DAY SIX - Wednesday 20 April 2011 Fort Bragg - Arcata

Wednesday we headed north along the coast on Highway 101 to Humbolt County. Somebody told us if you'd done anything bad and wanted to disappear this would be the area to go to - wilderness!  We detoured via the Avenue of Giants (pictures just don't do them justice) and, of course, had to drive through a giant redwood tree!

The area is definitely duelling banjo territory!  Think pick-up trucks, dogs in the back (of the canine variety), check shirts, snow ploughs on vehicles all year round and bad haircuts... and trees, trees, trees!

Stopped off at a couple of small towns, once for breakfast and to pick up some water and fruit. Hotels in the US generally don't provide breakfast so it's a good opportunity to try all the independent diners. (Must get some bigger trousers). The food in California is just amazing. We can't quite believe it and even in a small diner they have an array of vegan and vegetarian food along with the gluten free, wheat free, sugar free - everything free you can think of.

For the first time we had rain! 

I won't mention Eureka - it's a very long street full of motels, tacky shops and warehouses.

We eventually pitched up in Arcata and booked into the hotel Arcata - a 1920s hotel still kept in the old style in a square that looked like the one in Back to the Future. To be honest, I think it's the only hotel in town.
http://www.hotelarcata.com/

After dinner (amazing salad and great pasta) we went to a bar where the walls were covered in stuffed animals - a massive buffalo head and various elk and deer - authentic hunting country or what!

Tomorrow, we're off to Redding and then on to Sacramento before we head off to Yosemite.