Founders Grove & Highway 1


When I was putting together my wish list of California sites, seeing the redwoods and driving down the coast on Highway 1 were at the top. So there will be lots of pictures of each. Today, I visited Founders Grove, located on the Avenue of the Giants. A little history: logging interests threatened these old redwood groves. In 1918, the Save the Redwoods League was founded to protect these ancient trees. The League's efforts were successful and in 1931, this grove was dedicated to the Founders. The League has raised $57 million to protect 170,000 acres of redwood land.



I had to have a photo of at least one famous tree, and here it is below, with its dimensions above.



Looking up Founders Tree.



The roots of the redwood are only a few feet deep, but may grow 100 feet laterally. They can intertwine with other trees roots. They help hold each other up.


The coastal redwoods grow in a 40 mile wide and 450 mile long narrow, coastal strip from southern Oregon to southern Monterey county in California. The redwoods are different from the sequoias. The sequoias are found in a 250 mile swath of central California, near the Sierra Nevada mountains at elevations of 4,000-8,000 feet. The redwoods are taller, but the sequoias have bigger trunks. I won't get to see the sequoias on this trip, so next time!


This is the Dyerville Giant, which fell in 1991. It was 362 feet tall. The natural decay of dead trees helps nourish new plants and trees. It is a necessary regeneration of the forest.


The bottom of this trunk looks like elephant feet!


Good bye Founders Grove!


Here's a real California vehicle.


After I left Founders Grove, I drove through the rest of the Avenue of the Giants (above) to Highway 1. The next 25 miles or so, were over the most twisty mountain road I have ever driven on. It was beautiful but not the most relaxing experience. I was relieved when we came out of this part of the Highway and saw the below.






The Pacific Ocean was my first ocean--the first ocean I ever saw, in 1979. I remember I was with my aunt and uncle and we came up over a crest and there it was. I couldn't talk and immediately understood what the big deal about the ocean was.



Almost to Gualala.


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