Jeep Stylee, woof

Finally a day off! To all my friends who have had their WFR for years and dared go into the woods with me, let me apologize. I do dumb stuff. (hanging off trees, dangling, skiing-or falling off of things way to steep, going way to fast, etc...) And in most of these places, if I were to get all busted, getting me out and to el doctora would be a bitch. So yeah, next time we hang in the back country, I will try chill. Wait a minute, who am I kidding? No I won't. But at least now I will try to land in a spot or position that will make it easier for you to hold my head. That said, I am pretty stoked to now be on my way to having a better idea of how to help out all you crazies who dare enter the great outdoors with me. The first five days of the WFR course have been intense. Our two instructors are amazing and full of all kinds of energy. That is good because they are able to keep it light when we are talking about how to pack the guts back into someone. But today is the only day off of the 10 day class and it is needed.

The voyage down to San Francisco was great! I spent the first night at Umpqua Hot Springs in Oregon. Very Nice. Will return someday.

The next night was spent just east of Mt. Shasta. I drove down a little dirt road and pitched the tent just before dark. Had a little something to munch on, and got up early to drive to the Lost Coast.

The drive through northern California was beautiful. I arrived at Sinkyone, California State Park just before dark. I wasn't out of my car at the camp host's cabin
for two seconds when the hosts, a married couple who 'park keep' 12 months a year at various parks, called me up to their lawn where they were munching on bree and salmon and wine. The woman told me which campsite to hike down to and set up, then told me to come right back to join them for dinner!

It was a very unexpected end to a very long but great day of driving. The cabin sits atop a cliff with a wide open view of the Pacific. There are elk herds in the surrounding meadows. A cow and calf were even in my camp for most of the night. In the morning I woke just as it was beginning to get light out and walked down to the beach for a little tide pooling and to get a good look and the cool rocks on the beach.
Needle Rock is the famous one.

In hindsight, I wish I had not spent the night before at Mt. Shasta I don't think a week would be enough time to spend at the Lost Coast and I think I will be going back before the summer is over. Maybe next weekend, as I will have four days off between the WFR course and preparing for Europe with the new job.

Reading List: Treasure Island (started it at Umpqua, finished at Shasta)
Two Years Before the Mast (well into it and let me just tell ya, what a guy.)
Letters from the Earth my Mark Twain.

Alright, I am not going to spend my entire day in this coffee shop, so... peace.