March 20, 2026 - Eureka

 

Title: March  20, 2026 - Eureka
Hike Info : Description : Animals : Flowers and Plants

Hike Info:

Type: Hiking

Trail head: David’s House

Trail:  Trails and Roads behind his place

Description:

I did not sleep in that long, getting up by 7:15. While I was eating breakfast, Sherri got up. Sort of a repeat of yesterday. After we consumed breakfast, we talked about a range of things, just enjoying each other’s company. There was nothing particular which our conversation wandered to, just the enjoyment with each other.

After a couple hours, I moved outside to enjoy the sunshine. David followed me out after about 20 minutes with a couple of chairs. That leads to more talking and enjoyment. Sherri joins us. By the time we start to break up, it is 12:30. I have my lunch, then go to my after lunch rest. I got up after 1:30.

David wonders if we would like to go for a walk. The options he gave were the forest behind his house, walking around Sequoia Park, or doing a Costco walk. I decided that going behind his house would be enjoyable. Before you say, that seems a bit lame, while not large-looking at Google Earth, the area does seem a lot larger and goes on further than I thought-it is a lush forested area, complete with a tributary of Martin Slough.

 

Sherri descending the steep trail

We left for our walk around 2:00. This walk starts right outside of his backyard. There is a deep ravine, heavily forested. A lumber company once owned it and I think may have logged it. The path slopes down behind several houses, until it bends to the creek below. The creek runs into Martin Slough-I do not think this segment has a name. When it turns towards the creek, there is a steep 40’ drop down a clay bank. If not careful, it would be easy just to slide down rather than step down this section. We all made it down without sliding.

 

David and Sherri ascending

When we crossed the creek the area was muddy, but we were able to get across that area without too much slop on our feet. We came to a dirt road-David said it was an old logging road. It rose up a ways. We came to a Y and David asked which way did we go before? We take the other way, the upper end of the Y. The road is mostly firm, but steep. There are places where it is wet clay. We pick our way through it. The good part is the rise brings us into the sun which is enjoyable. We have seen trillium and Scottish Broom along the way, along with the usual assortment of pines.

 

On top, the rise was more gentle and we walked a ways. David does inform us that it is a way to go if we go back to David’s house via this route. Later on when I look at Google Earth, I think that is an understatement. Even though it seems further, we have only walked a bit more than a mile. At this point we decided to return the way we came. My legs are starting to feel the walk, even though it is only a mile I think the rise is more than they are used to.

We got back to David’s house around 4:00. I rest for an hour while David, being more energetic, gets dinner together. A shower really helps me feel better. David has dinner ready at 5:30. A neighbor had given him some venison and that is the meat for tonight. Pretty tasty. I washed dishes while David showers. Then we watched three episodes of Jeopardy. Then it is time to turn in, about 9:30.

Animals

Banana Slug

Banana Slug

 
Flowers and Plants

Scottish Broom

Skunk Cabbage

Pampas Grass

Pampas Grass

Ferns

March 19, 2026 - Go to Eureka

Title: March  19, 2026 - Go to Eureka

Hike Info : Description 

Hike Info:

Type: Car

From  Google Maps:

• Mileage: 450 miles
• Drive Time: 7:55

Description:

I got up at 6:30 and got a few things ready. Sherri surprises me and gets up while I am finishing up breakfast. I then spend a few minutes moving stuff out to the garage for future loading. I have been slack in getting trust tax information to the CPA to do the taxes for the trust. So I went off to do that at 8:00. When I returned, I helped Steven level sand in our patio area so he could put in pavers while we are gone. Then I load up the car. While the car does not look packed, the back end is full. But then again, I am not really prepared and we are going out for two weeks.

I start off driving. There are no issues on this segment of our drive. What we know for these next two weeks is that we are going up to David’s today in Eureka and staying through Saturday. Then joining Lawrence and Andrea in Bandon until Tuesday. We will follow them back to Salem through the following Saturday, then go down to Roseburg to stay for a couple of days. After that, we do not know. We will return by April 4th.

We talk a few minutes about possibilities, then talk about a variety of things. We do not stop in Turlock at our normal rest stop. Our first stop is in Elk Grove at our regular lunch stop-Leatherby’s. I have a turkey-cheese sandwich while Sherri’s was Jessie’s chicken sandwich. We topped it off by having a mint hot fudge sundae. What a great way to raise my blood sugar levels.

We popped over to Elk Grove’s Costco and filled up. The gas price has definitely gone up: $5.25 per gallon. Sherri then drives at 1:25 while I rest. She goes through Sacramento and Woodland. When we get to Wiliams, Sherri sees a cloud and thinks it is smoke. When we turned onto Highway 20, we saw the source of the smoke: a field was being burned. By the time we hit CLear Lake, Sherri is ready to give up driving for today. We get to a park with a bathroom about 3:45. Sherri drove for over two hours, a lot more than she is used to.

I drove for a bit more than an hour to our next rest stop. There were a couple of interesting things about this segment. First, more interesting to me than probably anybody else. A few miles after I started driving, I noticed a motorcycle with a yellow headlight following me. When I came to a passing lane, I expected the motorcycle to pass me. He did not, but other cars did. This was on Highway 20 and then when we turned onto 101, he followed us, never passing and mostly keeping a set pace behind us. Not sure why he is not passing us. I think there might be one of three things: first, was he feeling comfortable going at our pace and felt safe. Two, I had done something which really ticked him off-I would not have been aware of it. Last, I had done some damage-also not sure what I did. He left before we got to a rest stop.

Once we got onto 101, I was traveling along quite nicely. Sherri had just awoke when I glanced over at the southbound lane. At first I thought it was a man walking, but then I realized he was rolling along, like being on roller blades. I pointed at him for Sherri to see. He thought I was waving at him, which is also nice. I wonder how far he has gone and where he is going?

Our next stop was around 5pm at the Empire Camp Rest Stop. I take this opportunity to stand for awhile. I also get out my personal pharmacy and take my evening pills. After about 15 minutes we are on our way. There is not much more activity as we travel up to David’s. We munch almonds and Catalina Crunch as our snack-meal. We get to David’s a lot earlier than what I thought we would, at 6:45.

Once we unpacked, we sat around and just talked for over an hour. I think we kept David up-I know I was ready to go to bed and sleep. I got to bed about 9:30 and was asleep by 10:00, not even bothering to read more than just a few pages.

Places: CA-Eureka

 

 

 

Eureka-66' (Eureka) (40.7971476, -124.1544204 )
Legal: T__S, R__E, Sec__

Eureka Channel-0' (Eureka) (40.8054043, -124.1750622)
Legal: T__S, R__E, Sec__

Eureka Slough-0' (Eureka) (40.8042930, -124.1786734 )
Legal: T__S, R__E, Sec__ 

Description : Trips : References : Pictures 


Description:

From Wikipedia: Eureka is the largest coastal city between San Francisco and Portland, Oregon and the westernmost city of more than 25,000 residents in the 48 contiguous states.The proximity to the sea causes the city to have an extremely maritime climate with very small annual temperature differences and seasons mainly being defined by the rainy winters and dry summers, whereas nearby inland areas are much hotter in summer.

 
Trips:

• September 22, 23, 2021 - Coming back from Grand Teton and Oregon
• January 20, 21, 22, 23, 2022 - Time with David
• August 1, 2, 3, 4, 2022 - Time with David
• August 12, 13, 14, 2023 - Going to Andrea's and the Oregon Coast 
•  September 25, 26, 27, 2024 - Time with David
•  September 24, 25, 26, 27, 2025 - Going to Moriah's Wedding
• March 19, 20, 21, 2026 - Time with David before joining Andrea and Lawrence 

References:

• Wikipedia
• City of Eureka
• Visit Eureka
• Visit Redwoods
•  

Pictures:

•