Eureka

And what a Eureka moment it was. This little town of 27,000 is filled with lovely Victorian homes which are in strange contrast to the number of homeless people wandering the streets. Our first stop was in Old Town for a bite to eat.


Then we wandered around the downtown area but not for long as it was windy and cold. It seems that almost everyone carries a back pack. The ordinances are very strict about no parking in parking lots due to so many living in their cars. We stayed at the Moose Lodge where most would be homeless but could afford an old rv or a tent and a Moose membership. A nearby geocache search early in the morning provided me with not a Moose, but two deer with velvety antlers.


We decided to focus on the positive side of the town and away we went to see the ultimate in Victorian. This house built in the 1880s by a lumberman is most impressive and set an example for others in the community. It is now a private club enjoyed by only a few.


And what a view they had of the bridge to Samoa and Humboldt Bay.


Across the street is the house that lumberman Carson built for his daughter.


The Carter House Inn is a re-creation finished in 1982 from 1884 blueprints of a house in San Francisco destroyed by the 1906 earthquake.


Nearby an early morning walk along the boardwalk below provided us good views of Humboldt Bay. It was odd to see elderly people sitting in the sun on the side of the path. There were other trails in town that we thought it would be wise to avoid.


The town began as a Gold Rush transport center and later was a mining and logging town which was full of brothels and card rooms patronized by sailors and loggers. Logging is a principal part of their local economy still. A drive over the Samoan Bridge that crosses Humboldt Bay led us to the Samoa Dunes Recreation Area where we enjoyed a walk on the jetty.


On the opposite side of the road we watched the waves roll in while many brought their dogs for a run in the ocean or spent the morning snuggled in their sleeping bags.


Nearby at the Samoa Cookhouse, the last of the old time cookhouses that fed the loggers, our food was served family style and plenty was provided.


It also included a room with old logging artifacts. Check out the blade on this chainsaw.


Next door we visited a small nautical museum where the old gentleman minding the museum was from Searcy, Arkansas, but he had left in 1948. This industrial area gave a glimpse of what it must have been like in busier days. We had a quick tour down to the Woodley Island Marina as we crossed the bridges back to Eureka. The marina has berths for 350 vessels. A sculpture stands at the end of the island and is dedicated to the fishermen who have lost their lives at sea.




At one point we pulled off the road into a cemetery so Leon could take a phone call. It sure looked like a car wash to me!


There must have been twelve sprinklers running with a tremendous force so we strategically parked Hernando in various spots for a bath. Looking good, so we moved on to Arcata.