Thinking about taking a trip to Northern Cal

[tiyoo]

Originally Posted by nmnita

Other than the pot you want to buy, there really isn't much to the Arcata/Eureka area.

Nita

Do you somehow know me? You got me dead on...I hope I didnt offend you

[nmnita]

Originally Posted by tiyoo

Do you somehow know me? You got me dead on...I hope I didnt offend you

nope, I did read your posting on the thread that was closed.

Nita

[TheDragonslayer]

Arcata has what you want, but you would be better off stopping in the Garberville/Redway/Shelter cove area. This is called Southern Humboldt county and borders Mencocino County. The south part of the county gets very hot in the summer, into the upper 90's and when I lived there, it once hit 118º during a week that never saw a daytime temp lower than 100º. Garberville and Redway are interior and Shelter Cove is on the ocean side of the Lost Coast and the Kings Range Conservation area. Even the Redwoods are bigger.

Shelter Cove, California on the Lost Coast


There is an annual reggae music festival each year in the Garberville area. This will be their 25th year. I went once in 92 and there were over 10,000 people attending the festival and it lasted 3 days.

Reggae On The River® Festival : http://www.reggaeontheriver.com

[rachelinala]

Originally Posted by coyoteskye

I'd cross the state on 40 and then stay north of So. CA , even north of Santa Barbara ... hit the coast around Cambria (check map) and then drive north on HW 1 (coast).
The central coast is beautiful ... fog comes and goes but there will be plenty of sun and warmth along the way.
Big Sur is wonderful ... continue up through Carmel and Monterey ... up to Santa Cruz and continue up through Half Moon Bay and then on to S.F.
Go farther north from there and see the wine country (Sonoma and Mendocino counties) and then on up to Arcata (why?) or cut across the state from S.F. on HW80 .... visit Lake Tahoe ... and then find your way home (Texas? where are you coming from?) there either on the western or eastern side of the Sierra.
You could even fit a visit to Yosemite in there.
That plan will give you a taste of, what is in my opinion, the best of CA. Central and northern Coast and the Sierra.

I have to agree. For me the prettiest part of hwy 1 is Cambria to Big Sur (my favorite part), then just drive up to San Fran. Spend some time in SF, then head to the wineries.

[tiyoo]

Originally Posted by TheDragonslayer

Arcata has what you want, but you would be better off stopping in the Garberville/Redway/Shelter cove area. This is called Southern Humboldt county and borders Mencocino County. The south part of the county gets very hot in the summer, into the upper 90's and when I lived there, it once hit 118º during a week that never saw a daytime temp lower than 100º. Garberville and Redway are interior and Shelter Cove is on the ocean side of the Lost Coast and the Kings Range Conservation area. Even the Redwoods are bigger.

Shelter Cove, California on the Lost Coast


There is an annual reggae music festival each year in the Garberville area. This will be their 25th year. I went once in 92 and there were over 10,000 people attending the festival and it lasted 3 days.

Reggae On The River® Festival : http://www.reggaeontheriver.com

I am going to be in the area from June 20-24th because I am stopping along the way in San Jose and San Fran to see Wineries and Google and Apple and what not...Silicon Valley...I am big into online business and those companies are amazing...

Anyways, so you are saying that I should be good to go with the whole marijuana situation, cause I heard there was like a Shoot out/car chase in Arcata between drug dealers or something...because a drug buy went down wrong...One would think they would start to crack down on the stuff there...

I guess im just being paranoid or something because I keep reading about how easy it is to get stuff there...

Anyways, I am excited about the wineries. I am also excited about the highway 1 along the coast...I hear its beautiful.

[kanhawk]

Originally Posted by TheDragonslayer

The lost coast highway south of Eureka is a breath taking drive through the Kings range and along the coast starting at Ferndale..

I just want to second dragonslayer's recommendation of the Lost Coast highway. I don't believe this road is well known to outsiders but it is a truly magnificent trip through coastal mountains overlooking the ocean from hundreds of feet up. It winds through some beautiful grass covered hills with occasional stands of fir trees. The couple of times I have been on the road it was mostly deserted all the way to the beach. Good thing too as it is narrow and one laned in some places. If you want to get away from the tourists and crowds check this road out.

[TheDragonslayer]

What happened was a 19 year old young man from Antioch California and a 21 year old man from Arcata set up 6 people to buy 14 pounds from. This was last Monday night just 2 blocks from my house here in McKinleyville. The two young men pulled out a handgun and a AK47 and made the people lay down in the road and then took off on Highway 101 to 299 in Arcata where a person witnessed them with the AK47. The sheriff and Highway patrol took chase and that lasted almost to Willow Creek where a spike strip was set up. The two young men in a jeep Cherokee hit the spike strip and continued for another 1/4 mile where the driver (the 19 year old) drove right through a gravel turnout and over the side of the road Thelma and Louise like. When the law arrived, the 19 year old was outside of the vehicle with a self inflicted gunshot wound to the head, the bullet went through his jaw and mouth, if I remember right. The 21 year old was dead of a shot to the left side of his head. Both men were wearing bullet proof vests. It is not known if the 19 year old shot the 21 year old or not, but the 19 year old has said that he tried to kill himself, but messed it up. They do have the highway patrol stopping vehicles along 101 during the harvest time of year, they do profile when they stop drivers, so if you fit the bill, they will pull you over and check your vehicle. Right after the reggae event, they almost turn their backs on the whole thing....This thread makes me think of the Cheech and Chong move, Up in Smoke.

[TheDragonslayer]

Here is the latest on the story in our local paper. This is from todays paper.

Surviving suspect from police chase identified - Times-Standard Online

[CA central coast]

stay on the coast on your way up. as some of the other posters stated. forget I-5. Cambria to Monterey on HWY 1 is a must. Another option, as you head north on 101 into San Luis Obispo. Instead of heading over to Morro Bay via Hwy 1. Morro Bay is really where that drive to Monterey starts. Stay on 101 to Paso Robles if you want to hit some wineries. A lot of them are located on HWY 46 east and west in Paso Robles. Then you take HWY 46 WEST to head over to Cambria, to start your drive north. Paso Robles is a wine region. There are a lot of nice wineries in the area.