The Redwoods Really Are Impressive

From Napa Valley, we headed north on Highway 101 towards the coast, where our final destination was Redwood National Park.  We knew there would be multiple campgrounds in the area and hoped some would be open when we arrived.  For that reason, we left fairly early and made just a few stops along the way.

The first stop we made was a bathroom break/tourist stop at the Real Goods Solar Living Institute, a 12-acre demonstration site for permaculture.  One of my travel books suggested it was worth a visit, and we were not very impressed. One cool feature was a bicycle that converted human force into energy.  

A bicycle that converts human energy to usable energy

It reminded me of my science teacher friend who has talked about creating this in his classroom.  I think it’s a brilliant idea and it was cool to see it at work in this institute.  The work this Institute does and what they stand for is really awesome, but we found the grounds difficult to navigate. We arrived too early for their tours and the visitor information center was still closed, so maybe our experience would have been better had we arrived later.

Heading north, we continued on Highway 101 until reaching Humboldt Redwoods State Park and the Avenue of the Giants.  The name refers to the giant redwood trees that line the road as you drive.  We had planned to stop at the giant tree in this area that you can literally drive through, but we missed the turn and didn’t want to backtrack (we were still thinking about campsites that might be filling up).  Instead, we continued about 30 miles on this leisure road that runs parallel to Highway 101, stopping along the way to take pictures and stand among the awe-inspiring trees. 

Colin looks so small among these trees

Enjoying a picturesque drive along the Avenue of the Giants

From Avenue of the Giants, we kept heading north through the beautiful mountains that were enhanced by the sunny skies.  Once we reached the coast, the scene was dramatically different.  The cool air and fog made the coastal towns of Eureka and Arcata look depressing.  During our very brief stop at a dollar store in Eureka (to pick up some bottled water and a can opener), we saw signs of a depressing economy.  We didn’t make the time to visit areas of Eureka off Highway 101, so there may have been better areas to this town.

Checking to see just how cold the water is in northern California

The final leg of our journey to Redwood National Park from Eureka brought us more views of a foggy coast.  Our depressed attitude continued when rangers at the visitor center discouraged us from the campground I had been hoping for on the beach.  We decided to get a “backcountry” camping permit just in case we didn’t find an available site at the campgrounds.  Most national parks have “first come, first serve” campgrounds which can not be reserved in advance. Since it was still fairly early in the day and we didn’t have any grand plans of doing serious hiking in the foggy, cool weather, we decided to drive the 5 miles on the winding dirt road, in our Chevrolet Sonic rental, to the Gold Bluffs Beach Campground to see if any spots were available. 

The drive was worth the trip when we found multiple open sites.  I had read that this campground offered nice campsites on the beach, with showers and clean bathrooms, and this was all true.  Unfortunately, the skies remained overcast, but the afternoon was less foggy and not unbearably cool.

Out campsite with the beach in the background

Colin preparing dinner near the picnic table and metal food storage container

We decided to hike 3-4 miles of trails into the Prairie Creek Redwoods State Park where we hoped to see elk (from a safe distance).  Though we did not see any elk, we continued to be impressed with the Redwood trees, and somehow stumbled upon a beautiful area of the park called Fern Canyon.  Walking on the wooden planks around the canyon’s river, and admiring the vibrant green ferns that surrounded us was magical. 

 Look closely - that's me at the bottom

Surprisingly, our necks were not sore from looking up all the time

Entering Fern Canyon

Getting over and around the water in Fern Canyon

From Fern Canyon, the end of our inland hiking expedition, we walked almost 1 mile back to the campground along the beach.  As I have overheard Colin describe the experience to others, the walk and the campground in general had a very “post-apocalyptic” feel because the sky broke neither blue nor sunlight and each campsite contained a solemn camper with obligatory fire.  The skies remained overcast (though we did catch a glimpse of a sliver of the sun as it dipped into the horizon), and the weather remained cool and damp during our entire 22 hour stay.  On the hike and in the canyon we did not experience the same dreariness as on the beach.

Colin's "post-apocalyptic" experience on the beach

The glimpse of sun as it dipped into the horizson

After indulging in lots of local delicacies in Napa Valley, our lunch, dinner, and breakfast in the Redwoods were comprised of food we brought with us.  I was very grateful for the metal food storage containers provided by the park service at the campsite after posted notices reminded me that bears inhabit the area.  One of our first stops in San Jose, after In-and-Out Burger, was at Costco to stock up on canned sardines, salty chips, mixed nuts and Clif Bars for our days in the parks.  We quickly learned how to make a satisfying meal by crushing the chips and adding them to the sardines in tomato sauce.  It was like having a fish stew.  Throughout the course of the 15 days, we went through about 20 small cans (6 oz each) of sardines, 2 large Costco size bags of chips, a large canister of mixed nuts and 20 Clif Bars. 

Stocking up on sardines, Clif Bars, nuts, and chips at Costco

What experiences have you had on the coast in Northern California? Did it resemble a post-apocalyptic scene?

What staple food items do you buy when you are traveling on the road and/or when camping?

Recap of Memorial Day camping

I almost didn't get to write this post about camping in the outer banks because we almost didn't get a campsite! Thankfully, the people who got the last site shared it with us.  We were actually there first, but they talked to the ranger first.  And, the site was large enough that we could each be fairly far apart.  Here's a short recap of our weekend in the Cape Hatteras National Seashore and camping in Frisco.

The first, and largest National Park Service campground we tried was closed due to flooding, so we knew we might have trouble finding a spot in the second campground in the area.  But, we got lucky, or at least encountered some nice people who were willing to share.

Our campsite

Darwin found his shady spot immediately!  It was hot at 11am.

On Saturday, the beach was packed with SUVs lined up next to each other.  It made the beach look so ugly with so many cars on it!  It was super windy and the sand actually hurt because it was blowing so hard against you. We didn't lay on the beach very much and ended up going for a long walk instead. We also set up our campsite, drove around the area a bit, and spent most of the evening watching wind surfers that were loving the breezy conditions.  Apparently, I forgot to use my camera on the first day, but made up for it on day 2.  Here is a picture recap of our Sunday.

Heading to the beach to enjoy breakfast during the beautiful morning (~6:30am)

Some scattered showers allowed us to experience a rainbow

Darwin loved laying on our beach towels all weekend!

He did go into the water on his own and actually played in it 

(but no swimming yet - he's still afraid of the water when it gets above his belly)

The walk from the campsite to the beach

Rushing to take down our camping gear before the rain came. We had everything packed, except the tent! I'm so glad our down (feather) sleeping bags were already packed.

Darwin hiding under the table at lunch during the start to our drive back.  The rain was heavy in Frisco, so we made our way up the coast and stopped for lunch for a little delay in the hopes the rain would pass and we'd be able to enjoy a beach day.

My fish tacos were pretty good at the Atlantic Coast Cafe in Waves, NC

Colin opted for the fried medley (fries, shrimp, grouper, crab cakes)

We seemed to be driving away from the rain as we headed up Cape Hatteras National Seashore.  When we got to the last spot before getting on the main road away from the beach, we decided to take a little nap (full bellies after a night of poor sleep in a tent leaves you feeling so tired) and it seemed we were about 20-30 minutes ahead of the rain.  There were lots of clouds, but very little rain when we arrived around 1pm, so we put up the beach umbrella and rested our eyes for a bit.  As the day progressed, the clouds diminished and we slowly brought more of our things out to the beach.  By 3pm, we experienced more sun than clouds.  And with the threat of rain most of the day, we had the beach mostly to ourselves.


What started off as a day with scattered storms, turned into a day with heavy rain,
and later into a pleasant afternoon/evening.  

 Nags Head around 5pm - perfect!

It was a difficult 3 hour ride home from the beach, but after a nice, long shower, it felt amazing to sleep in my own bed.  My bed always feels amazing after sleeping on the ground and it was especially wonderful after experiencing two days of salt water and ocean air.  The best part was that we could sleep in on Monday since it was Memorial Day!

What did you do Memorial Day weekend?

Where is your favorite place to go in the Outer Banks?

Lots of Upcoming Travels!!

Happy almost long weekend to all!!

It's going to be in the upper 80's this weekend so Colin and I are headed to the outer banks this evening!!  The plan is to stay with our friend's parents tonight and then head down the coast to find a campground with room for Saturday and Sunday night reservations.  I know that I always look forward to camping, but never sleep well in a tent.  But, I am just so happy to have a long weekend ahead of me and we haven't really spent a lot of time of the beach since....gosh I can't even remember.  I'm guessing some time last summer, or maybe even before that.  No wonder I can't wait!

We've also been planning other fun summer adventures the past few weeks. Colin's got a work trip to Fort Lauderdale in early June (yes, right around the corner!) and his conference finishes up on a Friday.  I'm very excited to go and spend a long weekend at the beach (3 full days).  And that trip will be even better than the outer banks because 1.) we will be more comfortable in a hotel and 2.) it will come at the end of a very busy time at work (which I am in the middle of now!!).

At the end of June and into early July, my dear friend from college is getting married in Burlington, Vermont.  So, we've got a whirlwind of a trip planned to fly into and out of Boston, visit friends in the area, spend some time in RI and be in Burlington for the weekend.  All of that is planned in just 5 days!!  I wish I could go longer to visit with more friends in the area, especially since there are so many babies I haven't met (and some are already 2).  But alas, we're trying to save up some vacation time for a big trip in the fall (I won't disclose until we are sure we are going).  Thankfully, many of my college gal pals will be with me at the wedding (though none are bringing their babies) and they all live fairly close to each other in Boston. To make things easier, I'm trying to plan a day (or night) with each set of friends along the route between RI and VT.  New York friends will have to wait until a visit in that direction.

And if these three trips were not exciting enough, I had a meeting today at work regarding a conference in Asheville in September.  I love that town because the vibe brings me back to Burlington and always get excited to spend some time there.  The best part about the conference is not that it is in Asheville, but that we are all staying in The Grove Park Inn!  My friends in the area will need no explanation, but for those of you unfamiliar with the resort, it is a large antique resort spa that boasts a "bed and breakfast" feel and is located in the middle of the mountains with amazing views all around.  The spa is supposedly a-m-a-z-i-n-g and September is usually a fantastic time of year in the mountains of North Carolina.  Though I do have to present at this conference on Sunday, I'm getting excited at the prospect of going up early to enjoy the area, especially since all rooms are discounted for conference attendees.  I hope I can convince Colin that it is an opportunity he does not want to miss.

I'm sure that by now you know that I love planning trips and getaways.  With the beautiful weather we've been having in Raleigh, we've been enjoying "staycations."  Now that the weather is getting a bit too warm, it's time to escape to places that offer more comfortable temperatures (like the mountains) or places to cool off from the heat (like the beach).

I'll keep you posted on how Darwin does with his second attempt at camping.  We will definitely be taking the "chew-proof" tie out cable and stake to prevent him from chasing night time critters in case he's still scared of the tent.  And we are taking our big tent in case it rains and he needs to sleep with us.


What are you up to this long weekend? 
Any summer vacation plans being made?

Camping on Ocracoke Island, NC (OBX) in June

Millers on the Road did not have a rest during the month of June!  First, we moved into our new house, then my dad and brother visited and we all went to DC, and the subsequent week had us camping on Ocracoke Island in the Outer Banks (OBX) of North Carolina.  Why would we do this to ourselves?  Well, an out of town friend had made travel plans back in March to visit the third weekend in June.  We had planned to camp on the beach during his visit.

As you probably already know, we Millers love the beach!  It's probably our favorite place to go.  We wish we could be closer to both swimming beaches and the mountains, but alas we are not fortunate enough to live in California.  Ocracoke Island is probably the farthest beach from our home, a 5.5 hour drive from Cary.  You have to go all the way out to Manteo, and follow route 12 south along the coast for 70 miles and take a ferry across the Hatteras Inlet.  We chose a second option, to drive 3 hours to Swan Quarter and allow the 2.5 hour ferry to transport us across Pamlico Sound to Ocracoke.

The weather was almost perfect for the trip.  Temperatures were in the 80's during the cloudless days and dipped into the upper 60's/low 70's at night.  The "almost perfect" was due to lightning storms the second night in the tent.  The flashes of light and humid air made it difficult to sleep.

Darwin did fantastic on the trip.  He was very nervous on the loud ferry, so his tail stayed wrapped under his legs most of the trip.  We are also having a difficult time breaking him of his fear of people who want to pet him.  It doesn't matter if it is an adult or child, his tail immediately goes under and he tries to get behind me or Colin.  When he meets other dogs, he has no problem going to greet them, but runs away the minute the owner tries to pet him.

Do you have suggestions to get him more comfortable around strangers and while in loud places? 

The national park service campground on Ocracoke is amazing!   There are a variety of campsites to choose from - grassy, wooded, or sandy areas and tents or RVs.  Our late arrival on Friday meant all the sites along the dunes were taken, so we chose a grassy site.  I would have liked to hear the rolling sounds of the waves, but I'm not sure anyone could hear waves over the strong winds that were prevalent.  In addition, it is so much nicer to lay on a grassy area than a wooded area!

 Darwin scoping out the campsite

Arriving late on Friday and leaving on an early ferry on Sunday meant we really had one full day at the beach.  Our morning started with a 3 mile trip to downtown Ocracoke.  We people rode bikes while Darwin trotted along with Colin.  By 11am it was really hot and the trip back for Darwin was difficult.  We had to make a few stops along the way.  Our little guy also gave us quite a scare when he tried to chase a bird out into the road and Colin lost his grip on the leash!  Thankfully, cars drive very slowly in this area and they stopped to let us get him out of the road.

The remainder of the day was spent on the beach - and oh how splendid it was!  I could have enjoyed calmer waters, but the air and water temperatures were perfect.  Darwin's first experience with the ocean was sub-optimal, but it was only his first time.  As much as he wanted to be in the water with us, the waves would always force him back out.  It was okay since he was so tired from the morning run! He spent most of the day napping beside us.

I love this adorable little face!

We love going to the beach and very much enjoyed Ocracoke.  It is a place we will definitely go back and visit when the air temperature cools back down to the 80s (and 60s overnight) late summer or early fall.

There were definitely some challenges as well.  Taking a visitor and a puppy camping for the first time means you have to plan ahead.

Here are some tips and lessons learned from our beach camping trip with a friend and a dog:
1. Secure a tent, sleeping bag, mattress pad for your out-of-town guest so they don't have to travel with these.  I am lucky to be able to rent these through the University.
2. Ask about your friend's dietary preferences.  Our friend is a vegetarian, so we included vegetarian friendly foods in our grilling options and stopped at a grocery store on the way to get any last minute choices.
3. Bring extra bug spray and sunscreen. North Carolina beaches have lots of people-eating insects.
4. If you plan to do something fun, be sure to include your friend in the planning process.  We wanted to ride our bikes so we brought a 3rd bike for our friend to use.  During the planning process, the main goal was to go camping on or near a beach and go to the beach, so that's what we did.
5. Decide how your dog will sleep when you are camping.   Darwin normally sleeps in his crate at home, so we tried to make a "den-like" area for him with a tarp.  He was not a fan of the strong winds that resulted in loud noises from the tarp.  He did sleep well in the tent with us, but we did not because it was too crowded.  We'll likely get him his own tent for next time.
6. Pack cool and refreshing things to eat during the heat of the day - lunchtime.  We tried grilling portabello mushroom/vegetable sandwiches on the grill and it just felt too hot to eat them. Take a cooler and ice to keep cold foods cold.
7. Don't plan to do work while enjoying vacation!  It never works for me.  I didn't get to enjoy this trip much because I had a final paper for my summer class due the Monday after the weekend.  With a 5 hour trip to and from the beach, I planned to get some done while driving and some down while hanging out at the campground. Needless to say, the work I did was minimal and not very good.  I should have just enjoyed my time at the beach and settled down to work when I got home instead of not enjoying myself and still working 12 hours when I got home!

Next time I go to the beach, I plan to enjoy the sun, sand and water without distractions!

Do you sometimes take work with you when you travel for fun? 
How do you manage to get your work done?

The final leg - Cumberland Island, GA - April 23-24

On Saturday morning we arrived at the Cumberland Island ferry terminal, unsure if we'd be able to camp overnight or not.  We had packed one bag with our necessary items for a day trip and filled a second backpack with camping and overnight gear - just in case. 

Imagine our excitement to find out they had room at the campground with showers!  We switched our $20 per person (roundtrip, pre-paid) return ferry ride, without problems, from the Saturday afternoon to Sunday afternoon and handed over the $8 to camp for the night.  While Sunday was a "free" entry day to the Island (normally $4), we decided to pay the $80 for the America the Beautiful Pass to motivate our journeys to visit more National Parks this year.

After shopping around town for last minute supplies - like food and bug spray - we were ready to go!

The ferry ride was an enjoyable and relaxing 45 minutes to the main dock.  Upon arrival, the National Park Service greeted us at the dock-side cabin. We could not help but notice hanging Spanish Moss Oak Trees and carts for transporting camping supplies.  These carts seemed necessary for the many passengers who were there for the "car-camping" experience.

While I enjoy the luxuries of car-camping, with all its inflatable queen sized mattresses, gazebos, grills, and chairs, there is nothing quite like the challenge of backpacking.  In true Miller fashion, we carried our gear on our backs the half-mile or so to our awesome campsite. 

If you cannot tell from the photos, the Island was pretty amazing and we had great weather to boot! Exploring by foot and bike each provided us bountiful opportunities to experience most of the Island's highlights.  On our nature walk, we came across this little fellow, Mr. Armadillo, who walked across our path:

By foot we also visited the Ruins called Dungeness, the name given to the modest home of Revolutionary War hero Gen. Nathanael Greene.  The highlight of the site, however, is what remains of Thomas Carnegie's former mansion, built 100 years later, in 1884.

While many people enjoy dinner at the kitchen table, followed by a few hours of relaxation in front of  TV, my preference is for an outdoor meal, and winding down watching this:

If you are like me, you don't really sleep well in a tent.  I don't know if my sleeping bags are too hot for the type of camping I do, if maybe I'm allergic to the feathers in the down sleeping bag, or if it is my type-A personality that keeps me from fully resting, but I spend most of the night awake instead of asleep!  So, when I saw the first glimmer of light, I was off to the beach with my camera.

On my way back to the campsite, I was almost trampled by three feral horses (dad, mom, and calf). It was definitely a scare to have the calf run towards you, knowing mom and dad would be close behind!  Once I regained my composure, I was able to catch a photo of them watching me walk away.

Horses are not native to Cumberland Island and there is a law that requires these horses to be left alone on the Island.  As a result, many have genetic defects, are malnourished, and are wreaking havoc on the natural habitat.  While horses are beautiful to look at, most of the ones we saw did appear sickly.  According to the park ranger, many other Parks control the population by selling these horses and helping to keep numbers of different breeds in check to prevent the genetic errors that occur with in-breeding. 

Renting ($16 each per day) and riding bikes on Sunday allowed us to venture farther from the campground.  The first 4 miles along the "main road" was so pretty, it almost made me forget how bumpy the unpaved road was.  Thankfully, our "cruisers" could handle it.

Once we ventured into the "wilderness area" of the central part of the Island, we saw more wildlife, including raccoons, alligators, and lots more feral horses.

Our bike ride brought us to Plum Orchard, the mansion built in 1898 for Thomas Carnegie's son, George (Andrew's nephew).  The mansion was donated to the National Park Foundation by Carnegie family members in 1971 and there are tours you can take into the building.  Colin was unimpressed with the structure - but he's much more critical than I am.

On a side note, the late JFK Jr. and Carolyn Bessett were married on Cumberland Island.  The ceremony was held at Brack Chapel of the First African Baptist Church - an area of the Island called "The Settlement"- which we did not have time to explore.  Their reception was held at the Greyfield Inn, which is the only accommodation on the Island.  Our ride took us by the gates, but the "private property" sign kept us out.  If we were not budget travelers, perhaps we would have considered staying there for $500-$600 per night!

Rather than travel the easy way back the way we came, we Millers went "off-roading" on our cruisers and traveled the 2.25 miles on a difficult trail through the wilderness area to the beach.  Knowing the path would get me to the refreshing beach was the only thing that kept me going!

The reward was well worth it - especially when my creative husband designed a perfect lunch spot on the deserted beach.

I was so grateful to have brought canned sardines on the trip, which tasted delicious after the difficult ride.  I was more grateful to relax for a bit in the shade!

The ride back along the beach was exhilarating.  The sun was warm on my shoulders, but the air was slightly cool with the ocean breeze.  A deserted beach combined with perfect weather is my paradise.

Have you ever camped on/near the beach?
If so, tell me where and how you liked it!! We are always looking for a beach campground for our next trip! 

Spontaneous Road Trip Preparations April 20-21

About a week before Easter, we realized Colin was going to have a day off for Good Friday.  With family in town and Colin traveling for a bachelor party, we didn't really have a chance to think about what we might do with a three day weekend until two days before the holiday.  We started the process by thinking of where we could go with just three days and three nights.  Colin has been slightly obsessed with Jacksonville, FL, so we decided that would be one of the destinations for our trip.  Since we both had to work a full day on Thursday, we thought about a destination between Raleigh and Jacksonville and immediately decided on Savannah, Georgia for the first leg of the trip.  We have both been to Charleston, SC and have both really wanted to make a trip to Savannah on numerous occasions, but never did.

There was obviously little time to plan, but on Wednesday evening, after checking hotel rates on Kayak, we decided to try and use the bidding feature on Priceline to find a better deal on a hotel in Savannah.  After selecting our preferences (3.5 stars, historic district or riverfront in Savannah) we bid $65 for the night and our bid was accepted!  The hotel we got, the Hilton Savannah de Soto, was priced at $150 for the same nights on Kayak!

As soon as we bid, Colin remembered an online forum where people share their bids.  For those of you that have never used Priceline, if your bid is not accepted, you can't just go and bid higher for 24 hours.  You can however, change details about the bid (like number of stars or exact location).  We thought we were lucky with our bid on the Savannah hotel, because a lower bid may not have been accepted.  Based on the forum posts, it didn't look like we could have gotten a better deal than we did.

We also went to the library on Wednesday and checked out some travel books on Savannah, Georgia, and Florida and I e-mailed a friend who was familiar with the Jacksonville area.  His recommendation was to go camping at Cumberland Island National Seashore, off the coast of southern Georgia.  I spent Wednesday evening and part of the day on Thursday trying to make reservations for the ferry and campground on the island.  I managed to get us on a ferry for Saturday morning to come back the same day because I was told the campground was full.  But, the woman told me to bring our camping stuff because sometimes there ended up being room on the day of the trip.

So, as soon as we got off of work on Thursday, we grabbed our city bags and camping bags, our travel books, cell phones, laptop and chargers and got in the car headed to Savannah.  We had lodging booked for the night and a ferry ride planned to Cumberland Island on Saturday - and that was all.

 Above: My clothes for a 3 day trip without concrete plans

Below: Colin's clothes for a 3 day trip without concrete plans

 Below: Water bottles, cell phones, cell phone car charger, mp3 players are the essentials for any long trip.  Only thing missing is our dinner and snacks.

Have you ever taken a spontaneous trip?
If so, how does it compare to other trips you've taken?

Stay tuned for details about how we made out!