Day 76 – We were up and out by 10 a.m. Gonna explore east of Highway 101 via backroads. 55 degrees at 7:30 a.m., partly cloudy. We headed north on a road towards Redwood Valley, part of the sprawl above Ukiah.
Without knowing it in advance, we stumbled on the area that was burned during one of the two major Ukiah fires this past July & August. Homes destroyed, nothing left but a chimney in the rubble. Burned vehicles. Even burned vineyards. The trees & hills behind the street we were driving on were black. You could still smell the smoke in the air, 3-4 months later. We didn’t stop to gawk, feeling very bad for people, so pictures were taken through a closed window while the car was moving. Not great pictures but they show a little of what we saw. This went on for miles.
Ukiah, the major city near here, is above Santa Rosa where their fires caught everyone’s attention a couple of months ago. We have no desire to go near there after seeing this, and are glad we’ll be on the coast further south. After seeing all this, time & time again in the west, we truly have found so much more respect for the people who repair the roads and hold the hills together after the floods, fires, mud & rock slides and the fire fighters, how do they do it – bless them all!
Beyond the burned town, the road continued & it was green again. We’d decided to stay on this road until it met up with Highway 101. Eventually it became a dirt road and the area was pretty and quite rural. Occasional ranches with locked gates, cows, horses. Then the road got rough and there were big ruts. You could tell streams & creeks had run across during the high-flow season. We came upon a couple of flowing streams, carefully checked them out, then crossed. Past a ranch with large dogs guarding the gates. Came around a corner and down a hill to a much bigger, deeper waterway. We drew the line – didn’t dare cross the road here in a Honda CRV. Turned around & found a different way to the 101. Got chased by a big white dog. Visions of being chased by cowboys on horseback, threatening us with big rifles. Ugh.
We got on the 101 and drove north to Route 162. We’d read that this was a very scenic drive. And at the end of this drive was a Forest Service Campground we wanted to check out in case we might want to stay there next.
The road was well-maintained and the scenery was indeed gorgeous. A real feeling that you were in the OLD west. Incredible how they built this railroad (the Northwestern Pacific Railroad) & its tunnels through the hills & canyons, running along the river. The town of Covelo, right out of the old west, part Indian Reservation, part ranching town, was situated in the heart of Round Valley which was completely surrounded by these hills. You could just see the stagecoaches, the cowboys, the indians, the dust and endless sky. Turkey vultures sitting on fenceposts, wings spread against the sun to warm. My imagination was running away with me.
Route 162 had many sharp curves & around each bend was another scenic view. We stopped to eat our lunch at the top of a hill overlooking Round Valley – a beautiful setting. We saw different kinds of trees that we’d never seen before. Pine trees with HUGE pine cones. Can’t imagine what the desert will be like once we get there in a few months. Pictures from the drive follow:
Round Valley, CA from Inspiration Point.
Rob found a huge pine cone.
Trying to identify this pine. CA-162
This pine cone was almost a foot long and had wicked spikes! CA-162
We made it to the campground on Eel River & drove through. It would be doubtful we’d take the RV way out here on these winding roads. Talk about rural! Your vehicle could break down & no one would find you for years. No really, just not practical. But a thoroughly enjoyable scenic outing to a very different type of environment for us, having just spent so much time in dark redwood forests.
The high today was 70 degrees, inland on our drive, ½ clouds & ½ sun. We drove back to the RV, said HI to the girls & sat outside until it started to get dark. A complete turnover of people camping here. Everyone who was here this morning was gone. Instead some people in tents are camping below us & camping above us. Right right next to us we have an RV with 3 little boys who are running around & their parents. I have to say it: When a campground is almost empty, why do people always park right next to someone when there are plenty of open sites. Just sayin’……
Tomorrow it’s supposed to rain all day, then be nice for, get this – 7 days straight! Obviously we have moved from a rainy zone to a more southerly area. The trees & plants are different & so is the weather. This is one thing we really love about travelling like we’ve been doing – it’s always new & different. And you never know what’s going to happen next.
You’re entering my neck of the woods! I have friend with a house in Potter Valley, north of Ukiah. And I was in the Mendocino National Forest the weekend before Thanksgiving, looking down on the Round Valley.
When are you headed my way?