Jedediah Smith State Park, California 124 mile jump (4549 from GR)
I awoke early to the sound of light rain falling. I really don’’t like packing up wet gear for fear of mold. So, we got up at 6 and packed everything away. We got most stuff in before the rain intensified. The forecast said it would subside around ten so we ate breakfast and I tried to read but ended up napping. Got up at ten and left at eleven, raining heavy at times and lighter at other times all the way south into California.
There was lots to see, but the rain made it undesirable to stop at viewpoints. We did see great coastline and interior forest and redwoods began to populate the landscape. We stopped in Brookings Oregon, for a Mc Donald’s senior decaf to supplement my alertness. I googled the map for Crescent City thinking that was between us and the Jedediah Smith State Park. However, had I been alert, I would have realized we should buy provisions in Brookings and go straight to the park without going to Crescent City. Oh well, only 20 miles and an hour wasted.
Then, when we got to JSSP, we had to fill with drinking water since this was primitive camping. The park was built within a redwood grove, so the roads and corners were all quite narrow. And, none of the drinking water faucets in the camping loops were treaded to allow a hose connection. Finally, we drove back up to the ranger’s kiosk and took on water (very tasty BTW).
Finding a nice pull thru spot between two massive trees, we rejoiced at our journey’s end! Doesn’t it seem that when things start going awry, we tend to dwell on the mistake and make more mistakes by not being in the present moment?