Location – Northern California Coast line where Highway 1 joins Highway 101 and moves away from the coast.
Time – Mid August
Duration – 3 Days – I prepared for 5 giving myself the benefit of the doubt, Damazon planned on 4
Distance – 25 miles
Through Hike – yes, for the northern and most popular half
Would I do it again – yes, to hike the full 50+ mile trail or if my daughter or granddaughter wanted to go
Cliffs climbed – didn’t really climb them per se, but we had to climb off the bluff twice and onto it once
Critters – 1 skunk, birds, sea lions, seals, 2 snakes, bear tracks, bear scat
People – the most was at the trail head; we all scattered out quickly for skill level
Lighthouses – 2 one at each end, both short
Private property – several in varying levels of up keep; 1 landing strip
Caught my attention – bear scat is not like in the Sierras; it is instead like a rotten log. It is big and log shaped, brown and looks like a decomposing log, it has berries and other things in it.
Would have picked up – sea urchins, star fish, jaw bones, shells, a rock with three wells in it
What was picked up – I believe in the leave no trace, so when I saw things that other hikers lost, I picked them up. I had hoped to find the owners, but that never happened. I picked up a scrunchy and a dog bootie.
Where do you go to the bathroom – number 2 must be done on the shore line as close to the water as possible. Number 1 can be anywhere as long as it is 200 yards from the creeks.
Did you – yes. Luckily no one was around. In the evening, at the creeks, when someone walks out to the ocean, the rest of us give them privacy.
Rate the trip – 10; I enjoyed it, and am now finding enthusiasm for future trips that I was lacking before. I have satisfaction in completing a planned trip without hurting excessively or getting nauseous. In fact, I was hungry most of the time and had energy to get up and go in the mornings. I didn’t hurt for days afterwards either.
This trip was a success on many levels.