Rainy day in the redwoods

It turned out that this day wasn't so bad after all. The high winds did not hit the forests, so I was able to hike and take a few pics. While it was raining, that was a bit difficult as I need to hold an umbrella over the camera on the tripod while I shoot AND I need both hands to adjust the tripod so the umbrella is balancing on my head, neck or back in some ridiculous way and half the time falls off! I need to protect the camera from the rain and also if the lens is tilted up (which it often is shooting in redwood forests), then rain droplets will get on the lens and essentially ruin the photo, so I have to be diligent to keep checking the lens for droplets. Amazingly, the rain stopped in the afternoon so I was able to shoot without the umbrella, although since the trees were still dripping, it was still "hazardous" to the lens.

I must say that it's rather appealing to hike in the redwood forest in the rain - just not ideal for photography. In a way, I wish I had left the tripod in the car and just hiked instead, but then I would feel I missed something in that I did not get any photos. I need the tripod to shoot in the darkness of the forest. It was nice though - the clean smell and crisp air, with the majestic redwoods and wild plants everywhere - lush and green. There weren't too many people either - just here and there. So here are a few shots.

It's supposed to rain again tomorrow, but I'm going to try and shoot and hike some more further south in the Humboldt State Park, which I haven't visited before. The park I went to today was Prairie Creek State Park and I highly recommend it for redwood viewing and hiking.

Due to the weather, I decided not to camp at Prairie Creek and am holed up in a motel in Arcata. A bit odd here - someone was just playing a trumpet (pretty well actually) and the carpet in the room seems to be wet. Not just in one spot, but the whole thing, like they just cleaned it. I thought of asking them to change my room, but decided to not bother and just wear shoes (already got two pairs of socks wet before figuring out it was the floor). Thought my socks were wet from hiking at first, but then the new pair got wet too. LOL I have brought a huge amount of stuff in here already and didn't feel like moving it to a new room. I'm out of here in the morning anyway. Wanted to do yoga too, but I guess I can dry out the mat afterward. Not as much fun to do yoga in a motel 6 compared to a redwood forest. But at this point, it would be really muddy and wet!

Rainy Day change

So the weather is raining on my plans for tomorrow. I had planned a glorious days of hiking and taking pics and videos of the glorious redwood forests. I hadn't checked the weather, as it has been so nice recently. Additionally, I made the mistake of not taking pics today, as I arrived late afternoon and the light was flat, so I thought I'd wait for morning. Well, in the morning it will be POURING with high winds. Not exactly ideal for photography. So I thought maybe I should just run around in the rain and scream instead. ;) I had it in my head that I could recreate my experience of July 2009 with the fog, sunbeams and the melancholy bird screeching in the dripping wet forest. Well, the forest will be heavily dripping, but I think the bird will be in hiding and I'll be the only melancholy thing screeching my call. I also should know, after living in San Francisco for 13 years that there would NOT be fog in April. How soon I forget. I like the foggy look for the redwood forest pics and even better with sunbeams through the fog. Well, maybe I'll try to take a wild windstorm pic without ruining my camera. I'll hike at least and then dry off at a hotel in Arcata. So change of plans.... On the bright side, I did get to do yoga and play my mandolin in the redwood forest earlier today. :)

A new adventure

So here I am starting a new adventure almost 3 years later and in the opposite direction. Heading first to the misty forests of the redwoods in Northern California. Trying to make it to Eugene, OR tonight and will make it to the redwoods tomorrow afternoon. This journey is misty forests, old cities where I previously lived, deserts I have visited before, old friends and lots of music (courtesy of Elephant Revival in several cities). :) I feel I'm at a crossroads, so hopefully this will direct me to the right path to take. Travel onward!

The mystery bird is.....

the varied thrush! I finally discovered the bird call I had admired so much in the redwoods forest and temperate rain forests of the northwest. I kept hearing this beautiful and melancholy call in several rain forests. Here it is: varied thrush

It sounds better in person. Also, the notes I heard were held longer and there was more time between notes. I had to listen to over a hundred bird calls from the northwest area too find this!

I'm in Gibsons, B.C. now and will stay here for a few more days and then head home.

Candian Geese surfing

After Victoria, we headed toward the west coast near Port Renfrew and Botanical Beach with extraordinary tidal pool critters and volcanic rock beaches. Now we're just north of Nanaimo and the area where we camped last night was right on the water and we saw a large group of Canadian Geese crossing the water from one point to another. They went in groups of 3 or 4 and were surfing along on the waves. It was super cute to watch them and if a bigger wave came, they would turn and face it and sail over the crest. So I guess Canadian Geese like to surf, at least when they are in Canada. ;)

While hiking in the forest near Botanical Beach, I heard that same bird with the piercing call that I had heard in the Del Norte redwood forest. It must frequent temperate rain forests. I thought it had one note that it used, but realized now that it was 3 at least. First a lower call, then a bit higher and only this time did I hear it's highest call - so 3 notes, that I noticed. The notes also sound very sharp and each one is elongated. I wonder what bird does this call. It's a haunting and beautiful sound.

Saw a most wonderful tree growing on a tree stump sticking out of a lake in the interior of the island, but not too far from Port Renfrew. Don't have photos downloaded yet, but will soon. A most magical tree it is...

Victoria

In Victoria, Canada now and finally met up with Kevan. Spent a nice city day and now we are embarking on driving up the west coast towards Port Renfrew.

Port Angeles, WA

I like this town! Beautiful little spot, scenic, it's sunny right now too, although I'm not sure how often that happens. Much bigger than the towns I've been frequenting - totally livable place, I think. Just a ferry ride from Seattle (about 3 hours, I believe).

I stayed in the strangest hostel last night. The family living there were nice and I had a bed to sleep in (private room) and it was clean, but the place was the messiest place I've ever seen with clutter shoved in every corner and the house was also under construction. The way I "locked" the door to my room was to put a big stone against it. Well, it was nice of them to provide the stone, otherwise, the door wouldn't have stayed shut. Their daughter had two pet baby ducks - so sweet! They would follow her down the sidewalk, squeaking away.... It was basically like someone's messy and cluttered house under construction and they just let other people sleep there and use the kitchen and bathrooms. They did have wifi though, which was very useful to me. I didn't mind it and I'd stay there again, but it was just.....odd.

I'm heading to Victoria on the ferry in an hour to meet up with Kevan and begin my Vancouver Island tour.