June 4~10: Road trippin'

So, I have had many week-long vacations/ excursions. One of which was a road trip from Mt. Vernon, Washington (state), where Codi and Jimmy have let me leave a bunch of my stuff in their barn for the summer (thanks :)), all the way down south to Irvine, California, where I spent most of my youth. It's about 1500 miles I think. Stops included: Portland, Oregon (to visit with Tobin); Eugene, Oregon (saw the University of Oregon); Yreka, California (spent the night there, not bad Chinese food for a small town of 1500) and then drove past the Mt. Shasta volcano; Colusa National Wildlife Refuge (TONS of great birding!) in the Sacramento River Valley; San Ramon, California (stayed the night with Berner) and picked up Nick; then down the coast in a day (a major travesty-- should have stayed much longer) through Big Sur and then down to San Luis Obispo for Jake's graduation (see next post).

Mt. Shasta from the north, coming out of Yreka, CA.

Another shot of Mt. Shasta.

I liked this view because of the clouds. As I got closer, the clouds entirely covered the view of the volcano and you might not have even known it was looming overhead.

Nick, on his bike from the Canadian border (he left on April 1st) to the West Dublin/ Pleasanton BART Station. We got his bike and gear into the car along with half of my life that was in there too.

Lunch in Big Sur, outside of the [closed :(]the Pfeiffer Big Sur State Park information center.

Avocados and melons and veggies from a Watsonville, CA fruit stand... AWESOME produce!

Acorn woodpecker (Melanerpes formicivorus) right next to our picnic table... my first time seeing this rather common bird.

Nick lured it closer and I got some video of it talking, but this is a close-up picture. Super cool white eye rings!

Julia Pfeiffer State Park... the falls, the cover, gorgeous day on the central coast! We didn't see any otters, but we ran across one the next day at Montana de Oro State Park just south of Morro Bay.

Nick and I at the end of the short trail.

Elephant Seals rest at the southern end of the coast range. This spot (just north of San Simeon) must be the first open beach they can rest. They gotta save energy for swimming away from great white sharks!

The strong northerly winds created sand dunes around some of the seals! We watched them negotiate, fight, flirt and throw sand on their skin.

Nick takes off from Jake's house after a day hiking in Montana de Oro. Loaded with food and heading north towards Cambria... only to double back around to Paso Robles and then eventually into the more southerly California... eventually to San Diego. By then, however, we will be in Africa!