Still a Family Fave - Richardson Grove State Park

California Redwoods ~ July 1993

            If there is a mosquito within a twenty mile radius, he will alert all his buddies that there is new blood in town and they will collectively hunt me down to siphon the life out of me while digging in for a scrumptious last meal. I am super-allergic to their bite and swell up with caustic red welts that resemble some kind of rare tropical skin disease. Clusters of bites huddled in group formation will be layered on my skin so closely together that it is impossible to see where one bite begins and the next one ends. The itch will torment me morning and night and I usually wake up with my skin scratched raw to the brink of bleeding. Interestingly enough, nobody else in my family will get stung. While I lay twitching and swatting at the army of mosquitoes dive-bombing my limbs, my family will peacefully sleep the night away. There are perhaps a hundred different theories as to why some people get stung and others do not. As a mother, I prefer to think that it is my duty to protect my children from the horrible pain and itch of insect bites by being so completely vulnerable. (My husband thinks this is a crazy philosophy and he may be correct since my hypothesis has gone completely unnoticed by licensed medical professionals.) Regardless, I’ll be the only one in my family running around town with my arms and legs covered with scarlet-red blotches of pain.

            Mid-July with summer in full swing and we meandered our way to Richardson Grove State Park within Humboldt County and the California North-Coast Redwoods. My husband camped here with his family when he was younger and his mom had mentioned over the years what a wonderful time they had here camping with friends, and how lovely it was. Once again, mom was right. It was a long day’s drive from our home in Southern California, but I tried to keep our kids entertained with scavenger hunts, car games, and sing-alongs. There are an abundance of songs that continuously rattle around in my brain begging to be sung out loud, and I seem to be blessed with the ability to remember every single word. Unfortunately, my tuning is a bit off, and my family will readily attest to this fact. Yet, these songs remind me of a multitude of happy memories from any given time in my life. And though it may seem cliché, every time I hear Mary Chapin-Carpenter’s lovely voice I am reminded of driving through this amazingly beautiful place, and I am taken back to a time when my children loved singing along with me.

     Driving through the towering groves of redwood and sequoia was like nothing I had ever seen. The canopies created by the trees shade and envelop the entire area, creating a sense of contentment in a seemingly hidden world. Along the highway we saw trees that had small houses built within their branches, trees that nestled little gift shops, and a tree that you can drive straight through. We were also delighted to see that amidst these old giants were clusters of new growth that will continue to beguile generations to come.

            Settling in at our campground was very easy, and we put up our newly acquired screen tent with ease. We had purchased it specifically to avoid any and all insects and their gleeful stabbing. Our plan was to use the screen room for relaxing, dining, and playing card games in a completely “bug-free” zone. We also set up a citronella candle on our picnic table for added protection. And lastly, my thoughtful husband purchased a small battery-operated device that made a barely detectable clicking sound designed specifically to keep mosquitoes away. With all that preparation I was surely not going to be stung. My unfortunate timing continued because the largest mosquitoes I have ever seen were also visiting Richardson Grove that same week. They were in the restrooms and the showers, and we found them frolicking throughout the entire campground. Not surprisingly I awakened that first night with the sensation that my legs were on fire, and found that I was covered with bites. (I’m not kidding when I tell you that people see my bites and cruelly wonder aloud as to what malaise has bushwhacked me.) There are a variety of good anti-itch products on the market today, but in 1993 my best bet was to smear on the Campho-Phenique like nobody’s business. Unfortunately the stinky salve did not completely alleviate the itch or assuage my discomfort, and the bites continued to swell. I inquired at the ranger station about the availability of a nearby market or pharmacy. Quite luckily, we were near the charming town of Garberville. If you get the chance you must stop and visit. It is one of the only places that I know of where the shop owners all know each other, look out for each other, and recommend the services of their competitor to the public. It’s the kind of town where everyone is friendly and helpful. There were no miracle cures in the grocery store, but in one of the polite little shops on their main thoroughfare I found a caring homeopathic dealer who sold me a wonderful product called ‘SSssting Stop.’ This cream was a natural balm that soothed the itch and calmed my red welts. This product is still sold in certain health-food stores and can be found online as well. Nothing has ever appeased my mosquito bites so readily and with such a cool and refreshing feeling. I was happily renewed and ready to continue our vacation.

            The forests here are absolutely spectacular with plenty of trails to explore the significant groves of old growth redwoods, masses of huckleberry bushes, while the Eel River is available for fishing, swimming, and nearby picnicking. Don’t miss The Avenue of the Giants about 25 miles north of here. Those old-growth treese are positively amazing. Our kids enjoyed the Ranger Program and we hiked over to the little general store every afternoon for a frozen treat. The coastal fog can be very damp throughout the evening and early morning hours. Your firewood should be at least 6 months dry if possible. Please also remember that this area of the California Redwoods is located in Bear Country, so food must always be properly stored and out of sight. 

Keep in mind…

I strongly urge you to pack anti-itch creams and all of the medicine that your family requires. Prepare a list ahead of time and check off your needed balms, pills, and prescriptive medicines.

Located just seven miles south of Garberville, Richardson Grove State Park is bisected by Highway 101 and the south fork of the Eel River.  There are a couple of other campgrounds in the vicinity, namely Smithe Redwoods State Park (with a 60 foot waterfall, fishing, and swimming,) Sinkyone Wilderness, and Standish-Hickey State Park.  Information on activities and reservations for all of these campgrounds can be found at http://www.parks.ca.gov.  For more information on Humboldt County lodging, attractions, and nature adventures go to their website at http://www.redwoods.info/.  Lastly, the Garberville Chamber of Commerce visitor’s informational website can be found at http://garberville.org/site002/home/index.php.

Get Out There!

Deb :)