Crescent City, CA. An Oregon, lead gray sky launched this trip of 5000 miles, making chaps and a fleece layer welcome. South on 99 to Eugene, the sun slowly elbowed its way through the clouds, but it was Grants Pass, four hours downstream, where the layers came off.
It’s too easy to forget the beauty of Southern Oregon, even the I5 route through the Siskiyou’s. Cresting a hill reveals a vista 100 miles deep of mountains, fantastic works of nature. Those far blue mountains. Rounding another bend, Old Blue and I careen into a boulevard of towering Douglas fir trees, lining the highway and the rolling hills as far as one can see. Little Joe is breathless, and all smiles. Riding in the open air yields smells hat are with you everywhere. Sometimes the dusty smell of fields, traversing the vineyards in the Willamette Valley. Sometimes a hint of fall, of decay and a time of rest. Sometimes, the sweet smell of sap, still rising under the heat of the slowly waning afternoon sun. A fantastic punctuation to the sights that surround us.
The road turns Southwest at Grants Pass, 199, the Redwood Highway. It’s a breathtaking route, mountainous, twisty, descending slowly and constantly towards the Pacific Ocean. The trees have transformed from the Doug Firs of Northern Oregon to the Pines. When did that happen? And the closer to the coast, the more the trees resemble Cedar, VERY TALL Cedar. We’re starting to experience the Redwoods. Little Joe just lies back, arms folded behind his head reveling at their height. And the best is yet to come.
Checking into the sleepy little motel at end of day finds the Redwood National Park office is right next door. Charming and vivacious Debi points out all the ‘must see’s’ in the Redwoods on tomorrow’s journey South. One can’t miss is the Old Growth forest off 101. Tomorrow we’ll see some REAL trees.
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