May 24, day 21 Dean Creek Campground to Standish Hickey Recreation Area

May 24, day 21 Dean Creek Campground to Standish Hickey Recreation Area

Starting odo 7116

Dean Creek is right outside of Redway, which is where I had the
foldable keyboard shipped, so we get up in the morning and try to head
out to the Redway Post Office.

 I say try, because I thoughtlessly did not get enough quarters to
finish my laundry the night before, so when the office opens at 9 I
get quarters and start my stuff drying. Getting to Redway I pick up my
package and get the keyboard... We are however, more interested in
breakfast, so we find out that the best place to get it is in the next
town, Garberville.

On the way, I think I see a sign about cannabis.  I turn around, and I
find a sign which says 707, Cannabis university.  A sign nearby
advertises hydroponics, so I infer that its education on how to grow
cannabis hydroponically.

While waiting for breakfast I pull out the keyboard.  its quite
compact, and the folding mechanism is pretty cool.  Popping two AAA
batteries in, I try to get it to pair with my ipod touch.  I'm not
having any luck until I *accidentally* read the rest of the
instructions and notice that in order to type numbers, you have to
hold down a function key.  Then it pairs quickly1  The keyboard types
pretty nicely, in fact, I like it better than the keyboard on my imac
at home1  it can, however, rock to one side or the other because it
sits on a small platform. If I type lightly, there is no problem. It
also works quite well when it sits on my lap inside the tent at night.

We are taking an easy day today, still recovering from riding with Liz
and Ben.

As we work our way farther along the route, we are still going through
areas with redwoods in them. The route mostly follows 101, but
branches off on parallel roads with very little traffic.  We go
through Benbow without really knowing it1  As we move along, we are
looking for some stores to buy stuff, but there isn't much, except for
a couple of stores around a tourist place. Across the street from the
gas station we stopped at was the one log house, and lots of redwood
souvenirs.  We don't go in.

Nearing our final destination for the day, the Standish-Hickey State
Recreation area, I am noticing a number of small motels that have been
converted into apartments, and others that are just closed up.  It
strikes me that the area has seen better times.  Then I think - the
whole country has seen better times.  The reality  is that things
peaked in about 1968-1972. That was the last point when we were pretty
much self-sufficient as a country.

As we near the park, there is a small stand of buildings on the left.
Most are closed, but one called "The Peg House" is open.  We go in and
the place is packed with an eclectic selection of items.  We get some
food, and stand around looking at things in the store.  The next
morning we go back for breakfast, and we are still seeing stuff that
we didn't see the first time!  The house, BTW, is made from hand hewn
timbers with pegged joints, and was built in the early 50's.