Early morning at Elk Prairie State Park campground. Not alone…
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Early morning at Elk Prairie
November 19th, 2011Bike in tree
November 18th, 2011
Trusty steed Emma… in a tree… Coastal Redwood, found close to the coast in southernmost Oregon and northern California. Close to Elk Prairie State Park campground.
Tangling with the trees
November 18th, 2011Ken gets to park his trusty steed in a tree. Quite literally…
Small cars tall trees
November 18th, 2011Crossing into California, Ken encounters his first giant Redwood trees…
Stanislov
November 18th, 2011He’d arrived after dark. Stanislov was Russian. Walking the length of the US Pacific coast. Twenty, sometimes thirty, miles per day. Joining me by the small camp fire I’d eventually got lit, mostly with Coleman fuel.
In the gloom amidst the trees he’d shown me his kit. Couple of walking poles, a bivvy bag, sleeping bag, roll mat, waterproofs and wash kit. All packed into a small Bergen. Together with a little food.
Did he always camp I’d asked. No, he admitted. Sometimes got to stay with fellow Russians. There was, he said, an entire network of them across the globe. I smiled. Said I’d heard of it. SVR? He didn’t reply.
[Author’s note: The SVR is what the KGB re-invented itself as post-Cold War. Sounds a bit softer. Ironic really as, by all accounts, greater freedoms means it’s more active today than ever before]
Welcome to California
November 18th, 2011
On the Oregon – California border
Crossing into California
November 18th, 2011I’d paused briefly at the agricultural checkpoint as I’d entered California from Oregon State. Shouted "No fruit or vegetables" and quickly waved on by an official who’d crafted disinterest into a performing art. Stopped a few miles down the road. Small Mexican shop. A few holas and gracias. Then on to Crescent City, in search of a better State road map than the one I’d got.
Earlier I’d stopped for breakfast in Brookings, six or so miles north of the Californian border. Hearty breakfast, basking in the warmth by the window of a small cafe. Joined on an adjacent table by a couple of bikers. They were from down south, retired now after decades as Californian State Highway Patrol officers. "CHIPS" I thought.
Early morning at the campground
November 17th, 2011
Another early morning
November 17th, 2011Another early morning in an Oregon State Park campground. Where Ken discusses his latest critter challenge – racoons…
Gold Beach
November 17th, 2011Gold Beach. No sign of sand, just a grey bridge built in the Great Depression…
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