisting mountain roads in the clouds. unfortunately there was a lot of work on the road which meant construction halting traffic. fortunately, it was a very pretty drive with all the mountains & trees.
i did first stop at the weaverville joss house, the oldest continuously used chinese temple in california (c.1874). i knew it was closed & just wanted to see the outside. there was not much to see outside, but i did walk a little through the town of weaverville. it is definitely old & small, but was quite lively with local businesses. i even saw an old courthouse that was still in operation. i then got back on the road as this day would be a long driving day.
in elementary school, you learn about shasta when you learn about the california gold rush. it was a boomtown from 1850 to 1890. shasta was known as the "queen city" for its mining & commercial district; the biggest in the area. today it is a ghost town & historic state park. on each side of the highway are old buildings. most of them crumbling & in ruins, but there are some local businesses & a museum in the old courthouse.
the visitor center & museum is the old courthouse from the 1800s. it has been restored & shows several rooms, such as the courtroom, judge's chamber, & the sheriffs office. displayed inside there is also california art.
the second story balcony that takes you to the gallows.
the jail below the courthouse, which was spooky. it is interactive, so when you enter the room, the loudspeaker has a "jailbird" hollering at you. i was not expecting that.
ruins behind an iron gate.
the old blacksmith shop
after walking around the ruins, i got back on the road though made a quick stop nearby in redding for some boba. it took a few hours, but after picking up dinner in town, i arrived at my campsite in sugarloaf state park between sonoma & napa valleys. it was not as green as the other sites of my trip (much more dirt), but it was really nice & secluded. i did not do any hiking here as this was only a place to camp for the night (the next day would be a very long drive through traffic). i also believe i saw the most animals here from any of my campsites. i saw birds, jays, turkeys, & foxes. at night while stopping to the restroom, i did see 2 eyes looking at me & i got nervous as this is cougar country; it was just a skunk :)
when i went to pick up my parking pass on the board, i found a trash can with what i assume to be a snake inside. i wanted to take a peek & verify but i was too scared & not stupid enough.
