Oregon and Redwoods

Before we say anything, we would like to thank each and every one of you for continuing to show your support for us. Since we have started our journey we have had over 600 views on our blog and that means a lot to us. Before we started out on the trip we wanted to make sure we take the time to document as much as we could so you could potentially see and feel what inspires us. So with that being said, lets get back to the Blog.

After the sunshine in Seattle, we made our journey to the beautiful greenery on the coast of Portland Oregon. While the weather was foggy and rainy we still managed to soak up as much of the beautiful scenery as possible. With the fog rolling down the road and opening up to show a glimmer of the beautiful coastline, it was a truly breathtaking ride. With every bend in the road we were coming closer and closer to the coast of California. Because some parts of the land are so remote, we would stop and refuel on gas and coffee every opportunity we had. The coast offered a unique driving experience that was compatible to the ride of a roller coaster. We drove up and around the mountain, only to come down and around until we hit the next mountain. But over each cliff is another beautiful view of the rocky-filled pacific ocean coast. We have so many pictures from the coast, but many of them look alike. Nonetheless, every inch of this drive was amazing and the pictures don't include the breath of fresh air this place offers.

We continued to travel down the coast until we hit one of the places we have dreamed of… the Redwood National Park! If you have not yet gone to the Redwoods then get ready to have your mind blown. Because we were so excited to be here, we decided to take full advantage and set up camp in the heart of the Redwoods National Park.

We arrived late in the afternoon and scoped out the campground to make sure it was livable. After seeing the campsite we decided that this was a once in a lifetime experience and there was no turning back now. With the clouds threatening rain, we knew we had to set up camp before it was dark. We arrived at our humble campsite and noticed Bear warnings posted everywhere throughout the camp. We weren't going to let a bear deter us, so we began the process of setting up the tent, getting the food prepared, and making sure we keep screaming "Whoa Bear" so we scare the bears away (thank you Man vs. Wild). The car was unpacked and the Tent was up, but then the rain started… and it never stopped. We began to realize that our campsite was at the lower end of a hill and started looking more like a natural river. So we searched for a new site that had better tree coverage. Being the only two people camping, we had lots of options. We found one under a 250 foot Redwood that would be sure to keep us dry. Everything was setup and ready to go, now we just needed a fire. We learned quickly in the rain a fire is a very difficult thing to make. But after numerous failures and getting poured on, we finally had fire that we could cook on. So in the pitch black we cooked our dinner, ate, and were sure to clean up so no bears come for the food. We put the food in the complimentary bear storage containers, and the trash in the bear proof trash cans. After that we were soaking wet and ready for bed. We got into our warm and dry sleeping bags and started dozing off. It wasn't long before the wind began to pick up and the rain started really coming down. It was at this point that the thought of Bears started coming into Melissa's head. At one point in the night she rolled over and said, "Marc, I think we left the spoon with BBQ sauce on the table, and the bears might smell that". I was worried less about that and more about the thought of this 250 foot Redwood falling onto our little 5X8 Walmart special tent. A bear I can handle, a tree the size of the Eiffel tower is another story. After 7 hours of tossing and turning we started realizing that our feet were in a puddle of water that was 2" inches deep. So we gave up on the tent and ran to the car and finally got some much needed sleep at 3 in morning. I don't think we have ever been more excited to see the sun more that that morning. At the end of the day we can say we camped in the Redwood National Park and lived with these mysterious trees and bears.

After breaking down the soaking wet tent, rolling up the wet sleeping bags, and retrieving the food from the bear storage container we hit the road. We stopped for some much needed coffee and a warm meal at the classy Denny's establishment (clutch). The Redwoods run all the way down route 101, so we drove down and stopped when convenient for a quick hike or photo. Being in the forest with these giants is an eerily quiet feeling. It is exciting to see something so old and magnificent. There is a mystery behind these trees that you only know once you re among them.

We are now off to travel the rest of California and hope to find some sunshine along the way!

Days Traveled: 17


M&M