The Weekly Awesome

It was a great week in California, but to be honest there was no contest as to what would make the Weekly Awesome. The most beautiful day of adventure, hiking, and breath taking beauty was by far and away the 26th, the day before Thanksgiving.

We arrived at the campground late, having dinner in the moonless and chilly night I went to bed with the anticipation of the dark landscape before me. A broad grin spread across Tim's face as he unzipped the tent and bid me welcome to the redwoods. The morning light revealing the redwoods to me through the fog that just fell short of reaching the tree tops. They were a towering presence in the late morning light. We got out of the tent and began the happy task of breakfast. After a breakfast of granola and hot tea we packed it in and set off on the day's hike, eight miles though the redwoods down into Fern Canyon and finishing off on Golds Bluff beaches.
As we began to descend into the forest I felt as if I had stepped into a fairy tale where friendly dwarves and terrifying ogres could be anywhere. The sound of all human activity was swallowed up by those great trees and deadened by the sound absorbing moss that covered every surface. The impossibly huge trees drip with moss, ferns and huge clovers carpeted the forest floor, and everywhere there were rotting carcasses of these ancient giants being gutted by nothing more sinister than a myriad of fun loving and colorful fungi. This forest is not just alive it's life is covered in more life. Everything was astonishingly green and damp. At one point I turned a corner and was wondering if the Brothers Grimm were lurking about thinking of their next tale of horror.
After a pleasant hike through the forest we descended even farther into a river bed that had a small and chatty stream flowing through it. The walls were over three meters high and every available space was covered in ferns. With the trees enclosing us there was as little light here as there had been in the forest. Crossing on logs placed by those before us we crossed this strange and beautiful place. There was no escaping the water though. Tim decided he was wet enough and didn't bother and I tried and failed at staying dry. Coming out of the ravine we broke through the trees and could hear the Pacific rushing in and out and the sea birds calling us to the shore.

We crossed the marsh that divided the forest and the beach. Then onto the dunes with enough time to eat, talk, take some excellent pictures of the cliffs lined with the redwood forest, and watch the sun set over the ocean. It was the best day I believe I have ever had. Never have I felt so profoundly.

For all of you that are wondering, yes we hiked back in the dark enchanted forest and we did not run into one witch. I was a bit disappointed about that.

Pictures courtesy of Tim. He loves that camera.