Leaving Concord and the Bay Area, we headed up the coast into new territory for me. Seeing the Pacific Ocean in this part of the world gives one a whole new appreciation for the power of the sea. We stopped a lot on both Sunday and Monday, since our distance goals were relatively small and the idea of driving up the coast was to actually SEE the coast.
Here are some of my favorite shots of the crashing waves and surrounding scenery:

The other highlight of the drive was seeing the big trees–the Coast Redwoods. I’ve seen the Giant Sequoias in Sequoia/King’s Canyon and Yosemite (Mariposa Grove), which are technically larger, but the Coast Redwoods are taller. For more on how the trees are similar and different, click here. And the damp, moss-filled groves are amazing. We drove through the Avenue of the Giants/Humboldt Redwoods State Park yesterday and Redwoods National and State Parks today.
Again, here are some choice photos:

We also met a touring cyclist at one of the overlooks today. He was pushing his loaded Surly up a big hill in the rain (so he’s probably glad we didn’t get his name) and said he just “wasn’t feeling it” today. We felt for him and I have to say that he has my respect for even being out here riding fully loaded at this time of the year. The short days, cold nights, rain, and wind (he said he had headwinds all through Oregon) would test anyone’s resolve.
For those who might be following our journey on a map, I’ll note that we chose to stay in Arcata, CA and North Bend/Coos Bay, OR on this leg–primarily to make our schedule work for the rest of the trip (anywhere along the coast would work just as well for scenery and basic lodging). If you have time, I would definitely recommend this drive.