We stopped in Orick to see the Redwoods, the tallest trees in the world. From the first 3 minutes spent there, it was obvious that it is a ghost village. After some resorts were built, the village lost any interest. But there we are ! We let our big luggage to a decrepit motel, and went to the forest to set the hammock. After half an  hour walk to the Redwoods, we gave up and put in a nice place. We wanted to profit for a rare occasion when we set the hammock on daylight. Everything is perfect. The moon is big and beautiful. When I hear 3 shots, one after the other. Emilie says it’s fireworks. I try to think: such a good place, where to go, is it really dangerous. After 5 minutes of thought, another round of strange noises. I know Emilie doesn’t want to leave the place. But I don’t feel comfortable. Let’s …

another shooting round! … GO !

We go back in the village, thinking to camp nearby, not to get some deer hunters over us. We ask to a camping, but it was only for long period time campers. The manager says to cross a river. On our way, a homeless woman sees us walking with the sleeping bags over the shoulders. So she invites us to go under the bridge, there are nice people, they made a fire. We decline graciously the invitation, and we head near the river, when we see a man walking weirdly.

In these conditions, we took for the third time a room in the motel. And it was clean, actually luxurious for us.

Next morning we visited Redwoods. The trees are so big. It was an explotation until the 70s. Only 5 years ago the area was rehabilitated.

 

On the way back, I made the sign to a car only once. After 5 minutes the same car passed back to us. They could not stop where I made the sign… They had a car full. Mike was travelling across US for 6 months. His brother, Joe, joined him in the last 2 weeks. We travelled with them for almost 2 days.

The night was Moon eclypse.
It was very, very cold. We could not find two trees to put the hammock, at the seaside, we slept on the ground.

They were heading to the North to trim weed in a farm. They made quite a detour for us, to see the Californian coast. They dropped us near Fort Bragg. 



Our last driver to San Francisco is Jake. He pick-up us in this village where most of the hippies of the 70s settled.

One time, he missed a concert of Jimmy Hendrix to spend more time with a girl. Now he is going to SF for a trial with FBI.

In California it is legal to grow marijuana, but it’s illegal at the federal level. He obtained the title for the best organic marijuana in SF, a contest ran by several coffee shops.  He does as well carpentry. Jack is still looking for what to do in life, to find his bliss. The greatest passion. Keep walking, Jack !

He left us in front of a hostel where we could leave all our luggages for 1$. Then we visited the city, and in the evening, to go to Yosemite, we rented a car: yes we rented a car for us only: first time in this trip! Coincidence, it is Emilie’s 6th month