What I did not wake up to this morning was the sound of a dinging car door, instead I woke up to the bustling sounds of the neighboring campsite packing up. I suppose waking up is the wrong word to use since it technically was the third time of “waking up” for the day. I opened my eyes to the car door open and Franklin sitting on the grass staring at me as if to say “WAKE UP!”

I jumped up and looked at the clock, it felt like noon but thankfully only 8am. Still late for the day we had ahead so I jumped up and immediately began packing and it was when I tried to open the hatchback and couldn’t that I realized my battery was dead.  Absentmindedly I had abused my car’s battery during this first two-dayer (staying more than one day at a location). While my car was taking the day off from driving us around, relaxing, not being used, it was in fact being used. Charging cell phones, charging laptops, lighting the way while car doors were left open.  I suppose waking up to a dead battery during this trip was inevitable, but waking up to it surrounded by other campers in a crowded state campground was lucky.  I once again, thought, “I got this” as I pulled out my battery operated “self jumper”. Unfortunately it didn’t work either because I didn’t charge it long enough before I left or it didn’t work because I simply wasn’t using it correctly. So I went to plan B, good old fashioned, car-on-car jumping. I wandered down the camp street with my jumper cables in hand until I found Jeff. I looked at him and said, “Excuse me, do you have a minute to help?” Holding up my jumper cables in an effort to say, “yeah I’m an idiot.” He looked at me and without hesitation said, “I have just what you need!” A few minutes later Jeff appeared with a “self jumper” (technical term unknown), and although he wasn’t actually wearing shining armor, it sure felt like he should have been. He came over hooked it up and said, “start your car” and just like that, she was purring again.  I mean she had the right to be angry, using and abusing her like that on her day off, and like I said I am fortunate that she chose to prove her point in a crowded campground.  Ok, point proven, will not abuse you like that again!
We hit the road later than anticipated, stopped at Freddy’s for the necessities; water, ice, bananas and apples and continued on our way.  Our first stop, Redwoods National Park. Ok, maybe we didn’t end up stopping but we definitely drove through it as hard as we could.  Yo
u first hit a sign that says “Redwood National Park” and I looked around in that moment and thought, “nah, I’ve seen better.” But before we knew it, we were transported into a far away land with elves and other random creatures that live in foggy climates surrounded by enormously tall trees. These trees were no joke and they appear out of nowhere.  All you saw were thick, auburn colored trunks as big as the car that continued up with no ending in site. But just as soon as we were deep in this forest, we were through and the redwoods behind us.  I wanted to stop and do one of the many hiking trails they
have, but I just wasn’t ready to leave Franklin in the car. National Parks, if you aren’t aware, are very strict about allowing dogs on trails, and for good reason, I get it, but getting it doesn’t mean I have to like it. So I don’t. We did however, come across a huge pack of Elk, that called for a car stop and some pictures.

We continued our trek on highway 299, a highway I haven’t been on, leading us through northern California, through beautiful landscape after beautiful landscape. NorCal is more gorgeous than I anticipated and I often got caught up by the immense natural awesomeness of it all.  We made our way around winding curve after winding curve and then out of the corner of my eye we drove past Trinity River. Holy Crap! it was the bluest river I’ve ever seen. Not like deep ocean blue but a light aquamarine color that you might see in the ocean surrounding the Caribbean islands.  Of course, I pulled over to snap a few pictures!

Amy Poehler finished her awesome book on the playlist and we continued to travel from cute little town to the next.  Weaverville takes the cake for cutest town so far, unsuspecting but adorable. It was about this time where I was ready for a stop and I’m pretty sure Franklin was too. We stopped at a few campgrounds but none of them felt right.  It wasn’t until we arrive at Douglas City did I screech the car to the right and follow the signs to the primitive campground 2.2. miles away.  We turned corner after corner until we arrived and circled the empty campground until finally, there she was… just steps away from the wonderful sounds of a rushing river…and here we stay.  A little short of our final destination, but an awesome spot nonetheless. I have ice today for the first time in our journey so I just might make myself a cocktail and settle in by the fire. Cheers!