Boondocking

Dear Briggz,

If I were a sponge or a duck I may have stayed long enough to enjoy the Redwood Forest upon entering California’s northern west coast. Rain and when you drove fifty more miles, more rain. So we made a decision. Two stops down the road was planned to be San Francisco and by the looks of the weather radar, that is what we should shoot for. The problem, California is a very long state. With our minds made up to boondock halfway between the Redwood Forest and San Francisco we continued on. Out the window went the idea to spend a few nights in the “Forest of the Big Trees.”

Now there are many roads we have traveled but none have challenged me more than the infamous California Route 1. At first glance it seems like a nice drive in the park, and it would be if we weren’t pulling a 23 ft. trailer. So many switchbacks up hill and such a narrow road that two trucks could not pass without careful finesse. We wanted to push to Fort Bragg and still the rain punished us. We made it to Fort Bragg and with the night falling upon us we decided yet to push a little further. Now most roads again have signs labeled “Scenic View” ahead, not California, no way. They have to sound posh and print on their sings “ Vista Point” ahead, sounds nice doesn’t it.

Boondocking is an art form. Finding the right place to stop, making sure that it is level and at night, making sure that you are far enough off of the road that you are not into plowed by oncoming traffic. Several “Vista Points” later we found what we were after. Without a clear idea of what lay outside our door do to lack of daylight, we decided that enough was enough. It was time to rest.

Daybreak and I awaken with it. You see I do not sleep well when we boondock because we are typically off on our own so I am on high alert. I open the door and this is what I see.

The remainder of the trip to San Francisco went smoothly. Yes CA route 1 was still a pain, but during the daylight hours, much easier to navigate. We made it to our destination, Samuel Taylor State Park, which is approx. 30 minutes or so north of the Golden Gate Bridge. We parked, had dinner, and called it a day.

Love

            Dad