4/13/2025 - 4/20 - Mendicino, Fort Bragg, Redding, Dunsmuir

 4/13 - Mendicino.  Very cute town with AMAZING ocean views!  Wish I could have stayed here.  

After walking around and seeing the amazing beauty that surrounds the town while stressed about not knowing where I was going to sleep, I thankfully stopped in at the visitor center.  When I had checked online for availability, it seemed that the campgrounds were full, but a woman in the visitor center told me about Russian Gulch campground that was 1st come, 1st served at this time of year.  So, I went over there and got a site (plenty available), then went back to Mendocino for sunset.  I cannot relax until I know where I'm going to stay, especially after getting the knock (twice) in Carmel Valley.

4/14 - Overnighted at Russian Gulch SP, which was pretty nice.  Rte 1 goes over it, but my site was far enough away I couldn't hear it and there was a stream running past.  Nice quiet night.  After a walk here, I decided to go to Fort Bragg and found a great spot for a beautiful walk by the sea.   

site at Russian Gulch

Rte 1 bridge that goes over the beach at Russian Gulch

Enjoying a snooze

Look how clear that water is!

It's hard to tell, but there are sea lions or seals on that buoy.  

I decided to stay at another campground just a bit farther north, MacKerricher SP.  Note that if you're ever looking for sites at CA state parks, don't trust the website because it's probably not accurate if it says there's no availability.  

4/15 - 

I had contacted Sara last night and sent her a picture of my leg, which was quite red.  She was concerned that it might be infected, though I didn't really think so.  It was definitely warm, but it seemed like it was improving.  At this point my poison oak rashes seemed to be healing, but now I had a generalized rash over my back, chest, belly, and arms.  I was going crazy with all the itching and wanted to tear my skin off.  I called to get an appointment, but ended up having to wait for a no-show.  They called me after a few hours and said they had an appointment available for 10 the next day and I said great, but I'll also keep waiting just in case.  I'm so glad I did because they called about 10 minutes later!  The Dr was super laid back and I liked him, but he didn't prescribe me anything to deal with the itching.  He seemed to think it wasn't that big a deal and said it would resolve itself (so annoying).  He thought it was my immune system going out of control in response to the poison oak.  I agree.  It is weird cuz my tattoo gets super itchy and raised when I have another reaction.

We also talked about my stress fracture and he put in an order for a bone density scan.  I figured there was no way I'd get an appointment before I wanted to leave, but I got one for the next day at 10 am.  Perfect!  Unfortunately, it shows Osteopenia.  😞  I'm not surprised after cracking my rib shortly after starting living in the van, just leaning over the armrest and then the stress fracture.  Also, apparently many women have it as they get older.  I thought because of my big bones and such, that I wouldn't get it, but no such luck.  

I stayed at the same campground for another night so that I was close for the bone density scan.  Four Dr appointments in less than a month!!!  Wow!  

4/16 - I called the Drs office to get a prescription for Prednisone to deal with the itching as it was so bad!  I wish I had asked the Dr for it when I was there.  Of course, Dr Gray wasn't in, so I had to wait until the next day to get it and I had to have it sent to a pharmacy in Eureka since that was on my way.  I didn't pick it up until 1:30 and so I didn't want to take it that day since it can keep you awake.  Then the next day I didn't want to take it because I was going to wild camp in the middle of nowhere that night and didn't want to take the chance of a reaction.  I haven't taken Prednisone since I had poison oak about 30+ years ago on a trip out west with Sue.  Anyway, in the end I didn't take it since it was improving on its own.  Still itchy, but getting better.

Drove north on Rte 1 through crazy winding roads and visited the Avenue of the Giants.  Very cool to drive through there.  I had called Burlington State Park in the Humboldt preserve and they said they were full.   I stopped in anyway and asked - still no availability.  I took a walk (on my own since dogs not allowed) and afterwards decided to ask one more time.  The ranger said she was willing me to stop back in as someone left their site early, so I got to stay there.  Yay!  It's a really cool campground in the midst of the magical giant redwoods.  I was chatting with a woman (volunteer) while we walked our dogs together and she told me that they were looking for a camp host since the one they had scheduled cancelled at the last minute.  I seriously considered it, but I feel like I need to finish out this pass of exploration.  I still think about it, but the timing just isn't right and I still don't think I'd want to do it in my van unless they provided housing.

Seeing the graveyard of downed trees really gives you a sense of how huge they are!

Found this in a bathroom and I like it much better than our regular pledge!

4/17 - Stayed at Sue-Meg state Park.  Not super impressed, but many of the sites were closed.  I was told they didn't have availability, but I came anyway to see about getting a handicap spot.  I had called to ask about available handicap spots and the woman was super unpleasant about it and said they wouldn't be available until 5.  I said I understood that, but just wanted to know if there were any currently available.  So, I arrived around 4:30 and she was again very testy and unfriendly and said I'd have to come back at 5.  So I waited until 5 and went over.  Now she is super friendly.  Why the switch?  Why be so bitchy at all and then to switch to being very pleasant?  Very odd.  I saw her the next morning and she was very nice then too.  Maybe she didn't see Zoe when I first came through and once she saw her, she became pleasant?  I asked her which site I should pick and was glad I took her recommendation as it was a pretty good site.  

Evening

Morning

We went for a walk and it had been mostly clear and then fog rolled in.  I love the fog in the trees.  

4/18 - Left Sue-Meg and drove up 299 heading towards Redding to visit Laura.  I chatted with a woman when I was in the Humboldt forest about deciding if I should go up the coast or head to the central valley where the flower bloom was going on.  She said that the coast will always be there, but the flowers are shot lived, so I took her advice and headed east.  Laura had given me a couple of places to camp on BLM land and the first I went to was Grapevine River Access.  There was a young couple there, super nice, but I decided to leave them be and see if I could find the other spot she gave me.  No luck, so I went back and they were totally cool with it.  It was such a nice spot and the was a pool out of the rapids for dipping in the water.  I decided to go in as it was very warm out and figured it would soothe my itchy body.  I couldn't stay in long as it was really cold, but just a dip helped.  

Amazing smelling lilacs

My nemesis!!!  It's everywhere!  😰😱😫

4/19 - We enjoyed the morning by the river and the other van had left. There were two young girls there lying by the water where I let Zoe drink.  They did not seem the least bit impressed by me.  It was like they owned the place.  More grumpy people!  Thankfully they are balanced out by the majority of people that are kind and friendly!

I stopped along the way to Whiskeytown at the Tower House Historical District.  There was a very nice gentleman there who gave me a tour of the area.  We couldn't go in the Tower house, but it was interesting what he shared.  Of course now I can't seem to remember any of the details...

I took a turn where there was a sign for "Whiskeytown", but quickly realized it no longer exists and is in the bottom of the lake, so I turned around and headed to the visitor center.  From there we found a short hike good for an old dog on a hot, sunny day, and an old lady in a walking boot.  😂

From there, I headed to Laura and Paul's in Anderson.  We hung out and had some good burritos from a nearby takeout place.  They were very good!  It was good to get to know Paul a bit better as he was very quiet when we were in Napa.  

4/20 - went to Bass pond area that Laura had suggested for seeing flowers.  It was about 30 minutes south, but I wasn't heading too far north after, so I allowed myself to backtrack a little.  😂  I was expecting fields of flowers, but they weren't what I expected.  Also, I shouldn't have taken Zoe as it was full sun and she got super hot and slow.  Poor girl.  It was super peaceful here and I enjoyed views and flowers.  Lots of horseback riding there.  So wish I could ride!

Laura had suggested Dunsmuir and Mount Shasta, so I headed in that direction.  I had booked a BW in McCloud for the night and another in Mount Shasta for the next night.  These towns are super close together, but I just knew I'd want to spend time in this area.

Mount Shasta, which you see a lot driving I-5.  It's gorgeous and very imposing.

Hedge Creek Falls in Dunsmuir

Dunsmuir is a super cute town, but unfortunately probably 75% of the storefronts are empty.  Definitely struggling.  Apparently it was a railroad town and the railroad still goes through it, but the needs aren't there that were.  I stopped and grabbed a beer and a bite to eat at Dunsmuir Brewery Works.  Fabulous Patty Melt and German potato salad.  I ended up chatting with a couple, Tami and Glenn, at the next table.  They're selling their house and going to hit the road in their van.  I think they plan to do that for a year and then move to Ashland, OR, where their daughter and grandkids are.  Anyway, lots of van and travel chat.  They welcomed me to park at their house, shower, laundry, etc.  So nice!!!  I probably should have canceled my BW plans, but didn't.