Our first four nights were spent at Miner's Ridge campground in Prairie Creek State Park. At first light, we would wake up to the sounds of ocean waves and the dripping of moisture on our tent. Nights were cold, but the sun first hit the beach and we migrated to its warm sands every morning to shake the frost from our nighttime skin. We collected rocks, found crab shells, and chased the tides like a boy who plays with his dog. Warm tea in our bellies and steaming hot oatmeal packets cupped against our palms also helped in the thawing of our bodies.
One of the biggest surprises of the trip came in the form of clear skies and warm sunny days. Though I had been excited to experience the haunting mist of the redwoods (and slightly dreaded the daily rain we expected), we were given cloudless blue skies nearly every day. It was incredible to see how the low, northern, winter sun brought out the vibrant colors of the forest.
