Crazy California Road Trip: Day 9

Quick Links: Day 1, Day 2, Day 3, Day 4, Day 5, Day 6, Day 7, Day 8, Day 9

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Day 9

Crescent City, California to Cave Junction, Oregon

53 miles

Cave Junction to Portland

277 miles

And so, like all things, it must come to an end.

But first -- antiquing! 

I hit up two shops while Jenny takes the kids to the park (same one as last night.)

While they have their fun, I have my own, snatching up 16 old photographs, a Scrooge McDuck glass, 4 books, and a Webbigail toy.

Then it's off to Cave Junction, where we're meeting Chris (Jenny's husband) and their older children for lunch, before the six of them depart for another adventure. My mom has come along for the ride (and to accompany me on the journey back north.)

The two halves of the S. family haven't seen each other in over a week, and it is a happy reunion indeed.

 Lunch at a cafe, where everyone talks a mile a minute, filling the various relations in on all the things that have happened in the past eight days (if that's even possible).

And then, we depart, parting ways.

It's been quite an adventure.

And now...

I rest.

Crazy California Road Trip: Day 8

Day 8

Ukiah to Crescent City, California

241+ miles

A continental breakfast...

...and then we're on the road.

Today is a day of many trees...

Founders Tree... Chimney Tree... Grandfather Tree... Grandmother Willow....

Okay, maybe not her. But about 752,000 of her distant cousins.

And then there was the time we drove through a tree....

And explored a hollow fallen tree....

And climbed inside a living, standing hollow tree....

So, basically, TREES.

 

Grant: "I can't believe that tree was as old as Jesus!"

 Besides tree-seeing, we do lots of singing in the car. There's This Land Is Your Land on the trek through the forest.... Queen songs during a traffic jam.... and a Beauty and the Beast medley, provided by myself, in which a stuffed dog takes the role of Belle and a water bottle stands in for Gaston. 

(I think I  may have frightened the children.)

We make it to our hotel in Crescent City, California.

Subway for dinner.

Playtime in a park...

Cuckoo birds!

Then, a walk to -- and on -- the beach.

Exploration

Shell-finding

As the sun slinks lower in the sky, we head for our hotel for some Sporcle, Antiques Roadshow, Scrabble, and sleep.

Oregon calls. Tomorrow we'll make our approach.

Crazy California Road Trip: Day 7

Day 7

San Jose to Ukiah, Ca, via Half Moon Bay

179 miles

10am: Back on the road again....

We drive to Half Moon Bay, a small, cute town. First stop, the beach.

It's a bit of a walk, but a nice one.

The kids frolic in the waves.

(Okay, I do, too.)

I find some cool rocks. Later, I will study them.

We drive to a park for a picnic lunch.

Mmm, California strawberries!

Next we go to a farmer's market. Nearby they've set up a bouncy house and the kids go for a boing.

After a day of beaches, playgrounds, and bouncing, the kids' energy is slightly diminished.

There's an antique shop up the road. 

We check it out.

:-O

 

It's like that lady's garden in Harriet The Spy. 

Kitteh! She let me pet her:)

Later, some more excitement as we cross the Golden Gate bridge and I hum the Full House theme.

 We stop at Denny's (again!) for dinner.

 Another hour's drive and we're at our new motel. We swim, watch part of the Olympics closing ceremonies, and hit the sack. Tomorrow, we plan to drive through a tree! Wish us luck!

Crazy California Road Trip: Day 6

Day 6
San Dimas to San Jose
398 miles

Breakfast at Denny's. Baby V knows I shouldn't order the grand slam but I do anyway.

We drive to a state park in Thousand Oaks, where the chipmunks and ducks are waiting to be fed.

This guy takes a pizza crust right out of my hand, even putting his tiny little paws on me to push me away.

Adorable!

He then takes it away to eat in privacy.

...or maybe not...

There's a pond with a million ducks.

I take a million photos.

The kids collect feathers with the intent of making a "fake duck."

We'll see how that turns out.

We drive along the coast,

make a stop in Santa Barbara,

and take naps in the car.

Lots of prettiness on highway 101. Cows, horses, farms, vineyards, rolling hills, flowers....

We arrive in San Jose after dark. Our hotel is a Radisson and it feels rather posh, especially compared to that Motel 6. 

Tomorrow, the beach? We think.