Eureka - October 2017

October 8, 2017.

Monday morning, we hiked again the Ma-le’l Dunes.

At 12:00 Noon I attended a seminar about making an “Advance Health Care Directive”.

In the evening I danced at the lodge. We were 65 dancers and had a very good band.

Tuesday, we had Octoberfest at the Senior center. They served a bratwurst meal with German type potatoes and sauerkraut. Before lunch I danced with Joann for an hour. The band played a lot of waltzes.

In the afternoon I went to the court and asked them to post phone my jury duty since I have a doctor appointment on Wednesday. They will send me another Jury Summons in February next year.

When I came back to the lodge I moved the motorhome to a site with solid ground. It will start to rain pretty soon and the grassy area will be muddy.

Wednesday, I saw a nurse practitioner at the doctor’s office. She questioned why I use Lisinopril, since my blood pressure is fine. I told her about my little problem with one of my heart valves. She listened to my heart and then called the doctor to do the same. Both of them agreed that I have not much of a problem. They sent me to the lab to give some blood and a urine sample.

In the afternoon I walked with Joann in her neighborhood. She lives on the edge of town.

One of her neighbors builds statues with junk he finds.

Friday, I walked with the Ramblers the Tall Trees Trail in the Redwood National Park. We stopped at the Visitor Center to get an access permit for each of our five cars. We also got the combination for the lock on the gate.

The trail has a 600 feet elevation change. Unfortunately, we walked down first and then had to come up. I like it the other way around. It was a wonderful hike though. We met two separate German couples on the trail, and three Russian young men. It was a 4.5 mile round trip.

On a log were mushrooms.
 

Saturday was Harvest Festival in Fortuna. I went to three of the venues. Main Street was closed for motorized vehicles. There was a band and a lot of booths, selling all kind of wares.

Hay Rides were available for going to the different locations.

From Main Street I walked to Rohnert Park where they had more booths. Then I drove to the Clendenen Apple Orchard where the Del Rio Band was entertaining the visitors. The orchard had free apple cider tasting and they sold apple dumplings, juice, cider and apples.

In the evening I danced a the lodge. 
Sunday afternoon, today, I went to the Ferndale Repertory Theater and enjoyed the play: “Little Shop of Horrors”.

I never saw the movie, and never before the play. It was a fun filled two hours. Ferndale is a wonderful little Victorian town.

October 15, 2017.

Monday, we walked from Clam Beach to Moonstone Beach. The beach is located north of McKinleyville.

We were lucky and had no wind.

The Geezers, another walking club, were walking at the same time, but they walked south while we walked north.

Thursday, I picked the last apples I can reach with a six foot stepladder. The deer ate the lower apples and the middle apples are mine. They are not as pretty and uniform as the apples in the stores, but they taste a lot better. The lodge has three large trees.

It is a lot colder now and I have to wear a light jacket when I am walking. Wednesday, we had some rain.

Friday, I walked with the Ramblers the Berry Glen Trail. It was 2.5 miles up. The change in elevation was 1200 feet.

 I did some puffing. It was a wonderful hike. Coming back was easier.

We ate our lunch at the Lady Bird Johnson Grove.

Saturday morning, Humboldt Fire had Open House. I went on the guided tour.

The fire fighters cook their own meals.

Because of the open house the dining room was messed up.

The living room has comfortable chairs and a large television set.

For privacy the people on duty have the beds in small cubicles.

All the fire fighting equipment was on display, including this 1903 steam powered, horse drawn, pump. It is a museum piece now.

Children could learn how to use a fire extinguisher.

Besides cookies, popcorn, and soft drinks they also had hot dogs.

The fire engines were outside and the big garage was used for checking children’s car seats, information about smoke detectors and other safety items. There were several tables staffed with people who answered questions about fire safety. On all the tables were candies. I believe there were many children going home with a sugar high.

In the afternoon I went down town to the Clark Museum. The city of Eureka had the Grand Opening of the Eureka Visitor Center.

It was smoky outside. There was a large BBQ where they cooked hamburgers.

The band played good dance music. Nobody was dancing.

Sunday, I took it easy, went to Walmart and then walked a bit. The rest of the day I stayed home.
 
October 22, 2017.

Monday, we walked the Hikshari Trail. First, we walked the southside of the trail and when we came back to the cars we walked to the north.

We walked about five miles. When I walk alone it seems to take a lot longer than when we walk in a group. Talking makes the difference.

At noon I took part of the Brown Bag Lunch hosted by OLLY (Osher Lifelong Learning Institute).

Judy Hodgson, the publisher of the North Coast Journal, gave a presentation on print media challenges in the age of online news.

I like the Journal. It is a free weekly paper with listings of daily happenings in Humboldt County. I pick it up Wednesday and mark all the things I want to do the next seven days.

In the evening I danced at the lodge.

Tuesday, I walked from the Public Marina to Down Town and back. I have not sailed now for many years and looking at sail boats brings back many pleasant memories.

The Imperial is going out on a fishing trip.

Wednesday, I attended the “Advance Health Care Directive” class given by OLLI. I think it is a good idea to have a living will.

Friday, I walked with the Ramblers the Foothill Trail and the Prairie Creek Trail in

Prairie Creek State Park. When I got up this morning,  I thought we would not walk because it rained all night and looked like it would rain some more. I took a chance and I am glad I did.

We met as usual at the K Mart parking lot in McKinleyville and drove in two cars to the State Park. We were only six people because of the rain.

North of Trinidad we experienced another rain storm and I thought we should have gone south and walked somewhere there.

When we arrived at the State Park we had decent weather and had a wonderful walk.

The Foothill Trail is an easy, beautiful place to walk.

We passed the Big Tree.

The State Park is on the Newton B. Drury Scenic Parkway.

We stopped at the Prairie Creek.

Walking back on the Prairie Creek Trail was just as wonderful. We met a couple from Austria and four men from Spain on the trail.

We ate our lunch at the picnic area, at the Visitor Center, and then walked back to our cars. We walked about five miles.

In the evening I drove to Bayside and enjoyed “Going up the River” a slide presentation about the rivers in Humboldt County.

Jerry Rohde, a historian and writer of books, does several presentations about this area.

Saturday was a busy day for me. In the morning the National Weather Service had Open House.

The weather was not that great. It was dark and we had drizzle from time to time. Of course, we cannot blame the weather man for that. Since we had more wild fires than usual one of the employees of the weather service gave a talk about the conditions which made this possible.

For the children and probably some adults, hands on displays showed the result when marsh lands disappear.

Outside another employee explained how they measure rainfall accurately.

One person usually sits in front of several computer monitors.

Early afternoon I went to the Clark Museum where they had Archaeology and Cultural Awareness Day. Local Native Americans were weaving baskets and other items.

Some Indian women have tattoo marks on their chin.

From the Clark Museum I dove to Arcata, and enjoyed: “The Sizzling Sixties”, a personal history of the entertainers, and historical facts and the music of the decade. It was a lively entertaining show.

Sunday, I did some walking and then went to Washington Park and watched Jacob play soccer. His team won and he scored one goal. His father pays him $ 10.00 for each goal he kicks. He will not get rich on that. It is not easy to get a good action photo when the players are running around.

October 29, 2017.

Monday, I walked with the Ramblers the Chaney-Drury Loop near the Avenue of the Giants.

Poison Oaks has climbed up a large tree.

We also walked the French Loop.

On the way home we stopped and walked to the old 101 highway bridge. It was bypassed by the new highway section and is not used anymore.

Tuesday evening, I went to the library where the showed the 1934 made movie: “Death takes a Holiday”. It was a very interesting film.

Wednesday I walked with the Wednesday walking group, the New Ridge Trail, in the Arcada Community Forest. We got a good workout on the hills.

In the evening I went to the Morris Graves Museum where the Trinity Alps Chamber Music Group played Nocturnes by Chopin, Copeland, Ravel and others.

Thursday night I went to the Underwater Bubble Show at the Arkley Center for the Performing Arts.
A young man was selling all kind of bubble makers before we entered the theater.

The show used optical illusions, cutting edge laser technology, snow canons and of course gazillions of bubbles.

The group is from Latvia and they were able to put a bubble into a large bubble and continue to put another bubble into the smaller bubble, which meant they had to enter two bubbles without breaking them.

Friday, I walked with the Ramblers the Rim Trail at Patrick Point State Park. Unfortunately, there was a lot of fog and we did not see the water and the islands in the Pacific Ocean. It was a five mile walk.

Saturday was the Halloween Dance at the Moose Lodge. Some of us came in costumes. I wore my Mexican outfit.

Sunday morning, I went to Jacob's soccer game. His team lost.
In the afternoon I went to the Swiss Club and danced.