Spring Break trip to California/Oregon

We started our trip by driving to Snowville, Utah,

then getting off the highway and driving back roads

through the Grouse Creek area and then to

Winnemucca, Nevada for the night.

BBQ dinner at The PIG

 

The next day we got to CALIFORNIA!
The Golden State

 

lots of DIRTY snow

We took a smaller "back road", Hwy 20,
 that wound through the trees and small towns.

California poppies!

Clear Lake, California

Our motel was across the street from this park
where we read our books that evening.
SO WARM!

We had a grocery store breakfast (donuts & juice)
 enjoying the peaceful beauty,
 just parked along the side of the road.

 

California wine country.

Gateway to the Redwoods

a very damp and mossy campground area in the trees

we stopped to use an outhouse  :)

and explored a really green stream

 

We made it to Fort Bragg, California
and Glass Beach.

Wes is picking pieces of colored glass.  He liked the browns & gold
 and I was collecting the greens and blues.

 

We picked the easy trail first and then found the best
pieces of glass to the left at the more difficult beach.

 

bigger chunks of glass at this spot

a fossil that I found

The next day we headed North driving along Hwy 1
stopping at a few other beaches like Pebble Beach, Agate Beach
 and Driftwood Beach,
collecting treasures as we drove.

 

We spent a lot of time enjoying the beaches and the views.
It was SO warm!  It had been in the 30'/40's in Utah
 but in California it was 75-83 degrees EVERY day!
We had perfect weather this week.
 

Then the road headed inland through the trees.

We stopped at a visitor center and learned about the BIG trees.

Got my stamp for the State Park and these tiny pinecones are from
the GIANT redwood trees!

The road we were on actually went through 3 different
National and State Redwood parks.  It was a beautiful drive!

A fallen redwood - you could really see the RED wood.

wild flowers

a California Golden bear

Along the road, we suddenly saw Paul Bunyan and BABE, the Blue Ox.

I had to take pictures to go along with a book I have at school.

Our motel for the night in Crescent City, California.
Right ON the beach!

We found sand dollars on this beach!

My first "selfie"  (pretty bad but we were having fun!)

amazing sunsets

White lilies on the "garden" side of our motel.

Pebble Beach
We found a few agates and lots of colored rocks to take home.

To this point on our trip we had stopped at a few antique stores but mostly
 we walked on beaches and collected rocks and driftwood pieces.
Now, in OREGON, there were antique stores in every town
 and we stopped at most of them!
The Beaver State

Our hotel in Gold Beach, Oregon.
Our room was the top right corner room with a great view!

We didn't find anything at this beach BUT we looked! 
We were told you could find glass ball floats along the salt grass.

 

  

 

We stopped at Sea Lion caves and paid to go down inside the cave
via an elevator.  We could see, hear and smell the sea lions!
It was pretty neat!

the path to the elevator

the cave is in this cove

there were a LOT of sea lions

 

Heceta Head Lighthouse

Walking along the beach in Florence, Oregon.
Dad, in his irrigation boots!

the beach in front of our motel

 

Low tide, with me taking a picture of our motel.

We had the top right room again!
At night, when it was "high tide" the waves crashed against these cliffs.
The waves were loud!

 

We ate at the Blue Whale Café.

 

 

It was misty in the mornings.

Dad is waving at me from our balcony.

our view

 We spent 1 day with Steve in Lincoln City, Oregon, eating at Mo's,

walking on his beach finding agates, playing cards and shopping in antique stores,

 but I forgot to take any pictures.  :(

The next day, heading towards Utah again through the Cascade Range

 

Just a few of the antique stores we visited in Sisters, Oregon.
All total --- we went to at least ---34 different Antique Stores
and we bought a lot of "stuff".

it was fun

A scenic byway in IDAHO, The Gem State
and then we were home again.