Shelter Cove

SHELTER COVE, CA - - In our quest for new, out of the way places, we came upon Shelter Cove. This is a small community on California's Lost Coast with a campground which had an outstanding view of the Pacific, complete with restored lighthouse only 200 yards away. But what really intrigued us was the (private) air strip less than 100 yards from our campsite. The green plane (look past the hood of the VW) was taking off while the red plane in the distance was parked.

The surrounding area is part of the King Ranch Reserve/Preserve. Getting to Shelter Cove involved 21 miles of up/down, twist/turn, elevation changing two lane (some times 1 2/3rds lanes) of 20-25 mph navigating. You don't drive the road, you attack it...and hope it doesn't attack back, especially in one of the redwood forest sections where the trees are so close to the road they have bumper scars from close encounters.

The sea gulls in the top photo never blinked as the waves crashed against the rocks close by.

Up the coast

CASPAR, CA - - Our journey Sunday took us from the Manchester Beach State Park campground where the fog rolled in about 30 mins. after we arrived and lifted teasingly while we had breakfast - - only to drop its curtain again. Then it was on to Elk, where the gray foggy mass was well offshore. Finally, we ended up at Caspar Beach camp ground with a site about 200 yards from a cove with breakers hitting the entrance with force.

Bodega Bay

BODEGA BAY, CA - - We learned too late on Friday that we were staying near an area known for gray whale traffic. Saturday Morning proved to be the right time for watching and wandering around Bodega Head, a bluff above the Pacific. We had the bay with a light mist (top), light/shadow/rocks/colorful plant life (middle) and whales shaking their tails at us.

High Country

YOSEMITE NATIONAL PARK, CA - - We spent two nights camping in Yosemite's High Country at Tuolumne Meadows - - a spot we'd been to many times during our summer (2008) working in Yosemite Valley - - but could never get a campsite even though the campground has over 300. So this was familiar territory even though Monday night's temp was 22-degrees and Tuesday it was a balmy 31. Thus, the breakfast around the campfire in photo two while stuffing the bear box (top photo) with anything edible or with a good smell is normal for Yosemite.

On our way

CEDAR CITY, UT - - VACATION TIME !! We're on our way, having left the North Rim for the last time yesterday. No real plans or destinations yet. Our first stop was Duck Creek Campground where we have spent numerous weekends. It was a last visit and a chance to say good bye to the campground host we've had many conversations with...and to see the beginning of the changing colors on the aspens.

Catching up

CEDAR CITY , UT - - Catching up on recent travels: The above plaque appears to tell the story of the historical site BUT what it doesn't say is that the LDS initiated the massacre which killed those mentioned on the plaque.
Our camp site in Pine Valley complete with horse corral, but minus the horse.
An 'art' shot of a long horn penned in at Pipe Springs National Monument (Ut).