Visual Journey: Coastal Road Trip: from Home to Family

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To commemorate my uncle's well-lived life, his friends and family converged on his ranch in Oregon on what would have been his 94th birthday. Rather than drive straight up I-5, I left 6 days early and took the scenic route along the coast from Gualala to Fort Bragg, then inland to 101 and through the redwoods, then back to the coast to Eureka and Crescent City, and finally cutting inland again to Grants Pass. Despite the wind, and the mid-day sun which creates glare and contrast, I pulled over many times to capture the profusion of wildflowers.

I timed my arrival in the next overnight town to mid afternoon so I could scout for a sunset location. I took this photo just outside my room in Fort Bragg.

Hardly a cloud in Crescent City,

but the low sun cast a warm glow on the lighthouse.

I had to wait for the full moon to rise in the night sky

before I could get it and the lighthouse in the same shot.

Speaking of lighthouses (the only buildings I enjoy photographing), I added four to my cache: Battery Point (above), Point Arena (below), which is about half way between Gualala and Mendocino.

Point Cabrillo Lighthouse, just north of Mendocino, required a mile of walking, but is the most charming I have seen, so the effort was worthwhile. (BTW: I liked this artistically rendered iPhoto better than the ones I took with my Nikon)

Trinidad Lighthouse is north of Eureka.

(finally, some clouds)

I visited several redwood parks, first along the Avenue of the Giants in Humbolt Redwoods State Park, then Redwood National Park, then Prairie Creek, Del Norte, and Jedidiah Smith State Parks. I loved getting out of the car and walking among the giant trees. It was a humbling and sometimes mystical experience. Along the trails I stopped and talked with anyone carrying/using a tripod to compare cameras and exchange information about special locations.

I found this fellow growing out of a very large tree.

I spent much of my time searching for Rhododendrons that grow wild in the redwoods. My timing was perfect to find many in full bloom, mostly in Del Norte and Jediah Smith. When I pulled off the highway to photograph, I had to time the shutter clicks to avoid the wind created by cars and trucks zooming by. Fortunately, by talking to the locals, I found a long, winding, unpaved, and less-traveled road lined with Rhododendrons that I had practically to myself. After photographing in the afternoon, I returned the next morning when the sky was overcast and the flora was still wet from an overnight rain shower.

There is so much life teeming in the forests, especially the old growth forests that have downed logs covered in new growth. The redwoods are the stars, but the smaller trees, flowers and ferns create an alluring and lovely tapestry of texture and color.