Wednesday, September 3, 2025 – Giant Redwood RV Park, Meyers Flat, California
Tim and Phyliss’s trailer on the left. Jim and Margo’s rig on our right. Fabulous neighbors, BTW.
After a leisurely breakfast and knowing that it wouldn’t be an excruciatingly long day on the road, we left Harris Beach SP at about 11:15 am. Our next stop was Thomas H. Kuchel visitor center just south of Orick, California for lunch and bathroom break.
After lunch I wanted to take over the wheel, so with Andy navigating us through semi-remembered territory, we arrived at our campground at about 3:45 pm. I must say, even though much of our travel today was through marine onshore flow and therefore if there was water out there, it was hidden from view, what we were able to see was amazing. And driving through redwood habitat is an absolute treat.
And since you were wondering if redwood trees and sequoias are one and the same, the answer is no. They are, however, in the same family of trees and considered cousins. The primary difference is that coast redwoods are the world’s tallest trees, while giant sequoias are the world’s largest trees by volume. Coast redwoods, typically found in fog-prone coastal areas, have tall, narrow trunks with scalelike foliage and grow faster, whereas giant sequoias grow at higher elevations in the Sierra Nevada, have broader, more massive trunks, and possess egg-sized cones and juniper-like needles.
Giant sequoias are older than redwoods. The oldest known giant sequoia is around 3,200 years old, while the oldest known coastal redwood has been around for around 2,500 years.
After setting up camp, I did the prep work for tonight’s meal. Swedish meatballs served over mashed potatoes. Phyllis contributed salad and Jim and Margo, sliced tomatoes and cucumber. A very nice dinner enjoyed by all.
After dinner we sat around and chatted until we were ready to head in the trailer for me to write up today’s adventure, and Mr. C. to read.
Eventually we both decided we had enjoyed enough fun for one day and slid under our covers and were asleep almost immediately. Another fun day in our trailer.
Thursday, September 4, 2025 – Giant Redwood RV Park, Meyers Flat, California
Today we broke our fast with Eggs Benedict provided by J&M. Wow, talk about roughing it! Not! Fantastic!
After letting our breakfast settle a bit, we decided to take a drive through the Avenue of Giants. Along the way we stopped and took a short 7/10 of a mile walk through these amazing behemoths in Miranda, Humboldt Redwoods State Park. And as luck would have it, today was sunny and warm. So, no jackets were required. But not too warm either.
That is some burl! Redwood trees develop burls as a natural stress response to injuries or infections, serving as a protective, wound-healing mechanism and a storehouse for unsprouted bud tissue. These knobby growths act like a protective scar, which contains the tree’s genetic code and can sprout to form new, cloned trees if the parent tree is damaged or falls.
Next stop, gas and a brief bit of grocery shopping at a remarkably nice (for being in the middle of nowhere) (but expensive) grocery store in Miranda. Since we all were a bit warm when we got back to camp, beer was a requirement upon arrival.
After a very pleasant late afternoon of sitting outside reading (all 6 of us), it was time for dinner. T&P provided Turkey Tetrazzini, while our offering was green salad with blue cheese dressing and garlic bread.
Then to top off the meal, T&P offered us a special treat. Vin Santo and biscotti, which is a pairing made in heaven. In case you are unfamiliar with Vin Santo, it is an Italian dessert wine, predominantly from Tuscany. It is made from grapes that are dried before pressing to concentrate their sugars, then aged for several years in small wooden barrels. Vin Santo is known for its amber color and complex flavors of honey, dried fruit, and nuts. Typically, a sweet wine, it can also be made in dry styles and is traditionally served with biscotti, though it pairs well with various desserts and cheeses.
And for the uninitiated, biscotti is a type of twice-baked Italian cookie, named for the Latin word “bis-coctus” meaning “twice baked”. This distinctive double-baking process gives biscotti its signature dry, hard, and crunchy texture, making it perfect for dipping in coffee, tea, or sweet wine. While traditionally made with flour, eggs, almonds, and sugar, modern variations include ingredients like chocolate chips, dried fruits, and citrus zest to create a variety of flavors.
After thoroughly enjoying the Vin Santo and biscotti, we continued to sit outside until, believe it or not, it cooled off enough to send us into our respective rigs to get warm.
Then we read for a while and finally – lights out. Another wonderful day in sunny California.
Friday, September 5, 2025 – Giant Redwood RV Park, Meyers Flat, California
After a great night’s sleep, we both woke eager to see what today would bring. But first, time to do laundry. So, with clothes happily being bathed in soapy water, I fixed breakfast.
After the breakfast dishes were done, we retrieved our clothes from the dryer and waited to find out when everyone was ready to go exploring again.
At about 11:00 am we headed north on the Avenue of Giants. Our aim today was the Humboldt Redwoods State Park Visitor’s Center. And what a nice center it turned out to be. We were all very impressed and glad that Phyllis had suggested we make this a priority.
After leaving the center we drove further north to Founders Grove where we took a one-half mile, 20-minute (for those who can walk fast, that is) level walk through an ancient forest. This nature trail provided us with a glimpse into the past and a look into one of the greatest forests on earth.
Not only were there many standing trees, but there were also many fallen with the base revealing the magnitude of the root system. (Which BTW is very shallow.) As trees get older, some can no longer withstand wind and rain. These trees give up their spot in the sun and fall to the forest floor.
The Dyerville Giant (see picture below), which stood for as long as 1600 years, was taller, larger, and older than any other tree around it. It just looked like it had started as a seedling in a far distant past. And it was lovely to see this very old tree, because very few of these ancient relics remain.
Then back to camp for a “charcuterie” lunch. After that, reading, writing, and arithmetic. (Just kidding about arithmetic.) (Well almost, as Andy checks our credit card purchases every day to make certain we really are where we think we are!)
Then off to dinner at The Brass Rail in Redway, California for burgers and beer. Great burgers and great beer.
After returning to our trailer, I proceeded inside to get warm and read. Andy decided to share some wine outside with Jim and Margo.
Then in bed for both of us at about 10:00 pm. I love the redwoods and would not have missed these three nights and 2 days of revisiting the area for anything.
And tomorrow we leave for our Napa and San Francisco excursions. This is such a fun trip.
Saturday, September 6, 2025 – Petaluma RV Resort, Petaluma, California
After an unhurried breakfast and on the road again at 11:00 am, we were once again heading south on 101. There is just something about 101 that is unique to other highways. It provides beautiful vistas every stretch of the way.
On one previous trip heading south, we left US 101 at Leggett, to drive west on the start of California Pacific Coast highway 1. Stretching from the beautiful redwood forests of northern California, all the way to southern California, this coastal highway winds along some of the most spectacular ocean views in the U.S. The highway contains countless examples of the many intrinsic qualities that make a highway a National Scenic Byway. Qualities like perfect views of ocean waves breaking on rocky shorelines and cliffs, dozens of historical landmarks like Spanish Missions and Spanish settlements, and limitless opportunities to participate in every kind of outdoor recreation imaginable. A traveler would have to take numerous other byways spread across the nation to view all the qualities contained on just this one byway.
But there are drawbacks to cutting over to highway 1 that anyone who gets nauseous while riding on exceedingly twisty-turny roads or pulling a trailer can attest to. This stretch of road which ends at the ocean, is not an easy or quick ride. Basically, there is nowhere on highway 1 that gets you from point “a” to point ”b” quickly. But if you have never gone this route, it certainly should be added to your travel “bucket list”.
Anyway, we did not cut over to highway 1. We stayed on 101 until we reached Petaluma and our 3-night stay in the Napa and San Francisco area.
One thing you should know about this campground. It’s HUGE. And noisy with children running amuck on every kind of mobile contrivance known to man! And many unsupervised. So, parking our rigs and trying desperately not to run over a kid while doing so, made a “safe arrival drink” absolutely necessary.
After our beer on T&P’s patio, it was time for some serious drinking and a fine dinner of leftover tetrazzini, Swedish meatballs, and a warm Italian loaf of bread. For dessert, cookies and a chocolate bar.
Then back to our trailer for reading and early to bed for me. Tomorrow – wine tasting.
Sunday, September 7, 2025 – Petaluma RV Resort, Petaluma, California
After a great night’s sleep, we woke up to another sunny day. After breakfast and getting ready for our day’s adventure, I wrote for a while then sat outside our trailer until it was time to head for Napa Valley. Our destination today, Regusci Winery.
If you ever find yourself in the Napa Valley region, and are looking for the best cabs, best experience, greatest winemakers, most knowledgeable, friendliest staff, and best pours in the valley, Regusci is the place for you.
Since Andy is a wine club member, (no charge to wine club members) with everyone’s agreement, he booked a tasting experience here for our group of 6. What a great decision. The wines were simply marvelous, and several bottles came back to camp with us.
A glimpse at the wineries garden.
From another angle.
Tasting wine on our semi-shaded patio.
Still tasting wine. (Tim and Phyllis at the far bench.)
Emigrating to California from Italy more than a hundred years ago, Gaetano Regusci chose Stags Leap to put down roots for his family. Today, the fifth generation is being introduced to the ranch he acquired in the 1930s.
The grounds are spectacular with a thriving vegetable garden. The wines are excellent. The tasting experience was perfect with just enough conversation and attentiveness from our hostess Desirey.
We absolutely loved our experience at Regusci. There was no rush, and we were welcome to stay as long as we wanted. And as we were leaving we were encouraged to take, free of charge, fresh veggies from their gardens that were beautifully presented at their veggie stand.
After finishing at Regusci, we headed to dinner at Scala in nearby Napa. Wonderful meal. Then back to camp to sit outside and just mellow after a wonderful day in California wine country. Tomorrow – San Francisco – HERE WE COME.
Monday, September 8, 2025 – Petaluma RV Resort, Petaluma, California
The plan was to leave camp at 10:30 am to catch the 11:50 am ferry in Larkspur to carry us across the San Francisco Bay to the ferry terminal Embarcadero.
View of SF as we approach “the city by the bay”.
Tim on the left, Jim, and the birthday girl Phyllis back right in the ferry on our way to SF.
On our left as we were on our way – San Quentin, officially the San Quentin Rehabilitation Center, California’s oldest correctional facility. Established in 1852, located in Marin County. It is currently undergoing a major transformation into a model rehabilitation and re-entry center, aiming to prioritize education, healing, and community reintegration over warehousing. This transformation includes the creation of a new facility for individuals nearing release, inspired by the Norwegian correctional model, with a focus on vocational training, academic programs, and services to reduce recidivism.
The clock tower. Part of the Ferry Building Marketplace.
Our ferry standing by to take us back to the car park.
The Embarcadero is an amazing stretch along the bay is a boulevard that runs all along the waterfront from the Bay Bridge, past the Ferry Building, and down to Pier 39 and Fisherman’s Wharf.
A number of San Francisco attractions are sprinkled along this street and it’s a popular place for strolling.
First, we visited the iconic Ferry Building Marketplace. After a brief stop at a wine bar, and purchases that simply had to be made, we headed to the Waterbar Restaurant to celebrate Phyliss’s 73rd birthday. She wanted fresh oysters for her birthday, and that’s exactly what she got! We were lucky enough to score an outside table for six on a covered patio. Beautiful view of the bay and the Bay Bridge which connects San Francisco and Oakland. It could not have been a more pleasant temperature. Perfect for dining in style.
Let’s see, should we order 24 raw oysters, or 48? Oh, what the heck, make it 48!
After our amazing meal, we headed back to the ferry terminal for a couple more purchases and our ferry boat trip back to Larkspur. We sat on the back deck with our jackets on and although we had been warned that there would be some water spray, that just didn’t happen.
After we got off the ferry we headed back to Petaluma and to Safeway for a bit of provisioning. Then back to camp for us to mellow out and catch up on our email, Facebook, my travel log, and each to our own books. It had been a long day, and even after we had planned to get together after a brief pause, all three parties decided simultaneously to remain in our respective rigs for quiet time. There is only so much fun our senior bodies can accommodate in one day. Luckily, we all know when enough is enough!
Tuesday, September 9, 2025 – Mountain Gate RV Park, Redding, California
Woke up to cloudy weather with impending showers likely. And of course, it stayed dry until it was time to hitch up and head out to our next destination. Andy got very wet. But by the time I had secured the inside of the trailer and was needed for the hitching part of the process, I didn’t even need a jacket.
But now we were on our way to Redding. And what a pleasurable ride we had today.
Lots of new (or possibly completely forgotten) countryside.
First, we headed south on 101, then east on highway 116, then south on Lakeville Road (along the Petaluma marsh), left and east on Highway 37, which crossed another marsh (the Nape-Sonoma marches), to Vallejo and I-80, which is the main road from San Francisco to Sacramento. In Vacaville we went north on I-505 which took us into the Sacramento River Valley where we merged onto I-5. At this point we were seeing a lot of agriculture. Amond tree groves, pistachio nut trees, rice fields, etc.
Our only stops along the way were for lunch at a rest stop, and another rest stop to change drivers, and our final stop for gas.
When we arrived at camp, we decided unhitching would work fine on our site. And since this was only a one-night stop and we didn’t need the truck for any provisioning or sightseeing, if it was once again raining the next morning, Andy’s life would be a whole lot easier.
Then a lovely chili dinner was provided by J&M. Then for me, another early to bed.
END OF PART 2 – STAY TUNED FOR PART 3