The Great American Road Trip. Day 34. Santa Rosa, CA.

In the morning we said goodbye to Azalea Glen RV pack, and the tallest trees on earth, and family, and headed down south towards home.  We decided to break the trip up into two nights/three days, and Santa Rosa is pretty much exactly at the 1/3 mark.

We really loved this campground.

Russian River Brewing Company's original location is in Santa Rosa, but since we have been to that one we decided to check out the new, beautiful location in Windsor (just 15 minutes away).

The beer is great, the building is gorgeous, the food- mehhh. 

We just don't do brew pubs right in CA.  Anyone opening a brew pub in CA should first visit Oregon brew pubs, and then copy their entire menu, and then hire their cooks.  I mean, CA is great at making beer, but we can't be good at everything.  Swallow your pride and learn from the best...

Our evening was spent at Spring Lake Park Campground, a very pretty regional campground, basically right on the edge of Santa Rosa.

It is hard to believe our Great American Road Trip is coming to an end!

I think some of us are in denial...

The Great American Road Trip. Day 33. Mad River and Patrick's Point State Park.

Our day started at Mad River Brewing Company, brewing since 1989.

I don't know when they started burgering, but no one was complaining. 

We then drove back to Patrick's Point State Park, just a mile or so from where we are camping.

It is so beautiful here, and the perfect way to spend our last day of this Great American Road Trip before we make our way back home.

This little baby has seen a lot in the past month (in eleven different states!), but she just wants more.

"Oh the places you'll go."

The Great American Road Trip. Day 32. Redwood National Park.

We are loving Azaela Glen RV park!

We spent our first full day in Humboldt County at Dolason Prairie Trail.  

There are nice views of the Redwoods and the ocean.

Plus, check out all these fun Redwood National Park stamps!  This is National Park number five in our baby's passport book!  Lucky, lucky baby.

It is quite hot being such a distance away from the ocean.  Although it is a highly rated trail, we only did a portion of the 8.7 mile trail, so for us, it didn't quite live up to its reputation.  

We had a nice time enjoying the wild berries and wild flowers, while it lasted.

Now we know, stick to the Redwoods close to the ocean!

After the hot hike, it didn't take much to convince everyone to go get ice cream.

Ice cream makes everything better.

Megan suggested Arcata Scoop.  It was yummy.

You wish, baby!  

She has no idea what she is missing...  :(

Honey lavender vanilla is divine.

The Great American Road Trip. Day 31. Old Station to Trinidad.

For the past two nights we have been at Hat Creek Resort, which is just ten minutes outside of Lassen.

This picture pretty much sums up our experience there.  

This rock fountain was built in the 1930s as a beautification project.  It has since been relocated, but it is still used by tourists to cool off. 

We went from one of our least favorite campsites on this trip to one of our favorites, Azaela Glen RV Park in Trinidad, located right across from Patrick's Point State Park.  

It is really lovely (more on that later).

The Great American Road Trip. Day 30. Lassen Volcanic National Park.

Lassen! 

We made it.  I didn't think it would happen on this summer trip, but it is on our way (ish).

And Eric is always up for an adventure.

So happy to be here.

It is mid July, and look at all of this snow in Lassen National Park!

This is Lake Helen, which is typically a brilliant blue in summer, but is now covered in a sheet of ice, glacial blue popping through. 

There is so much beauty in Lassen to contemplate. 

Close to the Kohm yah-mah-nee visitor center, at a lower elevation and within the geothermal area of Lassen, the ground is covered with flowers.

Mudpots (acidic hot springs) in Lassen sure did impress Huell Howser during his visit, but I guess it never took much to wow him.  

It is neat to see something like this outside of Yellowstone National Park.

The trail to Bumpass Hill (another hydrothermal site) is being restored and so is closed.

It works out for us, I am happy to have a reason to return.