Season 1 Episode 10.  The Redwoods.  If you took dinosaur habitat and combined it with a fairy realm, you might get close to what these ancient forests embody.  Today, we visit the giants and are just as blown away as everyone says we would be.  However, our "plan" was given several twists and we didn't end up where we thought we would, which led us to the glorious Stout Grove, around Crescent City, and over to Trinidad to explore, discovery eateries, and another brewery.  Sometimes things go awry and it turns out really well anyway!  Sometimes you end up having to back down a one-lane mountain road with an audience.  We can laugh at that now, right?

Then, we drive across northern California to check out Redding.  This area is well-known for its community, hiking, mountain biking, and (unfortunately at that time) for a couple of raging wildfires happening way too close to people's homes.  Again, we had a WHOLE lot more on our agenda for the Redding area, but the smoke from these fires was so dense, we decided to move on.  Not to mention wanting to give a grieving community some space and humility. We did visit a couple of great gear shops, though, and made some fun acquaintances for future visits!

Sometimes when you keep running into unexpected obstacles, you decide the time is right to just move along.  We set our sights on Tahoe via a winding path through agricultural land and through beautiful foothills.  The town of Grass Valley, CA, was an unexpected and wonderful surprise.  Especially when we discovered the Empire Mine State Historic Park.  Whoa!!  Following that unplanned detour was a highlight of this trip leg as we make our way to Lake Tahoe for the next episode.

Links for the Episode:

- Redwood National and State Forests:  https://www.nps.gov/redw/index.htm

- Stout Memorial Grove Trail (Crescent City, CA):  http://www.redwoodhikes.com/JedSmith/StoutGrove.html

- USDA Forest Service Active Fire Mapping Program:  https://fsapps.nwcg.gov/afm/index.php

- Jefferson State Adventure Hub (Redding, CA):  https://jsahub.com

- SeaQuake Brewing (Crescent City, CA):  https://seaquakebrewing.com

- The Hermit's Hut (Redding, CA):  https://hermitshut.com

- Vita Cucina Bakery and Gourmet Foods (Crescent City, CA):  unfortunately, closed :(

- Crescent City Crab Shack (Crescent City, CA):  https://www.facebook.com/Crescent-City-Crab-Shack-613900832082614/  (unsure if it's open - COVID times are hard on some of our favorite places... call before committing)

- Trinidad Memorial and Memorial Lighthouse Park (Trinidad, CA):  https://www.tripadvisor.com/Attraction_Review-g33188-d4493315-Reviews-Trinidad_Memorial_and_Memorial_Lighthouse-Trinidad_Humboldt_County_California.html

- Empire Mine State Historic Park (Grass Valley, CA):  https://www.parks.ca.gov/?page_id=499

Send us a message or leave a podcast voicemail on Anchor and we'll happily answer your questions!  Thank you, as always, for liking, subscribing, commenting, and most of all - sharing!  May all of our traveling dreams return safely and swiftly.  It's always a perfect time to scheme and plan for your next adventure .