Oregon to San Fran!

Gold Beach, OR to San Francisco, CA
 
After a fun night of dancing and celebrating birthdays at Jot’s Resort in Gold Beach, OR the morning started bright and early. A little bleary eyed, we made a short ride to Brookings, OR for breakfast at McDonald's. Several of our travelers mingled with a group of elderly folks that gather daily there for breakfast. The older group enjoyed talking to our young travelers, and  complimented how nice our group behaved.  Naturally, traveling with such a large group, we get a lot of curious looks and questions. Folks are always impressed, and compliment how well our group travels together, especially when they learn we're travelling for 33 days!
 
Leaving breakfast we soon entered into California as we drove down HWY 101 along the coast. We were afforded beautiful views of the Pacific with jagged cliffs running into the sea. We followed the Redwood Highway as we drove through Redwood National and State Parks. We started seeing glimpses of the majestic redwoods!
 
A quick stop was made at a rest area in Humboldt County where many took time to stroll along the Redwood lined trail to an ocean view. Many were intrigued when VK informed the group about a show on Netflix, Murder Mountain, that is based on true crime in the county. A snack of granola bars, fruit snacks and water were handed out as everyone got back on the bus.
 
As we drove through the Avenue of the Giants we were all amazed by the giant redwoods surrounding us. We made our way off of the bus and gazed up in amazement. Several of the travelers quickly ran up, and with outstretched arms, held hands surrounding one of the massive trees. Rebekah said, “these trees are bigger then I ever imagined!” Even with 57 of us walking among the giants, there was a quiet and peaceful feeling. Suzie commented, “I wish my mom could see this because she loves trees”.
 
We stopped for a picnic lunch at Benbow Recreation area. We enjoyed turkey & cheese subs, chips and cookies. After time to enjoy the fresh air and sunshine, we loaded the bus and watched “Ferris Bueller’s Day Off” as we continued our journey.
 
As we got closer to San Francisco the excitement on the bus grew.  We soon crossed the bay on the famous Golden Gate Bridge with beautiful views of the city on our left. Ray navigated us to the Comfort Inn by the Bay, our home for the next few days. We dropped our luggage in our rooms and gathered for a brisk walk to Fishermans Wharf for dinner at the iconic California-born, In-N-Out.  All enjoyed the famous burgers with their special thousand island sauce. Many bought t-shirts for gifts, or souvenirs to bring home. After dinner, free time was given to explore Fisherman’s Wharf area before heading back to the hotel. It was a long day of travel and we all look forward to a little rest in the morning before more adventures tomorrow!
 
Ashlie