After leaving Eureka, which I still think should be spelled with ALL CAPS and followed by the multiple exclamation points usually reserved for World Cup goals, I headed up the California coast toward Oregon. A week ago or so I posted my self-portraits from the trip and included one from Patrick’s Point State Park. Though the picture is cool, I didn’t do enough justice to the beauty of the park. I’d like to include a few photos here. The first was taken from the top of the trail, prior to climbing down the rocks toward the sea and the sea lions. I loved how mangled the tree looked and how tame the sea looked through its branches.
I took the next photo after I had climbed down. What I love about Northern California and Oregon beaches is the ruggedness of the rocks. These aren’t the pristine sand beaches of the Bahamas or Florida; these beaches are windblown, serious, this-shit’s-about the sea, sky, and rocks!-kinda beaches. Not for the faint of heart, but they do soothe the soul somehow. The starfish in the tide pools were cool to watch, as were the seals/sea-lions out on the rocks.
After the stop at Patrick’s Point, I motored on toward Southern Oregon…but I got distracted by the trees. Those of you who know me well know that I’m not a huge fan of trees. Turns out I’m a fan of huge trees, however. Go figure! The Redwoods don’t let anyone pass without stopping, so I turned in at the parking lot for “The Trees of Mystery.” It was equal parts hokey and Holy Crap!
Visitors are greeted by enormous statues of Paul Bunyan and Babe the Blue Ox. Though the sculptures are huge, they are still dwarfed by the trees. And, people look ridiculously puny next to everything. It’s humbling in a way that I think most of us need once in a while.
The tour was worth the hour spent wandering through the Sequoias. The photos can’t possibly convey the scope and size of the trees, but all visitors who congregated in the gift shop afterward shared awed looks and neck cricks. Of course, I had to buy a stuffed Paul Bunyan doll! :->
There was an “Elephant Tree.”
There was a tree that reminded me of an Ent from J.R.R. Tolkien’s world.
And, finally, two notes, left for all of us. The first elicited an “Awwwww!”
The second, a “WTF?”
But, lovely readers, you really must see all of it to believe it!!
Peace, love, and a few REALLY BIG trees to you all!
Love your tree shots!
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