Eureka - California 2014

6-2-14
I am on my own for a few days. This morning I was on the road at 5:00 AM. When I arrived in Redding, California at 10:00 AM it was hot already.
My arrival was a disaster. I wanted to stay at the Moose Lodge. The lodge is located at a main street, but there was no flag flying and the sign on the building is very small.
I went up and the down the street several times.One time I had to unhook the car to get out of a none gated Senior Housing Area.
The Masonic Lodge and the Moose Lodge are not very far apart and one person directed me to the Masonic Lodge. A lady was nice enough to move her car so I was able to turn around in that parking lot.
 When I finally found the Moose Lodge I was told that they have no electrical hook up. Yesterday, when I called, I was told different. It is too hot in the city to dry camp. I reset my GPS and it took me to the Elks Lodge. After setting up the motorhome and turning on the air conditioner I went to the Sundial Bridge in Turtle Bay Exploration Park. It was too hot to do much. The last time I was on the bridge it was hot too.

The anglers, standing in the Sacramento River, were not hot.

 From the bridge I drove to Walmart and did some shopping. The rest of the afternoon I took it easy.
On my evening walk along the Sacramento River I enjoyed cooler temperatures.

6-3-14

California highway 299 goes through some beautiful country, but it is not an easy drive with a motorhome, towing a car. I arrived at the Moose Lodge in Eureka at 9:00 AM.

After a nap I went to the Senior Center to sign up for tomorrow’s lunch. The lady at the desk told me that I could eat there today too. They must have had enough food. The couple who were sitting on my table are married for 76 years and own the largest plumbing company in Humboldt County. The man knew San Diego because he did Navy Boot Camp there.

Late afternoon I went to Claudia’s house. Scott was home from work and Claudia had picked up Nicolette and Jacob from school. There was a lot of mail for me

6-4-14

Today I went to two body shops to get an estimate for repairing the front bumper on the Saturn. One estimate was $ 1,400 and the other $ 927.00. Most of the cost is labor.

The shop will get the part and when I come back to Eureka in August they will do the work.

Late afternoon I went to Claudia for dinner.

We have unusual nice weather in Eureka. The sky is blue and the sun is shining.

6-6-14

After eating lunch at the Senior Center I went to Old Town and the boardwalk. I have been here many times and there is nothing new to see.

When I was through walking I felt like visiting the elk herd in Orick. When I arrived there, no elks were around. I kept on going on a dirt road and drove all the way to Gold Bluff Beach. I told the ranger in the pay booth that I would make a U turn and head back. I also told her that I was looking for the elks. Since I was in a State Park I did not want to pay the entrance fee. She ask me whether I had a Senior Pass. I was lucky, at this park they recognize Federal passes. The ranger also told me that the herd is near Fern Canyon, but I should be careful since the females have babies and attack easily. When I got to Fern Canyon I did not see any elks. Going into the canyon was fun though.
There is plenty of water running down the canyon walls and the ferns are very healthy and green.

On my way back to the road I saw one lonely, big male elk. 

When I came to the Red School House I saw about twenty females. Some of them were young. They were eating the grass on not occupied camp sites and some were resting under a tree. 

6-7-14

The sixth, seventh and eight graders in Humboldt County were selling lemonade today. It was Lemonade Day.

The children had to do it like a business. They had to find investors, who in most cases were parents. The lemons, sugar and water melons, and mixes for cookies were bought with investors money. Paper cups, napkins and ice cubes had to be bought too.

Scott made a stand which came in sections to facilitate transportation. 

The first customer.

One of the girls on the “Sugar, Spice and Everything Nice” team lives near a park, where all day teams played softball. About every hour another team started playing and the team who was done needed refreshments. The sale started at 10:00 AM and by 4:00 PM the kids had sold all their lemonade, popsicles, and cookies. The intake was $ 207.50. Now they have to figure out the cost of the supplies.

Jacob and his friend canvassed the neighborhood around the zoo with a little wagon.

Inspectors came and the team got an award for great marketing and great taste. 

I saw girls sitting on the side of the street, in the middle of the block, where there was only car traffic. They did not have much business. One lady stopped her car at our place and handed the children five dollars. She did not want anything.