Day 11 - Red Bluff, CA to Mill Valley, CA

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Day 11 - Oct 20, 2014, Red Bluff, CA to Mill Valley, CA

427 miles, 2 National Parks and 1 state

California 

 
Sunrise greeted us with some warm orange and pinks this morning.  We headed back to 101 by way of 36 to drive down the coast toward Mill Valley to visit with our friend Gaye.  Today we will enjoy our last couple parks with a leisure drive down the coast.
 



 

 
 





 
This is at one of the California State Redwood Parks.  Very nice indeed.  Most states cannot stay on par with Federal parks, but California has got it going on in the park arena.  Especially when they can get things like the Redwood Camper :)


This camper was carved out of a large coastal Sequoia.


It's terrible to say, but; wow, look at the wood work! 


Crazy moss growing right on the handrail by the door.
Sun warming the giant log






Of course we had to drive through a tree!



Bucket list check-off, drove through giant redwood.

 
 
This was a little privately owned park with the drive through tree and all the other neat tree cubbies, cabins and such.  Had to pay to get in, but it was worth it. 
A tree person!


 
The Godfather of the National Parks...Thank you John Muir!
 
John Muir was a pretty amazing guy for what he did to preserve some of the national parks on the west coast.  But his large orchard where his house stands, all gone to urban sprawl, which means his house had to be made into a park...  Kinda sad how the very thing he did for the country affected his own property.  Acres and acres of buildings, homes and parking lots where majestic orchards once stood.
We have had fun laughing about
our palm tree head gear.
This place was crazy with people.  Hundreds in and out with bicyclists everywhere.  In 90% of the parks we were in on this trip we didn't see 100 people TOTAL!  This was quite the shock for us to end with such a busy park with people all over running around.  It was a great trip though.  Really looking forward to kicking back and spending time with a dearest friend for a couple days. 
 

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