Northern California Travel Adventures

By Don Young

The true “Northern California” begins north of San Francisco and its urban sprawl, well away from the condominiums, the traffic jams, and the frenetic lifestyle of the city and its satellites – in the vicinity of Fort Bragg, halfway up the California coas

• Language: English
• Publisher: Hunter Publishing
• Release date: Jun 15, 2012
• ISBN: 9780935161540

Don Young

Don Young started his business career with Unilever, since when he has been a senior manager of several companies that have been forced to confront extensive change. He was a director of Redland plc from 1994 - 1998 and prior to that Thorn EMI plc, and he has co founded three management consultancies, YSC Ltd., Value Partnership Ltd., and Woodbridge Partners Ltd., an executive coaching partnership. The Financial Times said of his previous book Having their Cake, 'a devastating analysis of the relationships between chief executives and investment banks'

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Northern California Travel Adventures

Lee Foster & Mary Lou Jansen

HUNTER PUBLISHING, INC

For complete information about the hundreds of other travel guides offered by Hunter Publishing, visit our Web site at: www.hunterpublishing.com

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Every effort has been made to ensure that the information in this book is correct, but the publisher and authors do not assume, and hereby disclaim, liability to any party for any loss or damage caused by errors, omissions, misleading information or potential problems caused by information in this guide, even if such errors or omissions are a result of negligence, accident or any other cause.

Westward Ho!

Geography History

When most people hear the words West Coast, the first thought that comes to their minds is California.

Indeed, California is the West Coast’s largest and most populous state, and the length of the California coastline far exceeds that of both its neighbors, Oregon and Washington.

From our earliest days as a nation, it was determined that the United States had a manifest destiny to become a country whose borders reached from sea to shining sea. If that promise was to be fulfilled, it was essential that California had to become a part of the Union.

At first, the Far West, including California, was deemed to be a part of Mexico, and that claim was supported by the strength of the Spanish crown. But other than to establish a string of missions extending from San Diego to Carmel, neither Spain nor Mexico did very much to explore and develop their West Coast holdings.

The United States offered to buy the territory from Mexico, but were rebuffed. Then in May 1846, the United States and Mexico waged a brief war. When it ended less than two years later, Mexico disavowed all claims to California.

In September 1850, California became our 31st state.

The Nature of Adventure

Although some might argue the point, adventuresome does not mean foolhardy.

True adventurers – those who engage in such activities on a regular basis – take very few risks. They study where they are planning to go and what they are planning to do; they go properly equipped; and they rarely go alone.

When you embark upon your next adventure, exercise good judgment and do the same.

Some of these pointers may help.

On Foot

When hiking, wear sturdy shoes and carry an ample supply of water. Carry a map and a compass. Take a survival/firstaid kit. Travel with a buddy, so that you have someone to help in case of an emergency. Tell someone where you are going, when to expect you back, and don’t forget to notify that person as soon as you return.Just as bikers should defer to hikers on the trail, both hikers and bikers should defer to those who are on horseback.

If you decide to go caving, never go alone. Keep the group together. Take at least two sources of light per person (some cavers also carry a candle and a good supply of matches). Wear a hardhat, preferably with a lantern on it so your hands can be free.

If you encounter a bear or a mountain lion:

Stay away from it. Give it a chance to escape.

Do not run. The animal may think you are prey.

Do not crouch or bend over. Make yourself look as large as possible by raising your arms or spreading your jacket.

Wave your arms slowly.

Do not turn your back on the animal.

Do not scream, but speak in a firm, loud voice.Throw stones, branches, or whatever you can reach without having to bend over.

If attacked, fight back. Use whatever you have available, including your fists, jacket, or cap.

On Horseback

Unless you are accompanied by an experienced guide, do not go into unfamiliar territory without a map and a compass.

Do not wander so far that, should the horse become injured or should you and the horse become separated, you cannot easily walk back to civilization.

On Wheels

When traveling, check the weather forecasts before you head out. In the winter, allow plenty of time to reach your destination and drive more slowly.In California, drivers of off-road vehicles and all-terrain vehicles (ATVs) must wear helmets, be able to show registration, and be sure all juveniles have adult supervision. They may not carry passengers or exceed the 15 mph speed limit.

Bicyclists should yield to walkers and horseback riders on the trail. They should not ride more than two abreast, and after dark the cycle or the rider must have a white light that is visible for at least 500 feet in front and a red light or reflector visible for at least 600 feet to the rear.

Mountain bikers should wear headgear, gloves, knee pads, elbow pads, and thick clothing. Don’t ride any farther out than you can walk back in case of a flat tire, a broken part, or an accident. Be very careful to control your downhill speed, especially if you do not know the road; a sudden curve can throw you.

On the Water

Safe boating tips can be found in free booklets provided by the US Coast Guard and Metropolitan Life Insurance Co., 800/METLIFE; by the National Safe Boating Council, PO Box 8510, Lexington, KY 40533, 8242; and by United Safe Boating Institute, 1504 Blue Ridge Rd., Raleigh, NC 27622, 919/821-0281.

Jet ski safety is covered in a booklet published by Personal Watercraft Industry Assn., 200 E. Randolph Dr., Suite 5100, Chicago, IL 60601, 312/946-6200.

Canoeing and kayaking safety is discussed in a brochure from the US Canoe Assn., 606 Ross St., Middletown, OH 45044-5062, 513/422-3739.

Along the Pacific coast, be aware of bad weather approaching. Keep a safe distance from logs in the surf. Stay away from cliffs that are collapsing.

Whitewater rafting is exciting, but first timers should be aware of the various classifications of wild water:

WHITEWATER CLASSIFICATION CHART

CLASS SKILL LEVEL WATER CONDITION

I Easy Calm, moving water with occasional riffles.

II Intermediate Little bursts of bouncing rapids in clear, wide channels between long stretches of calm.

III Difficult Irregular waves through narrower channels where maneuvering around rocks is required.

IV Very Difficult Rapids are intense, loud, and long, with complex, rocky obstacles in the way.

V Exceptionally Difficult Rapids are long, loud, narrow, and violent, following one after the other without interruption.

MARINE LIFE

If you are not familiar with the marine life found along the coast in the Pacific Northwest, you might want to familiarize yourself with these creatures:

Barnacle – A crustacean that cements itself to rocks and other surfaces.

Bay Mussels – If you gather some of these morsels, you should know that the daily limit is 10 pounds, including the shells.

Bull Kelp – A plant that grows 18 inches a day during the summer and is harvested for use as an ice cream thickener. Clams – Local varieties include the geoduck (gooey-duck), the horse or gaper, the softshell, the native littleneck, the manila, and the butter clams. Geoducks, on which there is a harvest limit of three, are almost rectangular, can exceed 20 pounds, and can live more than 150 years. The limit on horse or gaper clams is seven, and that on softshell, native littleneck, manila, and butter clams is 40, though the catch cannot exceed 10 pounds.

Decorator Crab – Fastens pieces of seaweed to its shell with a sticky glue in order to camouflage itself.

Flatfish – A sole, flounder, or halibut.Isopod – A creature that looks like a multilegged insect.

Jellyfish – A saucer-shaped creature with a gelatinous body and long tentacles studded with stinging cells.

Limpet – A crustacean with a low conical shell that clings tenaciously to rocks or timbers when disturbed.

Moon Snail – A large snail that eats clams.

Nudibranch (noo-de-brank) – Sometimes called sea slugs, these gastropods are found in shallow waters, where they feed primarily on sea anemones. Often brightly colored, they lack both a shell and gills.

Octopus – In Puget Sound, these creatures can grow up to 30 feet from arm-tip to arm-tip.

Oyster –