ROAD TRIP JOURNAL: Nevada and Northern California

We decided that we have adventures all over the world, but we haven't done enough exploring the USA. We have done the entire East Coast from Maine to Florida. So why not do the West Coast?!! On the first day, we started out from Utah, headed across Nevada, and ended in Northern California. 

The first stop was the Salt Flats in Utah. The Salt Flats are known for the speed races and recently for bloggers saying they kayaked down the canals. (however, they are runoff from a mine and are toxic...so hurray for influencers encouraging people to do harmful things). 

We made a quick stop in Wendover, NV. It was HOT dry and...interesting. Our stop was very short. 

Actually, going across Nevada was interesting. It was mostly a desert, but there were pockets of Oasis cities and then as we went up into the mountains, there were some cute farming villages. Reno was a fascinating juxtaposition. We arrived via the desert and left in the mountains along the Nevada-California border and it was like a whole different world! 

After staying in a small farming town in the middle of California--surrounded by the many produce farmers of every kind--we drove north to the Redwoods. We decided to make this route instead of going up into Oregon and down into the Redwoods. 

Driving past Clear Lake was so beautiful. The water was so clean and clear. It was odd though, it seemed like it would be a place for big vacation houses and tourism, but big parts of it were run down as if it USED to be a booming tourist destination, but not now. Either way, the views were spectacular. 

We made it to the Redwoods. They were magical and breathtaking! They were very similar to their New Zealand cousins that we visited last year, but SO MANY more. We loved walking through the trees and admiring the trees and flowers. 

We stopped by one of the many trees you can drive through. That was a novelty for the Muggles. 

Lucky Dragon found a lucky four-leaf clover!

Photos don't really do this part of the country justice. It is truly breathtaking. Everywhere you look there is more to see. We randomly stopped at a river as we drove along the Avenue of Giants and swam. It was a slow moving, cool river with plenty of rocks to throw and places to explore. We spent a few hours just relaxing and swimming. One good thing about having a road trip, we had clothes and towels and food to just have impromptu stops. 

We drove from the Redwoods through the forest to the California coast. It was a different type of beautiful. Kind of cool to think that we were in Hawaii on that side of the Pacific now less than a week later, we are on the California side of the Pacific. 

Can you spot the Dragon? 

The drive was so unique and beautiful. We loved seeing all the different villages and treelined roads. 

We stopped at a beach just south of Fort Bragg. It was COLD water, but so beautiful. I love the ocean. I think Lady Hiva got tired of me saying "look at that!" 

Seeing the different personalities of our two Muggles. One collected flowers to make a bouquet. The other wanted to make a fort out of the driftwood. 

Lady Hiva loved seeing all of the small vendors of fruit and vegetables along the roads. We stopped at many of them to try all that California has to offer this time of year.