Tuesday, October 5, 2010
Eureka to Ukiah, Ca
Great breakfast provided by the hotel in Eureka, then out on the road, southbound. Didn't spend any time in Eureka, though there is much to see there by way of Victorian architecture. But Jan has read the guidebooks, and we are headed for a place called Ferndale which also has similar style buildings in its downtown core. So, down the road about 20 miles or so, then a right turn, over a long bridge, and a scenic tour through dairy country to the town. A noisome trip as well (ie, smelly as the dairy air (derrierre?) was quite ripe), we led a procession that included a big pickup truck behind us. We were sight-seeing, they were commuting, so we pulled over a couple of times to let them pass. But the big pickup wouldn't pass us. Curious.
In town, we decided to park then walk to take in the sights. The pickup pulled in behind us. And a guy got out and walked toward us. More curious. I got out to see what was on his mind, and we chatted. Turned out, he used to drive a TR6, liked it, wanted to chat, and pointed out that our back wheels had a very negative camber. And he noticed that our right front wheel was oscillating in and out as we drove. A crank, right? A nut-case. A wierdo, jealous of our pretty car. No, an off-duty deputy sherrif. So, we chatted some more. I explained about the IRS (Independent Rear Suspension) and the trailing A-arms and the rear suspension geometry, and he said oh yes he knew all about that but it still seemed a bit extreme. No problem, says I, we are heavily loaded for our trip. Yes, he said, he could see that we had come all the way from Quebec. (What!!!??, I didn't say. The plates say 'collector' and 'British Columbia', how do you get 'Quebec' out of that?) I'm thinking wierdo again, but he gives me his deputy sherrif card, and his cell phone number, and the name of a service shop in Fortuna, which is on our road to the Redwoods, and says that if we get in any trouble just call him and he will help us out. Definitely not a wierdo, just a really nice guy. Then, before we get into the front wheel issue, three fire trucks go tearing by us with their sirens screaming. Our deputy forgets the little wheel issue, jumps in his pickup, and chases after them like a dalmation. Cautious, I jack up the right front and spin the wheel. It wobbles but only slightly. Maybe a bent rim. One more thing to worry about. Rats. Jan watching me from the curb, an indulgent smile on her face. Or is that a smirk, an 'I told you so'? No, not Jan, she was just happy in the warm sunshine although a little worried.
Lovely little town, Ferndale, sleepy in the bright sunshine and cool air. Very friendly locals, charming people, happy to chat. Eventually left there, went to Fortuna, got gas, asked after the repair shop but drew a blank, then turned south for the Redwoods.
Ah, the redwoods, what can I say?? There aren't enough superlatives in my vocabulary. Whatever you have heard, triple it and add 20%. If you've been here, then you know what I mean. Huge trees, some already of significant size when the Magna Carta was signed, and other historic events just a footnote seen in their annual rings. Through the 'Avenue of the Giants' we stopped, and stopped, and stopped again. Pictures, movies, pictures again, into the forest, more pictures, camera pointed along the road, or up into the air to catch the overlapping canopy, never able to get the whole tree in the image. A hint of the sight driving through Stanley Park before the big wind storm, another hint if you recall driving through Cathedral Grove by Cameron Lake on the way to Port Alberni. But here, it is acres and acres, miles and miles, more and more. We stopped everywhere, roadside vistas, ranger stations, a tree house (living accomodation built in the base of a single enormous tree) and of course the 'drive-through tree'. With pictures, see below. And to think that this is less than 2% of the original Redwood stand that existed in the 20th century before the loggers got to it. Population growth has a price.
Eventually, out the bottom of the Avenue of the Giants at Phillipsville, then on south to Ukiah. 'Haiku' spelled backwards, said the literature. Sure, cute, but to name a town after that?? Anyway, here we are for the night. Putting the anti-theft club on the steering wheel, I managed to snap off the plastic outer bit of the turn signal lever, damn. I suppose I can't blame the British Engineers for that one, can I? Why not??
Tomorrow, south to the San Francisco Bay area.
