September 24, 2017.
Monday, we hiked the Hammond Trail in McKinleyville. It
is an Urban Trail. At the start of the hike it rained a bit and only six people
showed up. After a while it cleared up.
In the evening, I went dancing at the lodge.
Tuesday, I enjoyed the Chinese Acrobats at the Arkley
Center for the Performing Arts.
Friday, I hiked the Trillium Falls Trail with the
Ramblers. The fall is very small but the scenery was almost like at the rain
forest in Washington State. The weather
was fantastic. We were twenty hikers.
Saturday, I went to the Arcata Marsh and Wilderness
Sanctuary in Arcata.
I joined the
ninety minute guided walk.
The marsh is a component of the City’s wastewater
treatment facility. A series of ingeniously constructed ponds treat the water
naturally with less reliance on chemicals.
A large flock of small birds entertained us by flying in
formation over the pond back and forth.
In the evening, I went to the North Coast Repertory
Theater for the play “Arcadia”. It is going to take some time for me to digest
the play. It was not easy to follow the action.
Sunday, I drove to Patrick’s Point State Park in Trinidad
for Sumeg Village Days.
The Yurok Tribe built several houses on Park land to show
how members of the tribe lived in the past.
Today, there were traditional cooking demonstrations,
displays of baskets and craft items. A young Yurok and his daughter were giving
information about Yurok life and answering questions.
Young ladies were modeling their dance costumes. Some of
the dresses weigh forty pounds.
My next stop in the park was Wedding Rock, and there was
a wedding. The bride and other young ladies wore high heel shoes. It is a
mystery to me how they walked on that rough trail.
September 30, 2017.
Monday, I walked with the Ramblers in the Humboldt Bay
National Wildlife Refuge. The refuge is on the Pacific Flyway and birds use
this refuge as a stop-over where they rest and replenish energy reserves.
Other birds spend the winter here and some use the refuge
for nesting.
Our next stop was the Hookton Slough Trail, which is part
of the refuge. There we walked three more miles. The weather was fantastic. The
rainy season will start soon.
Wednesday, I walked the first time with the Wednesday
Walkers. They walk only an hour and usually in or around Eureka.
We walked Cooper Gulch Park and Myrtle Grove Memorial
Cemetery. Those two places are side by side.
In the park are steel cages on posts. Frisbee players use
them. Instead of a golf course it is a frisbee course.
The cemetery has gravestones from the 1800s. It was
another seldom summer day. The temperature went up to 81 degrees F. which was a
record for this time of the year.
Friday morning, I walked for an hour with the Ramblers.
We walked at the Elk River Headwater Preserve. This trail is very easy at the
beginning and after three miles it gains elevation.
Since this area seldom gets frost the fall colors are not
that spectacular.
The river does not have much water right now. The Forest
Service built benches from a fallen tree.
I rushed back to town while the rest of the group went
on. The Accordionaires were playing at the Senior Center before lunch. It was
birthday celebration day for the month of September. I did not want to miss this. There was
dancing. The Accordionaires played a lot of German songs.
Saturday, I went to the Oktoberfest in Fortuna. The
Accordionaires and the Scotia Band were providing the music. Some dancers of
the Monday dance club where there and we did some dancing and took a polka
lesson.
I stayed two hours and then went to the Greek Festival in
Eureka. I wanted to eat some Greek food.
There was dancing too. It was not ball room dancing
though.
Claudia and Scott lived next to the church when they were
younger. The house was too small with two children.
Sunday, I walked a bit down town and the rest of the day
I cooked and rested.
