Eureka -- Greeks get Everywhere

If you didn't know already -- it wasn't some gold miner who invented that name -- the exclamation of joy and discovery -- it was Archimedes when mixing gold with other alloys for his Kings crown. Damn those Greeks get everywhere.

It was appropriate here though in the northern most large town called Eureka for the likes of William Carson , who not only started the lumber business in the Humboldt Bay area , but was pretty successful in Gold Mining , invested in shipping and financed the development of steam driven engines for hauling and cutting the lumber. He was a very rich man.

In 1884 he built the Carson Mansion---

 

and no it wasn't in Disneyland -- this mansion was a Victorian example of the highest quality and recognised as the best Victorian house in America.

 

Across the road he built his son a house , not quite so grand but nonetheless pretty impressive.

 

Spent all of yesterday wandering around the historical part of the town and the marina--

 It was a beautiful day and it was Memorial Day this weekend so plenty of activities and families out and about ---

 Eureka also has the deepest natural inlet along the pacific coastline and this has made it one of Americas biggest sea fishing ports
 

 
These 2 clearly found it warmer in the puddle than the Bay
 

 
Lot of very well equipped vessels
 

 

 
The car below -- it's a Dodge BTW -- is one I really want to drive -- actually , to drive really fast -- this was in very good condition-- for me a classic American car---
 

 
Again traditional American architecture for the 30's
 

 

 
There was some sort of event with bikes as alternatives to lorries on this parade -- never did find out what it was all about but I guess the weekend was memorial day so probably around that--
 

 

 
 

 

  Oh and these Oirish do turn up everywhere don't they

 
 
 
 

 

 

Our hotel at the Best Western Plus was very good and had plenty going on -- nice pool , big hot tub , fire pits and armchairs of and a sign to tell me how far to get home--

Topping up the tan for Greece

 Hot tub

 
The sign for miles to many different places-- apparently it is 5250 miles to London --
 

 An amazing mural on the side of the building for performing arts-- 

 
I love the way that the town deal with unsightly electrical cabinets in the pavements---

 

So , impressions we got of Eureka some 10 or 12 years ago where maybe a bit misjudged and I think we did not see this side of town -- probably just hotels on the side of the busy freeway.

 

One last thing before we start the journey up to Portland that I need to find out about --- what the hell has Hawaiian music and singing got to do with the recreational area -- especially when your having breakfast.

 

Aloha -- see , 2 mornings of listening to Hawaiian songs and I can talk like a native. 

Pacific Highway to Humbolt, Redwoods and a chance to shout Eureka.

 

So yesterday it was bye bye to Ocean Cove Lodge and start the drive up to Eureka a place we avoided about ten years ago with Rod and Ann.

But first we had to leave this great view yesterday morning and had the benefit of a days drive up the I-1 -- the picture below is of our small but perfectly formed room there ----smallest room ever,

 Amazing views and I have to say that I am not sure I would back my RV that close to the edge.

Lynda managed to get a picture -- only just -- of this growing young buck that we passed by---

So all the way up the I - 1 we were seeing evidence of Russian architecture in the properties we past by -- mostly in the more expensive looking properties---

 Stunning views of some amazing coastline

 And then to find yourself looking at a sign like this when your over 5000 miles away from where you thought this was --YYYYuck

 Well spotted by Lynda of this number plate , almost a clean Route 66

 Picture of Salmon River --- yeah , you guessed it -- it was a river found to have salmon in so why not call it -----

The Redwoods started pretty much after we got south of Fort Bragg

 

 

 The trees become so tall that the sun is almost completely blocked out

We spent a really long time going up and down mountains at around 8 -9000 feet up and it was twistier than any roads as good as they were, than I have driven before -- quite a bit of this highway we had not driven previously---- Rod would love it lol.

the one above was from google to emphasise the twisting

 So we didn't see any of the real things so when we went in to the park with the drive through redwood giant we thought to get a picture of something that someone went to a great deal of trouble making--

Pretty lifelike and fit in well--

 So above is Lynda and me and the car coming through the giant redwood but the young lady didn't do it justice-- Oh , and for Rod and Ann, this was not as good as the one in Oregon at the Paul Bunyan site that we went through with you -- that was much bigger but we wont get time to stop tomorrow , so we thought we would do this now and support the parks with our $10-

One place that we couldn't resist coming down to see was Scotia, about 30/40 minutes south of Eureka.

So Road & Ann, Lynda and me did a road trip over 10 years ago -- we had stopped in to Hillsboro in Portland to see our friend the Kosmas Family and we headed off after a couple of days on our drive down to the Grand Canyon and we were travelling down the I - 5 until we branched off to the right to follow the I - 1 pacific highway.

Our problem was that we had not booked any hotels at that time -- we had and were gonna be using the Books with the vouchers in that you get in the gas stations.

So we drove all day and got to Eureka and we weren't sure that this very very busy town with lumber trucks and the like-- what else are you gonna get in Eureka -- so we all agreed to keep going to find somewhere else-- but dark comes down quick and we were driving through the redwoods not having a clue where we were , or what towns there might be with a hotel -- a little scary until we spotted a small sign by the road pointing down to Scotia -- and we were saved -- with this beautiful Victorian timber hotel immediately in front of us -- thank you -- it does smile on the righteous sometimes

 

 The one above is the corner where the Pub is where we ate when we stayed before-

So I remember the PLC name on the side of the Mill but it seams it has changed hands twice since we were here last.

So then it was onwards to Eureka and the Humbolt Bay but more of that later

 

So after a great days drive and a nice -- if not too much -- meal later, we are ready to explore this outpost from the early days of Lumber and Gold---

 

Yummy, but have to say not all was eaten, and no we don't want to take away-- how do Americans do that stuff in the polystyrene boxes -- stop doing that.