The trees ARE mysterious!

As recalled on March 4, 2008.

This morning, I left Grants Pass, OR, my second visit to this pleasant town. Last year, if you recall, I couldn't say enough nice things about the place. As I drove south, I peered through the fog, searching for a particular 76 gas station I had marked for a fill up. Before I realized it, I found myself leaving the city limits...I missed it! Oh, well, I should have enough in my tank to reach Crescent City, CA without triggering the low fuel light. I traveled on U.S. 199...better known as Redwood Highway. When I reached the tiny town of Selma, OR, I kept my eye out for gas stations, just on the off chance there might be an opportunity to fill my tank before Crescent City. To my surprise, there was a two-pump 76 station with the gas 6 cents cheaper than what I would have paid in Grants Pass! The older man working there was very friendly, and even cleaned my windshield without me asking.

After a brief stop in Crescent City to buy a Subway sandwich...my lunch options were almost nil where I was going...I arrived at my only fun destination of the day. Trees of Mystery, located in Klamath, fits the perfect definition of tourist attraction. From the big signs beckoning travelers to stop and check it out. The equally huge replicas of Paul Bunyan and his blue ox Babe, who for some "mysterious" reason, was missing its head. The colorful names for the strangely shaped trees that called the park their home. Even the free big bumper stickers encouraging people to visit the Trees of Mystery! You've seen those stickers, haven't you? Well, I had and I got sucked in...I wanted to see those mysterious trees!

Since March is really the off season when it comes to vacations, the park was almost deserted. Which was really a good thing. It allowed me to enjoy the serenity of the redwoods, and examine the most unusual denizens at my leisure. The Cathedral Tree, a semi-circle of trunks resembling a...cathedral. The Brotherhood Tree...an especially large specimen that seemed almost sacred. The Candelabra Tree that had three trees growing vertically from a single trunk. A nice bonus was a tram that took you to the top of the park's highest point and allowed you to view the surrounding area.

I ate my lunch quickly because I had a long drive to my pitstop for the night. I continued on Redwood Hwy. south, admiring the beautiful forests along the way. At one point, the highway became an incline. As I coasted down, I noticed a bus pulling a trailer traveling up in the opposite direction. By the looks of it, it had to be a band tour bus. Watching it pass by, I found myself reminiscing last year's Five For Fighting groupie road trip. Sigh! I can't wait till the next album release...I wanna be a groupie again!