The northwestern coast of Oregon was a varied mix of wweather.Our time here started out foggy and cool.
The strong coastal winds have sculpted the landscape, pushing the trees flat against the cliffside and giving the area a windswept appearance.
The weather gradually changed to sunshine and warmer temperatures as we traveled farther south along the Oregon Coast and closer to Northern California.
Upon arriving at Redwood National Park, we were instantly in awe of the massive redwoods stretching high above us.
Redwoods are the tallest species of trees in the world. The cool, wet, and often foggy environment, acts almost like a natural, giant humidifier. This environment gives them extra water. The redwood trunks can move water efficiently to the very top of the trees so they can continue to grow taller and taller.
The naturally hollowed-out redwood trunks made for quite the playground!
The Northern California coastline felt very similar to Oregon’s, with dramatic overlooks and frequently changing weather. Despite the sunshine we experienced earlier, we soon found ourselves back in the cool coastal fog.
Within Redwood National Park are original early-warning radar stations that were used during World War II. To guard against a potential invasion, the U.S. Army constructed a series of disguised “farm” buildings. From the air, sea, and road, these structures appeared to be part of a working farm, but they actually housed diesel generators, electronic equipment, and two .50-caliber anti-aircraft machine guns.
We drove along the Avenue of the Giants, surrounded, as the name suggests, by towering redwood trees.
The boys found a “tree house” in the trunk of one of these Redwoods.
Back on Highway 101, we witnessed firefighters battling a forest fire and working to keep it from spreading further.
It is often said there are only two seasons out on the west coast: winter and fire season. Planes and helicopters worked alongside firefighters on the ground to contain the blaze. The helicopters filled large water buckets from nearby lakes and streams, then carried the water to the fire and released it over the flames.
Our thoughts were with everyone affected by the fires here and throughout the West Coast.
As we continued along Highway 101, we found ourselves at the Golden Gate Bridge. This was an exciting milestone for the boys!
We arrived at the Golden Gate Bridge in the evening.
We may or may not have pulled directly into the bridge maintenance area after discovering that our camper was too tall to fit through a nearby tunnel, yikes! Thankfully, the workers were incredibly friendly and directed us to the best route around the tunnel.
In the morning, we were able to see Alcatraz from the bridge viewing area and parking lot.
A fun stop!
Next stop: Lake Tahoe, spanning the border between California and Nevada.