Olympic National Park - Ruby Beach

Seven Weeks Across America

Driving up the Washington coast proved to be a much quieter experience than driving up the Oregon coast.  There were quite simply fewer places to stop and less people, which was really nice.  We had heard Ruby Beach was a must-see, and we were eager to park the RV and stretch our legs.  The parking lot is above the beach, and looking down we assumed it was a strenuous hike, but really it was easy and we were down in no time.  

Brian and W got right to wading along the shore.  They eventually made it down to the large rocks and even found an arch.

My favorite part, however, was the huge collection of driftwood piled against the shore.

Though I did eventually look down and was entranced by the beautiful variety of stones that make up the beach.  

Cannon Beach, Oregon

Seven Weeks Across America

We spent a day driving up the Oregon coast, which is dotted with little towns and very little RV parking.  It was so charming, but there was hardly anywhere to pull over, even in parking lots.  We got hungry and had to wait two hours before we could find somewhere to pull over.  We would have liked to explore more, but there was just nothing for it.  

Luckily, we had planned a two-day stop at Cannon Beach.  There was designated RV parking in the town center, and from there we walked to our hotel (a splurge!), where we had this view of Haystack Rock from our balcony.  I could have sat on the balcony all day, but there were tide pools to explore (I can check tide pool exploring off my life list), and a very cute little town to explore on foot.  We had several fantastic meals, and W had fun exploring the beach and swimming in the hotel pool. 

I was hoping for a Milky Way shot of Haystack Rock, but it was not to be.  We enjoyed both the foggy and sunny weather in just two days, but the night leaned toward foggy.

William M. Tugman State Park

Seven Weeks Across America

We pulled into William M. Tugman State Park in Oregon  pretty late in the day.  It was drizzling, and we hunkered down inside our cozy camper to share an Instant Pot meal of beef stroganoff and later, my daughter's first game of cribbage.  The next morning before we left, I spent a half hour with two ravens, who I asked to fly from tree to tree right over this little opening through the branches.  And they did - six times in all.  I have no idea why they humored me, but I was delighted.  I think they are such curious creatures that they enjoy interacting with humans.  It certainly seems to me that they enjoy being photographed.

Redwood National Park

Seven Weeks Across America

Redwood National Park is so diverse.  We began our day there at the Kuchel Visitor's Center, which overlooks the coast.  From there we drove to Elk Meadow, where, believe it or not, we saw some elk (from afar).  We kept driving up through the park, looking for some RV-friendly parking but there was little to be found.  We pulled over on the side of the road at a trailhead to make lunch, and decided to make it easy on ourselves and just walk the trail that was right there.

At the beginning of the trail was a huge redwood that had been hollowed out by fire.  It was massive (and clearly it was ok to step inside).  

It was high noon, perhaps not the best for photos but sometimes I don't get to pick the time for our hikes when we are on a family trip.  It was, however, the prettiest hike of our entire 7-week trip, in my opinion.  The towering redwoods were easily visible because there is not a lot of tall underbrush.  The forest feels pretty open, really, though there are masses of ferns, sorrel and the like crowding the path.  There are huge fallen nurse logs, with lots of life sprouting from the rotting wood. I just thought it was gorgeous.

I wish we had more time at Redwood National Park.  There is so much we did not get to see, though if we went back I'd like to take the truck instead of the RV because I think we were limited by our vehicle size.  There were just so few places to park, in contrast to so many of the parks we had just been to where there are lots of designated RV areas.  

But all in all I am so glad we got to visit, even for a short time, because now I know a little more for planning our next trip there.  And grandpa really enjoyed our walk through the redwoods, if you can't tell.

Patrick's Point State Park

Seven Weeks Across America

Our first night camping along the California Coast was spent at Patrick's Point State Park.  It's a beautiful, misty forest with paths through the woods to the ocean cliffs.  We set up camp and headed out to see where the trail went, and found a rocky spot where we saw some seals.  On our way back through the Jurassic-looking foliage, we spotted this bunny on the trail.  

The next morning I got up early to take photos.  It was cool, but not cold, and it was so refreshing after spending weeks in the hot and dry southwest.  Patrick's Point was like a dream.

Point Cabrillo Lighthouse

Seven Weeks Across America

We headed up the coast from Santa Rosa, making our first stop at Point Cabrillo Lighthouse.  The first floor of the lighthouse serves as a museum.  You can also walk through the 1st Assistant Lightkeeper's house, which is decorated in period pieces.  There are beautiful trails around the headlands.  On our walk we saw some people diving off the wreck of the Frolic, which lies just off the coast.

Grandpa's House

Seven Weeks Across America

We headed to Santa Rosa, CA to pick up my grandpa and enjoy a few days off the road.  His house is one of my favorite places in the world, and I think Wyle feels the same way.  These two are always cracking each other up.