Back Where We Started

As we headed toward the coast and dipped into valleys between the coastal mountains, we traveled through blankets of fog. "That's a summer pattern," explained Andy. "The air over the water is colder than the air over the land. We're a long way from the coast, but the temperatures did reach into the 70's yesterday."
We followed the Trinity River along California #299 through the canyons of the Coastal Range. Here and there whole hillsides blackened by fire exposed jagged granite cliffs. Once a couple of oncoming vehicles flashed headlights. Just beyond, a rock slide covered part of our inside lane. The cliff had given way overnight and slid into the road.

Through the Humboldt Mountains we caught patches of blue sky, but by the time we reached U.S. #101 near the coast, clouds layered thick and heavy. Fog obliterated the line between water and land; mist dampened the windshield. "It's not much better than when we left last week, but at least this time we can see the water," said Andy.

But 30 miles north of Crescent City, we came out of the clouds into blue sky. As we drove north along #101, intermittent fingers of fog clawed their way inland up the hillsides, but we had enough sun to enjoy the overlooks, walk beaches and digitally photograph scenery. We even watched a black oystercatcher bathing in a puddle on the sand at Sam Boardman Curry County Arch Rock. It's like one fisherman told us, "Just wait five minutes and things here can change."