Founders Grove, Humboldt Redwoods State Park, CA, 4/23/2019

No matter how many pictures one sees of these giants, that does not prepare one for the experience of seeing them in person.  A force of nature these trees are!  What a humbling experience to stand in front of one and look up. Some of these trees are over 1000 years old and have survived forest fires, storms and changes in climate. The oldest recorded redwood is  2200 years old!  

And when a redwood dies, it is not done contributing to its environment.  It takes 400 years for a fallen redwood to be absorbed into the forest floor.  During that time it provides shelter and habitat for numerous forest dwellers.   Is the redwood above dead you ask? No, the canopy looked healthy.

Mendocino Headlands, Mendocino, CA, 4/22, 2019

Drove north from Berkeley along scenic State Highway 1 up to Mendocino on the first day of our 4-day trip to visit the Redwoods. Little were we prepared for the magnificent vistas along the ocean with steep cliffs, rock outcroppings, fjords, and islands.  We stopped frequently to take in the views and took a stroll at Goat Rock State Park, just north of Jenner. Our Moon guidebook promised whale viewings, sea otters and elephant seals on the beach.  Sure enough, by a calm inlet, we found seals sunning on the warm sand.    

Arrived in Mendocino in the very late afternoon and immediately headed to the Headlands  for a stroll. The picturesque town is laid-back, quiet with a charm all its own, and surrounded by the headlands with its wind swept grassy bluffs, and the ocean on three sides.

Could not resist a morning jog on the narrow trails winding across the headlands. 

 Finale of the day: oysters for dinner!  "These are not as big as Chesapeake oysters," said Jim. 

"No," I answered, "wrong ocean."

Supai Village to Havasu Hilltop, Havasupai Reservation, April 9, 2019

Hiked out of canyon after spending a wonderful day exploring Havasu Creek canyon and its waterfalls. Same hike as we did just two days ago, in reverse: 8 miles with a 1600 ft rise just in the last 1 to 1.5 miles.  Note the hikers trudging up the trail in the picture above. We left the Havasu lodge just after 7 am expecting a long, hard and hot hike.  But it turned out to be overcast and much less hot than during the descend.  So much easier than anticipated! Reached the rim 11:30 am. 

You may have noticed there are no pictures of Havasu village, any of the natives, or the horses and mules trotting up and down the canyon with supplies and hikers' gear. No pictures allowed according to Reservation regulations.