Prairie Creek Redwoods Elk Prairie Campground

Sunday: (11/06) Cereal and banana for breakfast. We took a walk on the beach after breakfast. Couldn't go far on the beach because of high tide and narrow beaches. We're a bit out of sink on the tides. Last night was high and this morning is high. It rained heavily all night but was nice this morning. We prepared to leave after enjoying long showers, an advantage of having a dump station available. We've enjoyed our stays in Oregon State Park Campgrounds. They always have electric and water hookups and often full hookups for less than a stay in a California State Campground which has no hookups. We stopped at Fred Meyer's for gas and at Oil Can Henry's for an RV oil change. Nothing caught fire but they did manage to improperly seat one of the tire pressure sensors. I check all the sensors for tightness after oil changes or tire services now anyway but now I'll have to add monitor extra well for leaks. We stopped when I got an alarm about 5 miles down the road. One tire was 15 lbs low. The washer in the sensor was not seated correctly. It took our compressor a while to get the tire re-inflated and I reseated the washer and all seems to be fine again. We passed through the California border without having to forfeit any fruits and vegetables though the inspector had to look at our orange. It must have been from California so it was OK. They couldn't say it was bad if it came from California.



We stopped for lunch in Crescent City at the Chart Room Restaurant. They have impressive fish and chips there. After lunch we took a walk around the harbor. They're still working on repairing the damaged caused in march by the tsunami with it's 8 foot wave. The restaurant is out by the docks but was unharmed, fortunately, A nine foot wave might have been too much. We had heavy food South of Crescent City to our destination at Prairie Creek State park.

Here is a rant: Why is it that road workers and traffic engineers can't think? Again, we had to disconnect the Jeep due to entering a closed road where they put the sign advising of the closure after the last possible turnaround. 50 feet earlier and no problem. 50 feet late and makes a problem. It must be a federal requirement because that seems to be the way all the road departments do it. Not so where they can think in Canada. we say the sign advising of the Newton P Drury parkway in to the park. After taking the ramp off the freeway we followed the next sign telling us to turn right onto the parkway. We turned and then there is a sign advising that the road is closed ahead and there is no turnaround. Hell, there was no turnaround there either. Whoever set the signs up doesn't even meet the level of half wit. If they had a thought, maybe something could have been placed by either of the other two signs? Rant over.

We disconnected and continued separately up to the other end of the Parkway and in to the Prairie Creek Redwoods Elk Prairie Campground.


We got a nice campsite and were one of three guests camping there. We learned that the reason for the road closure was that a couple of big redwood trees fell across the road a couple of weeks ago. They were too big to cut so they used dynamite to remove them. of course, they blew up part of the road and now they are waiting for the State Highway department to come out and repair the pavement. That should take a couple of more weeks. Some one should make a movie of this stuff. We need more comedies. We also learned that the Davidson Road out to the beach is closed during the week for repairs so we won't be able to go out to Fern Canyon. Won't be hiking it either since this week three parties have reported being chased by Elk along the trails to there. Once was enough for me to be chased by 1200 pound animals. We'll probable settle for some short hikes around closer to the campground tomorrow. Dinner was leftovers. I had a hotdog chili size while Lou had split pea soup.
(GPS:41.35923885,-124.02941861)

Monday: (11/07) Clear and cold this morning. Lou made hash browned potatoes with sausage and eggs for breakfast. I unfolded the bikes and aired up the tires. It's the first time we've had them out on this trip. We rode the bikes up Newton Drury parkway, the closed road. Rather nice ride with no traffic but it was uphill for the 5-6 miles before we turned around. of course then it was a nice coast back. We didn't go far enough to see the road damage but really can't understand why the portion we rode on was closed to cars. Seems better to only close it to big vehicles and let the others turn around at the obstruction.


We stopped for a couple of hikes to see the Corkscrew Tree, a really confused tree and the Big Tree, a really big coastal redwood tree. We returned home for lunch. Lou made a nice ham, peppers, and tomato salad. Then we drove in to Orick for a look at the burl shops.


When we returned we took a hike around the prairie on the Elk Prairie Trail.


When we got back to camp there was a small herd of bull elk in front of our campsite. We pulled out the chairs and enjoyed watching them dine on the lawn there until an unthinking driver sped by them and spooked them. Lou made Shepard's pie for dinner.

Tuesday: (11/08) Mostly clear and cold this morning. Hashbrowns, eggs and sausage for breakfast. We walked the campground and part of Elk Prairie Trail then moved the RV out of the campground and took the jeep out to Elk Meadow, about 5 miles South.


We hiked out to Terillium Falls then returned and hooked up the Jeep and headed South on Highway 101 to Trinidad. We stopped at the Trinidad Eatery for their great blackberry cobbler for lunch. After lunch we continued on to the Redwood Acres Fairgrounds in Eureka.