Avenue of the Giants

I had a down day between boat trips, but I only had a week in California and was determined to make the most of it. There are so many sights in the USA that I’m desperate to see but still haven’t, so a free day in northern California gave me the opportunity to knock one off the list – the giant redwoods.

It was a very pleasant drive north from Petaluma, through the wine country of Napa and Sonoma Counties, and the charming Russian River area, before reaching the first big pine trees. I was heading for the classic redwood site, the Avenue of the Giants. This 30 mile road winds through amazing scenery and the world’s tallest trees. The redwoods themselves are mind-blowingly big. They just look silly in photos, really, but I did try…

I also got the opportunity to further enhance my tourist credentials by visiting the two famous drive-thru’ trees and, indeed, drive through them. Splendid fun!

Taking a last minute detour to check out Russian River a little more (without a map of course – I relied on the trusty “birder’s nose” to get me home), I began to reflect on what a good trip it had been so far. I was pootling through gorgeous countryside with a distinctly Mediterranean feel, looking back at walking the Golden Gate Bridge, eating fish and chips at the seaside, going 40 miles offshore to see Blue Whales and albatrosses, and today, well, I’d driven right through two of the world’s biggest trees!

And then my thoughts turned to tomorrow’s boat trip. What would that bring? My good friend Bruce Barrett arrived at the motel – he wasn’t well for the first boat trip but wasn’t going to miss both – and we got an early night to prepare for the next exciting installment.