I'm beginning to plan my vacation for next month. I'm going to San Jose, to see my sister (I've yet to visit her new house, or visit her dogs), and see Randy Newman at Villa Montalvo again. His last show was there was great, and well-handled, coming about two weeks after September 11th. Truth be told, had I known about his January gig (I can't make his L.A. appearance on August 22nd, because I'm seeing Paula Poundstone that night), I might have reconsidered going to the Saratoga concert, but I'm glad I'm going, both because I'm always glad to see Randy perform, and because it gave me the impetus to take an actual, non-Vegas vacation.

I'm going to Redwood National Park and the surrounding area. I still haven't made up my mind exactly between camping and staying at a hotel, but since I'm finding accomodations up there are pricy, I think I'll be camping for at least part of the trip. The Eureka Inn looks nice, and would set me back less than $100 a night, which isn't bad considering the dumps look like they'd set me back over $50. But a developed campground in the National Park is $15/night (and I think I can save even more at some of the adjacent State Parks), so I'll probably go that way, but maybe spend a night or two at the Eureka Inn while I explore the more urban side of Humbolt County.

The more I look into it the more excited I am; the park looks so beautiful. I remember driving through it on our way to destinations further North as a child, the trees were amazing, and I'm pretty sure that's one of those things, unlike the penguin encounter at Sea World, which does not merely seem big as a child, to surely disappoint you as an adult. I'm just wishing I began planning sooner. At the very least, if I'd requested a month ago all the information packets I requested this morning, I would most like have received it all in time to help me plan; as it is, I'll probably get it a week or two before I leave. But I have a nice book on the State Park system that has some good side trips into the Lost Coast and other areas to complement the National Park, and if I enjoy it, I can always return next year, since its a nice trip to add on to a trip to Michelle's.

In any event, if any of you are familiar with the area and want to suggest some accomodations, or some can't-miss sights up that way, feel free to e-mail me.