Back Home in Humboldt

Just returned from a spectacular trip back to the northern California homeland! No overnight camping on this trip, but plenty of scenic, outdoorsy daytrips to familiar spots. The best part was sharing it all with my wonderful travel companion (that would be the same, aforementioned, cute and capable mountain tour-guide mentioned here... it was only fair I return the favor)!

Here are a few memories from the journey...

Crossing the bay bridge enroute to the Golden Gate...many hours south of the true *Northern* California!

Towering redwoods in Sequoia (sempervirens) Park...

...along with a family of turtles

Foggy coastline and empty beaches, near Trinidad

Patrick's Point State Park...with fog...

...and without!

A local (spotted) banana slug

Redwoods meet the coast near Agate Beach

Agate Beach...

...home of...plentiful agates...

...and nice sunsets (at least twice a year)!

A cormorant sea and air show, along Humboldt Bay

Our final morning, at Samoa Dunes

Secret Spot

Took a quick overnight to the secret spot, where I had another epic wildlife encounter...

Another great secret spot sunset, this time with a "finger cloud" and a crescent moon

A couple hours after watching this beautiful sunset, I was off in the woods taking care of (and minding my own) business (thank you) when I was stalked by a wild mountain lion. From the journal:

"my headlamp caught a pair of eyes reflecting back at me about 30' away. I figured it was a deer, and made noise to scare it off. It kept staring at me. I could tell by the way it slinkily moved that it was not likely a deer. I clapped and yelled, but it just kept pacing behind a bush. I could make its shape out now...cat-like but too large for a bobcat. Maybe 70 lb...small for a mountain lion! I chucked a big rock at its face, and it slinked to the side. A second rock finally scared it off into the bushes. The whole thing was pretty nuts. I figure maybe a young lion who really doesn't know people too well, and/or was confused by the bright light of the headlamp."

I sure do seem to attract the wildlife...