Day 38: July 24th, 2013: Humboldt Redwood State Park, CA to Oregon Caves

  • Jul 26, 2013
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We stopped in Crescent City to try and get some information on the Oregon Caves and check out their library.  Appearances can always be deceiving.  The library was a glorified trailer, but it had incredible Internet.  Like most libraries we have encountered in the west we had to wait until they opened at 11.  Yesterday we had to wait until 12 for the library to open.  Cody pointed out the beautiful flowers and actually asked for a picture by them.  While we waited for the library to open we headed to a magnificent park.

Scott picked up a Crater Lake newspaper from the Crescent City visitors center.  Brooke posed in the yellow submarine.  Not only have I played that song for her, but her art teacher loves to play the song for them during art.  Brooke loves art, not just for the Beatles.

The library yesterday had a Madeline doll house.  Since we couldn’t find any exciting Berenstain Bear books at this tiny library Brooke sought out the Madeline books she loved when she was Cody’s age.  Cody found his little nook of books. I asked if he wanted us to read to him, but he was happy just going through his pile on his own. Brooke and I read book after book that started, “In an old house in Paris all covered with vines lived twelve little girls in two straight lines…”

Poison Oak climbing a tree

We stopped at the Redwood Visitor’s Center for the Junior Ranger booklet and to cook up some quesadillas for lunch.  Mmm… They were messy, but a little bit of cheese, salsa and sour cream go a long way to turning canned beans and chicken into a delicacy!  We also checked out some Poison Oak climbing a tree at the visitor’s center.

Redwood National Park visitor’s center.

Redwood National Park visitor’s center.  Another Junior Ranger badge!  We were given pencils made out of recycled money and blue jeans too!

Another new state for the kids – Oregon!

The kids were fighting silly fights as often happens in the back of the van on long road tripping days and then all of the sudden Cody breaks into “Yes, Jesus Loves Me!” He proceeds to sing it in different voices. “Let’s sing it like an old lady!” Oh my. At least they stopped fighting for five minutes!

Oregon Caves National Monument

The picture above and on the left is at another visitor’s center and is slightly sad.  You had to be at least 42 inches to enjoy the Oregon Caves tour.  Cody was about four inches shy.  Thus, Cody and I hung out at the Oregon Caves Visitor’s Center and hiked a bit while Brooke and Scott ventured to the cave.

Scott said this was one of the best cave tours he has ever been on. Audrey was very informative.   They were shown a grizzly bear skull in the cave that was 50,000 years old.  They said when the grizzly bear was in the cave Oregon was an island near the equator.  They told me about cave popcorn that only formed near the entrances of the cave.  Brooke remembered that bacteria creates milkstone which ancient peoples used on their wounds and is still an ingredient used in Neosporin today.  This cave is one of a few caves that is actually marble and not limestone.  Brooke remembered that the calcium carbonate that forms in the caves was and is also still used as a medicine – Tums.  Scott remembered that they believe the practice of putting out forest fires has led to decreased cave formations.  They believe that the vegetation is soaking up the water and consequently not as much seeps into the cave.

There was a beautiful waterfall and relaxing swing down by the Chateau across from the visitor’s center.  Cody wanted me to swing him into the little pond.  Cody and I attempted a hike up to some cave features.  The hike was about fifteen minutes, but there was a 100 foot elevation gain.

The visitor’s center was kind enough to lend us a small flashlight as we were already quite a hike from our car, but it was not enough light to convince me to crawl in those holes.  I’m not sure Cody really wanted to anyway.  Apparently you can crawl into one of them more than thirty feet.

After working on his Junior Ranger badge for over an hour Cody started working on this five foot puzzle.  He was so determined to work on the puzzle, he didn’t want to stop for the Junior Ranger badge.  The flies were pretty bad at the visitor’s center.  While Cody worked I felt like Zena the Warrior Princess putting the smack down on the flies.  The ground was littered with little carcasses.  Funny how Cody and I did not have the discussion about taking care of God’s creatures big and small today… Speaking of helping creatures, Cody did the large-eyes-scare to me again today.  Yesterday he and I were on the ground chatting and head snuggling.  The next thing I know he gets big eyes and says, “Oh Momma!”  Of course I am imagining a giant tarantula or another mouse on my shoulder. It was only a Daddy Long Leg or Harvestman spider.  Today at the visitor’s center Cody spotted a chipmunk.  We chased it into the little theater room and then I opened the door.  Thankfully the chipmunk took the clue and wandered back to the wilderness.  After the almost two hour cave tour Brooke and Scott showed up and we worked as a team to complete the Junior Ranger books and the five foot puzzle.  Audrey, Brooke and Scott’s cave tour guide, was so good she even stuck around after their tour, helped Brooke with her ranger book, and swore both kids into another Junior Ranger Badge.

The picture above and on the left is of moss on the trees at Oregon Caves.  It looks a lot like the lichen we saw in Canada, so I need to ask a ranger about it.  We spotted a few deer playing near the parking lot on our hike back to our car from the visitor’s center.  The picture on the right was our home sweet home for the night.  The Siskiyou-Grayback Campground was mostly empty.

The bathroom and water facilities were not exceptional, but we had a stream and a walking path running behind our tent.  The water sound lulled us to sleep and greeted us to the next morning.  Cody enjoyed throwing rocks and leaves into the stream.  The kids were about to take a dip into the shallow water when Brooke spotted two snakes.  I tried to remind her that every river we have been in has had snakes and spiders and fish and she has not died yet.  Apparently I was not convincing enough.

We have been spoiled.  The dry heat of the southwest and the cold (yes I said cold – 56 degrees for a high) of the California coast have spoiled us with no mosquitoes.

Cody just showed me a stick in the shape of an L.  He was so excited.  At least he is finally getting excited about his letters and numbers!  Yeah!  Learning is so much easier when it is fun.

Scott cut up some firewood Brooke and I had gathered, so we could have a nice reflective fire.

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