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Arcata is just south of Redwoods National Park.  I’ve known of this innovative little town for nearly 30 years because of its super-green and eco-friendly wastewater treatment plant.  Back in the 1970s biologists were experimenting with what to do with wastewater now that it was illegal to dump raw sewage out into the ocean like they used to do. 

Here's the plan

Arcata officials proposed a 25-million-dollar treatment plant, but the citizens rebelled.  They wanted something better, different, more ecologically friendly.  And so Humboldt State University researchers came up with filtering the wastewater through a system of marshes, using bacteria and plants to clean the water.  All of it.  Every last bit of sludge and poop that came from Arcata’s sewers would be cleaned, using the power of plants, bacteria, and multiple invertebrates.  Plus, the marshes would provide a world-class habitat for birds and other species.

How it works

They did it.  Arcata is a humble little town, and the marshes have in fact been cleaning the water there for over 40 years now.  I would love to see something like this in our own Tijuana Estuary!

Beatiful marsh

We stopped at the Marsh Interpretive Center.  I’d long wanted to see the water treatment plant firsthand, but tours had to be arranged ahead of time, I found out.   No matter—the friendly front-desk guy had plenty of information, and the exhibits, while small, were quite informative. 

Arcata Sewage Treatment Plant!!

We headed off to Whiskeytown Lake in the Klamath Mountains, our last night in Karl.  It was a bit of a letdown—the RV “campsites” were nothing more than parking spaces in a big asphalt lot by the marina—but the lake itself was cool and clean, it was quiet, and we had a great time swimming before heading back down to Sacramento to clean Karl up.

Perfect for swimming

I was surprised at how sad I was to end this trip and take Karl back to his rightful owners.  The ease and convenience of carrying our house around with us while we traveled was matched only by the beauty and fascination of the places we’d been.  Karl, thank you for a wonderful and memorable trip! 

We will miss you!

We landed back at cousin Dana’s house in Orangevale (east of Sacramento) for dinner.  One huge bonus of living at GRK this year is the many times we get to see our GRK relatives.  Dana and Bill have put up with us all year, letting us do laundry and feeding us as well as babysitting our cats.  What great cousins.

Thanks, Dana and Bill!!

And then we picked up nephew Ado from the airport before heading back up to the cabin.  When we got there, the daffodils we’d planted last autumn were all in full bloom.  The snow, six to eight feet deep when we’d left, was all but gone, and the meadow was a verdant green.

Signs of Spring:  Daffodils and tulips

My father's memorial stone

With Ado we hiked to the Granite Dome and to Tells Creek, which was roaring with the spring melt-off. 

Full flood

Upper creek

Top of Tells Creek

Tia and Sasha played endless rounds of Rat-a-Tat-Cat with Ado, along with Monopoly.  We cleaned the road of winter storm debris, and made a huge bonfire down in the campground. 

Running through the meadow looking for frogs

It was my first spring at GRK in ages, and the vibrancy of the meadow, the new growth on the trees, and the warm days and cool nights made me happy.  I was glad to be home.

Our own private scenic beauty