The long road to Redwoods & the majesty of the Redwood Coast

If you do a Google Maps search from Yosemite to the Redwoods, specifically using our campgrounds it says it is 545 miles and will take 9 hours and 28 minutes.  But Google does not allow you to set your maximum speed (which is 55 for us) nor does it take into account the slow haul and up, down, and around mountain grades.  We averaged about 35 mph and it took us about 16 hours of drive time (not including stops).  I have had to come to terms with my major miscalculation - the maximum miles we can travel in a day is about 200 and, depending on the roads that could take between 4 and 6 hours.  I thought we would be able to cover more ground more quickly, but these mountains have really slowed us down.

This realization has sad consequences - we can't visit Yellowstone this summer.  Our current campground, Redwood Meadows RV Resort, is our first full hook-up site as well as the first where our cell/data works (and they also provide WiFi).  It has been my goal to visit the Redwoods for a very long time and so when I planned this trip I booked a week here.  The pros are that we have a sweet spot and there is much to see/do.  The con is that I have used up the time and we won't be able to make as many stops on our eastern journey.  Here is the view from our front door:

So...I am a bit bummed, but I think we have planned a route that will not be too bad.  We are meeting my family in South Dakota at a campground near Rapid City June 23rd, so that is our goal...we have between check-out here and that date to see what we can see and drive 1,500 miles (which is at least 7 days of driving).

On the very bright side we have LOVED the Redwood Coast.  I could stay here forever - except that they probably have very cold winters and that does not sound like fun...but I could definitely live here in the summer.  Between trips to the forest and trips to the ocean this area offers so much to do and see.  The forests are enchanted.  I feel like I am living in a fantasy world when in the presence of the beautiful fern undergrowth and the towering Redwoods.  There is just too much beauty in the natural sights here and it is so diverse!

I fully expected to see fairies flying out of the lush growth atop this nursery log!

The kids' first time in the ocean and finding shells on the beach was so awesome.

I loved the walks through the woods.  I loved the nursery logs and the octopus trees.  We learn so much from the Junior Ranger booklets!

Octopus trees (usually Hemlock) start by sprouting form a nursery log, but as they grow their roots reach the ground.

Eventually the nursery log erodes away into the soil and the resulting tree has a space beneath it!

Redwoods make HUGE nursery logs!

I love it here, but we have to move on - tomorrow we will get up early, and ready the rig for the next days of driving.  We are going to move as quickly and as safely as we can to Salt Lake City, UT where we will stop for a few days.  Between now and then we have four days of driving and four stopping points along the way.  We will not travel more than 200 miles in a day and see how that works for us.  I'll let you know how it goes!  From this point until June 23rd I have not made any reservations for campgrounds.  We will see how we do alternating between boondocking and finding campgrounds along the way...always a new adventure!  But I have a feeling we will visit here again - and next time for even longer!