An Epic Hike

Before I head back to L.A. tomorrow I have to say thanks to LoletaEric for an epic hike today.  We went hiking in his home stomping grounds in the Eel River Basin.  We saw salmon spawning in the wild and encountered a bear. 

I took a lot of pictures -- here are just a few:







Can you see the bear in the middle of this picture?



Here -- let me zoom in a bit.









Eric is an amazing guy who knows the rhythm of this region well.  I count myself very lucky to have made such a friend here on NCKY and on this weekend it is definitely one of the things for which I am most thankful.  THANK YOU, ERIC,  and thank you to those who establish, and run NCKA.

Now back to L.A.   It's gonna be a long drive.  If you see the black prius with the yellow hobie tomorrow on US 101, honk! 

Thanks for the kind words, Dave, and thanks for joining me for what was a very high quality 4 hour hike.  The 3 mile bike ride back to the truck at the end was a blast too.  I got a pretty good clip of the bear crashing across the creek after I yelled at it - will have to get a movie together this weekend.  Considering that the stream has only risen high enough for fish passage in the past 4 days I was pleased that we saw 13 fish and 7 developed redds, and that was a FAT bear!  Biggest one I've seen in Humboldt - we got two encounters with what looked to be the same bear.  The second time around was a bit closer but didn't get a good camera angle - he didn't seem too worried about us as he turned up a trail and disappeared into the forest.  I think by then he'd figured out we weren't a threat.  As for the fish, one may have been a little steelhead or jack that was getting chased off by a big red male and the rest were all kings with several in the 20+ pound class.  The one carcass was a 40" brute with big teeth - we found him just downstream of a female on the biggest and most developed redd, so hopefully that represented his ultimate success.   

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Pictures are awesome.  Gotta travel far to see anything like it in the concrete jungle.

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that's pretty much the way I look now that I spawned

Thanks for the reports and pictures guys.

Cool pictures Have a safe return trip. 

To complete your guided tour, a timely video to take with you.  See you again soon, Dave - keep in touch~   

Excellent way to start my weekend.
Thinking a hike through Van Damme may now be in order.
Thanks for sharing your trip guys. Looked amazing.

Great hike guys - thanks for sharing!   Sweet day!   

Very cool post, Thanks for sharing such an adventure.

WOW -- what a wonderful surprise after an uneventful 13 hour slog from Arcata to L.A. (with my hobie on my Prius)!   I just got home.

And now there's a whole lot more quality pix and that great video. ---   (btw, who is the old guy with all the grey hair and the big stick?)    -- I gained the stick when the bear showed up, not that it's gonna stop the bear, but it made me feel better.      I love the video -- going to be sharing that one all over.

Eric -- THANK YOU!  --- There are not enough superlatives to describe yesterday's hike and such a fabulous guide and good friend.

 I'll be replaying and sharing while here in the concrete jungle.   It'll keep me going in this crazy place where I live and work.

Thanks again!!!!