Greetings,
We've got a lot of ideas for things to do in Humboldt County before summer ends. Three in particular: Walking in the redwood footsteps of Lady Bird Johnson and three presidents , betting on cloned mules at the state's oldest county fair, and tossing a flying saucer from a bridge in the town that went for bid on eBay.
More? August also brings the yearly banana slug derby, a great micro-brew festival, and an attempt to whip up the world's largest organic salad. If any of these suggestions seem appetizing, read on or contact me for details. Picture information is at the bottom of this email.
Yours, Richard Stenger, Media Guy Humboldt County CVB 707-444-6634
The lady of the redwoods
Tall. Elegant. Venerable. It seems fitting that the nation honored Lady Bird Johnson with a grove of trees so much like her. A champion of conservation, the former first lady, who died in July, walked among the giants of Redwood National Park three times.
The first was to celebrate the creation of the park in 1968. A year later, she returned to dedicate the Lady Bird Johnson Grove, an event that brought former, current and future U.S. presidents Lyndon Johnson, Richard Nixon and Ronald Reagan.
Two decades later, Mrs. Johnson returned with her granddaughter, two simple hikers in the big trees. See for yourself why the grove is one of park's most popular. It features a beautiful ridgetop stand of virgin redwoods and an easy one-mile loop hike. To access the trailhead, drive one-half mile north of Orick on Hwy 101, then go east for about 2.5 miles on Bald Hills Road.
Cloned mules and the dive of death
You can do more than examine prize heifers, bite into the best-tasting BBQ ever and cheer dogs herding sheep at the oldest county fair in the state. The 111th annual Humboldt County Fair also offers ten days to wager on your choice of lucky hooves. Most will be on horses, but a few races at the track will pit cloned mules against each other.
For another adrenaline rush, watch acrobatic divers leap from a platform 80 feet in the air, reaching speeds up to 55 mph before plunking into a tiny pool. One death-defying fire dive will replace the pool with an airbag. The fair, which runs August 9th to 19th, takes place at the Humboldt County Fairgrounds in the Victorian village of Ferndale.
eBay town hosts space party
There comes a time in this galaxy when all intergalactic species must meet. The time is Saturday, August 18th. The place is Bridgeville, the town that went up for sale twice on the Internet. Despite being on the real estate market again, the mountain community is preparing with great enthusiasm for the 11th annual Bridgefest.
Inspired by the Kinetic Sculpture Race, the festival brings swarms of flying saucers, space aliens and curious humanoids to the historic bridge that spans a pretty stretch of the Van Duzen River. Teams hoisting homemade UFOs over the bridge earn or lose points for everything from distance, accuracy, style and whining to the judges. For a watery break, ask the locals about nearby swimming holes on the Van Duzen, among the best in the state.
Not enough to do? Cheer on slimy friends at the Banana Slug Derby on Saturday, August 18th at Prairie Creek Redwoods State Park. Hoist a microbrew pint or two at Hops in Humboldt on Saturday, August 25th in Fortuna. Or bring a fork for the world's largest organic salad at the Organic Planet Festival on Sunday, August 26th in Eureka.
For more about these events and travel to the Redwood Coast, home to the world's tallest trees, contact the Humboldt County Convention & Visitors Bureau at 707-444-6634, press@redwoods.info or redwoods.info.
These and other high-rez photos available upon request:
Lady Bird Johnson Redwood Grove, Redwood National Park • Lady Bird with Pres. Johnson, Nixon and Gov. Reagan in 1969 grove dedication • Lady Bird with Native Americans in traditional dress in 1968 nat'l park dedication • Protestors holding signs in 1968 nat'l park dedication • Present-day scenic shots with trees and hikers Humboldt County Fair – close-up of two speeding racehorses with grandstand in background Bridgefest – Crowd looking over Bridgeville bridge during annual flying saucer contest |