A lot can happen in a short period of time. You never know when things will change or how that will affect you. This winter, a storm took down famed Redwood Drive-thru after which we had just visited the Redwood National Forest. How happy am I that we drove thru this tree only 7 days before?
OK, the truth is that we really couldn't fit.
And don’t worry, as it turns out, there are several “drive-thru” trees in the Redwood National Forest, so there is still time. But the point drives home: Do it. Do it now. The only thing that we are in control of is the present.
I count down the summers that I have left with all of my kids. (I am at T-6 years, IF I’m lucky.) I long to be spontaneous, and we all like to explore.
So between acts of nature, and the normal maturation process, I feel imminent reason to make things happen. Visit Penguins in their natural habitat. Walk where dinosaurs once walked (here!). And get myself to the highest peak I can climb (#goalz2017).
Bring on the Road Trip: cheap & cheerful
“Nothing behind me, everything ahead of me, as is ever so on the road.”
Destination: Redwood National Park
Duration: 1 week
The resources in our National Parks are truly incredible. Cue the music: "This Land Is Your Land…" The colors are richer than imaginable... brilliant! The scale is inconceivable, and what is natural growth and biology nearly seems unnatural to an urban farmer. Nature stunned us, charmed us, and left us on our knees.
Our itinerary drove us through Orick to Trinidad, then down to Sea Ranch Lodge (dogs welcome!), celebrated New Years Eve in Half Moon Bay, spent a night in Carmel, and returned home to L.A. How can I be a native Californian and never have made that trip prior?! Drive the entire California coast one time: it should be on everyone’s bucket list!!
So just like in all good fashion and design, we chose our destination and mixed accommodations, travel, and food, high with low. Nature emerged the winner - stunning, truly breathtaking. Hide and seek amongst five foot ferns with trees towering above, it felt like the land of the dinosaurs. Our imaginations went wild as will every Star Wars fan who finds themself in the middle of Episode 6, better known as the Tall Trees Redwood Grove. The beach was a surreal blanket of calm punctuated with rip-roaring waves that begged to be touched despite her formidable temperature.
Road trips, so underrated, so simple. I'm grateful for the time spent staring out the window @ iconic images and in a dazing doze, discussing pod casts as only one can with a mixed age audience, reading loads of books, watching movies, and cuddling up to keep warm. Our dog actually made the long driving portions better as a form of natural entertainment for the kids. We travelled in January, but I dare say that a summer road trip might be even better with slightly warmer temperatures and year round wonder. "...from the Gulf Stream waters to the Redwood Forest, this land was made for you and me..."
~ Amy
Amy's recs:
Accommodations: vrbo.com, Sea Ranch Lodge, Carmel River Inn
Food: Black Point Grill @ Sea Ranch Lodge (reservations recommended), Moonstone Grill in Trinidad (reservations are a must @ sunset), Lighthouse Cafe in Trinidad (great local flavor)