Moseying Down The Coast of Oregon and Northern California

Oh to mosey down the epic trail of life...

After visiting Lassen Volcanic National Park, we were faced with two

"first-world, full-time traveler's problems".

#1 What to do in the four weeks before our next planned "event" in southern California?

and more importantly ...

#2 How to get an important package that we needed sent to us by the US Postal Service?

Our solution came in the form of an RVing friend who we last met up with four years ago. Eggy and her adorable dog, Lil' Dude, now live on the coast of central Oregon. After I reached out to her, she enthusiastically agreed to be our "mail delivery service", so we headed to the Oregon Coast where ... when the fog, rain, and wind stays away,

 

... the coastal beauty will certainly convince any traveler to hang around for a bit.

Happily, this visit in Newport, Oregon set our course of travel for the following weeks when we decided to mosey down the coast of Oregon and continue south in order to check out the "new to us" northern California coast.

Highway 101 runs the length of Oregon's Pacific Ocean coastline and continues down into California. While we had driven the Oregon portion in 2020, the California Coast was uncharted territory for us. But we knew that if California had even half of the ...

rocky cliffs,

serene beaches,

tantalizing tidepools,

stately lighthouses,

and scenic vistas that we found in Oregon, then we could easily fill our days.

Moseying Down the Oregon Coast

we found...

Sweet dining and boondocking spots like this one just south of Port Orford,

... morning mocha and an impromptu sing-a-long at one of the many cozy coffee shops that line the Oregon Coast,

... a wide variety of beachscapes from sand dunes to rocky cliffs,

... "hidden gems" that can only be reached by the (hopefully) secure ropes that some thoughtful locals had installed,

... seaside art that was created from the garbage that was collected from Pacific Coast beaches,

... the "stars" of the tide pool,

... spectacular rock formations,

... and colorful sunsets from one of our favorite campgrounds, Harris Beach State Park.

Leaving Oregon, we followed the road ...

Down the Northern California Coast

and found...

... similar seascape with a bit more of a "surfer dude" vibe,

... groves of gentle giants, commonly known as the California redwoods, 

... monstrous waves that lulled us to sleep at Gold Bluff State Park,

... and a hike through Fern Canyon that gave us an overdose of "lush",

... while testing my balance-beam skills (or lack of them). Yes, my boots were soaked by the end.

A drive through the scenic Avenue of the Giants

... led to numerous hiking trails perfect for wandering through the majestic redwood groves.

Continuing on, the narrow, twisty road took us over the coastal mountains and back to the coast. We had reached the beginning of California State Route 1 ... the north-south road that runs most of the way down the California coast and has been dubbed "the ultimate California road-trip".

The ocean views were amazing, but the "stay in your lane or you'll go over the edge" roads were a bit nerve-wrecking at times.

Memorable stops down this section included ...

Glass Beach,

Oh, the fun crafts I could make

if only I had a smidgen of artistic talent!

Point Cabrillo Lighthouse,

and the Port Arena Lighthouse.

We certainly found some beautiful vistas along this stretch Highway 1

... as well as delicate coastal flora,

... but having to drive through portions where fog suddenly overtakes the roadway, made this section of our coastal drive a bit too "white knuckle" for me.

 I was ok with driving back inland to spend a few days in the cute town of Santa Rosa. Lucy welcomed us to town, and I soon learned that Charles Schultz, creator of the Peanuts comic strip spent most of his adult life here. 

 As a lifelong fan of  his "Peanuts" comic strip, I was very excited to visit his studio that has been converted into a whimsical museum. The walls were filled with some of his most endearing characters and comics.

 Doug came to Santa Rosa with one mission in mind, and that was to visit Russian River Brewing. He added one of their "campaign" coasters to his collection and decided that his vote is going to Pliny the Elder ... their signature hazy IPA.

And we both decided that reconnecting with friends and taking time to enjoy the beauty of the Oregon and northern California coasts get our vote for a great way to spend a couple of weeks. 

We were quite successful at solving our "first-world, full-time traveler's problems" this time around!

Next up:

We ask the age-old question ...

Is it really possible to leave your heart in San Francisco?

Lassen Volcanic National Park: Nature's Explosive Masterpiece

We continued our journey through the "ring of fire" zone of southern Oregon and northern California where the landscape has been shaped by many extinct, dormant, and active volcanoes. These majestic giants appear serene and beautiful in the distance, yet they harbor an explosive force that, when released, can drastically change the surrounding landscape.

South of Crater Lake, we came across an area that was dramatically re-shaped by volcanic forces over the centuries. Mounds of lava rocks and what appeared to be cave openings caught our eye as we entered ...

Lava Beds National Monument

Eruptions 30,000+ years ago opened up the earth in this area of northern California, and the resulting flow of lava created numerous lava tube caves. The Modoc Nation called this area "the land of burnt-out fires" and considered it to be a sacred landscape. They lived on the nearby lands and at times took refuge in the caves. Sadly, this Native American community was forced off the land during a war in 1872. Today, this hallowed land is being preserved as Lava Beds National Monument.

After stopping at the Visitor Center and getting a brief orientation, we were given a permit that allowed us to freely explore the wonders that lie underground ... the lava tube caves.

With over 900 caves in the area, the park service has made a small number of these caves accessible for visitors to explore. The caves are labeled as easy, moderate, or difficult. 

I thought that it was best for us to check out the easier ones that didn't require hard hats or crawling through narrow spaces on our hands and knees. Equipped with our flashlights, we enjoyed the underground beauty of Golden Dome, Sunshine, and Sentinel Caves

... and continue to marvel at the amazing creative works of art that volcanoes produce.

From there it was on to visit our 52nd national park ...

Lassen Volcanic National Park

She lays there quietly;

Beautiful in her slumber;

But can awake at any moment with a fiery blast.

The view across Manzanita Lake looks so serene and beautiful today. Yet, in May 1914, Lassen Peak awoke from a 27,000 year long "nap" with powerful and violent eruptions that re-shaped the surrounding landscape. This forceful act of nature was captured on film by Benjamin F. Loomis, and for the first time, citizens around the country could witness nature's creative and destructive forces.

As a result of his widely distributed photos, the area surrounding this first witnessed eruption in the United States was set aside as a national park in 1916. Its active volcanic features, which includes hot springs, mud pots, and fumaroles, are preserved for all to enjoy when they visit Lassen Volcanic National Park. 

Named Kohm Yah-Mah-Nee or "Snow Mountain" by the early Native American inhabitants, Lassen Peak is the star of this national park.  But Lassen Peak is not the only volcano in this park. This plug dome volcano is surrounded by the three other types of volcanoes ... shield, composite, and cinder cone, making this a geologist's paradise.

But as we found, the beautiful rocky terrain that these volcanoes produce also makes this a hiker's paradise.

During our first night's stay at Manzanita Lake Campground, we were able to take the trail around Manzanita Lake for our first view of the slumbering giant.

The next morning we drove the 33-mile Lassen Volcanic National Park Highway that encircles Lassen Peak. It is the easiest way to see some of the park's features and access many of the most popular trails.

Our first stop was at King's Creek Falls Trailhead. Unfortunately, this section of the park was scarred by wildfires a few years back,

but, happily, they couldn't steal the waterfall's natural beauty. 

Another must-see feature of the park is the section that makes this park a "mini Yellowstone". Bumpass Hell Trail highlights some of the many hydrothermal features of this park. The boiling mudpots, steaming ground, roaring fumaroles, and sulfurous gases found here are a result of the groundwater that is heated by the molten rock just below the surface.

Today there is a boardwalk to protect visitors. But back in 1860, Kendall Bumpass was not so lucky. He discovered this area, unfortunately, by stepping into one of the hot spots and severely burning his leg. I wouldn't recommend that as a way to get a national park trail named after you.

At the other end of the 33-mile Lassen Volcanic National Park Highway is the Kohn Yah-Mah-Nee Visitors Center.  Here we found a fun feature that we wish other national parks would embrace. The park allowed us to boondock in their parking lot overnight for just $10 (or half price with our "Senior" pass).

We enjoyed the peaceful surroundings as we rested up for the "crown jewel" of Lassen hikes ... the 2.5-mile, 2000 foot climb up to the summit of Lassen Peak.

Starting early the next morning, the temps were still pleasant, but the ascent began fairly quickly.

The views of the park below soon rewarded us for our efforts.

I was quite happy to see the "you're almost there" sign,

... and very relieved to be able to pose for our "summit photo" at the top,

... while we savored the views of nature's explosive masterpiece known as Lassen Volcanic National Park.