01-27-2020 Grants Pass to Richardson Grove 244 miles

The week before our planned trip south, we had several days of very hard rain. I wasn't looking forward to loading the MoHo in the wet weather, so when Sunday morning dawned with partially clear skies I was thrilled. We knew there was more rain forecasted for the first few days of our trip, but having somewhat clear skies on Sunday the day before our expected departure was a blessing.

No matter how long we plan to be out on the road, it seems the preparation is about the same. Three weeks or three months, we pack about the same amount of food and clothing for the journey. No matter how many days we travel, the gear that gets loaded for Mattie is always the same. It's a bit like having a kid. Sweater, collar, halter, leash, toys, medicine for emergencies, food treats. doggie bed for the MoHo and her crate for sleeping. It's a lot of stuff, but she adds so much to our lives, we do it with love.



I cooked ahead of time for the trip as well, and loaded up frozen spaghetti sauce, chicken enchiladas, cookies, and several types of homemade soups from the freezer.  Clothing is always my last minute problem, because I can never decide what I want to wear and have to keep checking the weather at our various destinations before I can make any meaningful decisions. This time we need cold weather wear for a rainy trip south and hot weather wear for the 85 degree days expected in Desert Hot Springs, and everything in between. Mo is much better at this than I am, leaving several simple travel outfits in the MoHo and wearing whatever she has on hand without any worries.

Monday morning dawned dark and rainy as expected, so we were especially happy to have the MoHo all lined up in the driveway, fully loaded and ready to go. We fueled both the MoHo and the Tracker at Fred Meyer in town, with regular gas running $2,85 per gallon, and filled the propane tank as well. We were on the road heading west in Highway 199 in the rain, right on time. Our first day out was uneventful, except of course for the rain. We traveled our usual route via Highway 199 west toward Crescent City, turning south on Highway 101 toward Eureka.

In the years that we stored the MoHo in Brookings, on the Oregon Coast, we often began our winter travels on this southern route, but that was several years ago. With the MoHo now safely stored at our home in Grants Pass, it is easy to travel down I-5 to get south. This trip it was a real treat to once again be on a highway that was familiar to us but not boring.

Smith River in June, no photos of the water at least 30 feet above this level.

Highway 199 along the Smith River toward the coast is a somewhat narrow and winding road, with several sections of dramatic drop-offs to the magnificent river. We had never seen the river as high as it was on this trip. There really isn't any place to pull over and take photos of the gorgeous Smith River that are safe, especially when there are heavy rains and possible slides. I will have to settle for the memories of that wild torrent. The deep canyon was half way filled with the river, raging and pouring over the rocks below us. There were several warning signs for slides but we made it through the scariest sections without any issues.



Just before Crescent City, the highway winds through part of the Jedediah Smith Redwood Park, and in the heavy rain and thick fog, the ancient trees were spectacular. Feeling sad and overwhelmed at the loss of my son so recently, the huge trees shrouded in mist were a healing presence for me. I was driving and Mo isn't likely to attempt to take photographs from the moving rig, so I have no pictures of the beautiful moments in the redwood groves and along the wild and gorgeous river.



We did pull over near Orrick when we saw a very large herd of elk grazing in a field adjacent to the highway.



We thought that we might stop at a favorite restaurant in Crescent City for fish and chips, but when we arrived at The Chart Room, it was only 11am. It was a bit early for lunch, but not for a loud welcome by the resident sea lions that gather at the harbor at this time of year. We also neglected to check to see if the restaurant was open on Monday, and sure enough, it wasn't. Not surprising, since during winter many restaurants in the coastal towns are closed on Monday for a rest after the busy weekends.



Meandering on down Highway 101 in the rain, I searched for a good fish restaurant somewhere between Crescent City and Eureka. We decided to stop in Trinidad, just north of Eureka. Even though we stayed at the casino in Trinidad back in 2010, we had never actually explored the small town.



Trinidad Bay Eatery and Gallery was a typical coastal down to earth place that had been established since 1975. The fish and chips were excellent, and the clam chowder was as good as the chowder we loved on our last trip out to the Oregon Coast. It is always nice when the meal is big enough to enjoy and still have plenty to save for another easy meal in the MoHo for the next evening. After lunch we took a short walk with Mattie toward the pathway overlooking Trinidad Bay. The winds were blowing and the rain was spitting, so it wasn't very conducive to taking our time and enjoying the view.

The route along this portion of Highway 101 is beautiful, following the coastline part of the way, and moving inland toward the redwoods for a considerable distance. We have visited the redwoods often, and passed by the tried and true tourist sites at the Trees of Mystery and the Avenue of the Giants with barely a second glance.



Portions of the highway had collapsed during the winter rains, and there were times we were reduced to only a single narrow lane. The coastal highway is in constant need of repairs with all the steep saturated slopes and the serpentine bedrock that is susceptible to slides.



Just a few miles past the town of Garberville is the Richardson Grove RV Park. We arrived just after 4, with plenty of time to set up before dark. As is often the case, the office was closed, with instructions on the door for after hours registration. We have never needed a reservation for this park during the winter months when we are traveling. We navigated the wet puddles and set up in the rain, choosing to skip hooking up anything but electric as we settled in for the night. Richardson Grove is owned by some kind of church group, but they are a Passport America Park and the price is right at 28.50 for full hookups. We have stayed in this park several times on our journeys south on 101.