Although slightly negligent of me, I'm glad I waited a few days to put this post up. My heart became so fond of Northern California that it starts to ache when I speak of it's redwoods, mountains, lost coast and wildflowers. You don't realize how much you needed to get away until you step out of your everyday tornado of tasks to remember to breathe and take in the sunsets.
It's almost as if our stars aligned with the folks we visited on this trip, stumbling into loved ones in a redwood grove, the opportunity to go up in a friend's plane... California allowed us to explore her from high and low with love all around us.
Redwoods at Richardson Grove
Black sand beaches of the 'Lost Coast' about 10 miles north of Sinkyone Wilderness State Park
One of the most breathtaking moments of this trip was stumbling upon the wildflowers of Sinkyone Wilderness State Park, nestled in what is claimed as the "Lost Coast" where very few roads lead through the mountains that are settled right next to the Pacific Ocean. Although California is going through a terribly irreversible drought (which also makes this heart ache), nature has continued to prevail with it's hearty wildflowers. Yellow dancing in the background of blue Pacific, dusty succulents finding refuge in the rocks of the beaches, pastels crawling up the rock face. I hope these beauties inspire you as much as they have me.
Sinkyone Wilderness State Park requires a sturdy car and 45 minutes dedicated to windy, dirt, mountain side, cliff creeping roads. It offers a safe haven for elk and birds alike with little access to the outside world. Two elk had snuck up on us in a eucalyptus grove just as we rounded the trail to the ocean, which startled me at first. They blew in and out of their noses trying to get a sense of our scent as I slow footed around them to take pictures. Im so thankful they were patient with me, theres nothing more beautiful and sacred than an interaction with a wild animal.
