Where the long game started.
Redwoods, fog, a college town on the edge of the map. Coach Leighty's own long game began here in 1999. Long Game's field office is back on the same ground.
Some unfinished business.
I started at Humboldt in 1999, second floor of Chinquapin Hall. Midway through my junior year, in January 2002, I headed back to the Bay Area to finish my undergrad, and later my MBA, while working.
It's crazy how long it's been. I still feel like I have unfinished business here.
The years in between ran through Cisco, Adobe and Nike, a couple of layoffs, and a lot of lessons about playing the long game. Now Long Game has a field office in Arcata, and the school that shaped those first years is Cal Poly Humboldt. Same trees. Same fog. A lot more to give back.
The first Long Game outside Portland.
Plan an Arcata day, start to finish.
Arcata Plaza Farmers Market
Local farms and food on the Plaza, run by the North Coast Growers' Association.
Market info → Event · Late MayKinetic Grand Championship
People-powered art machines race across land, sand and water, starting on the Arcata Plaza.
Kinetic Grand → Bay · CruiseMadaket on Humboldt Bay
Historic harbor cruises from the Eureka waterfront.
Madaket cruises → Bay · PaddleKayak Humboldt Bay
Humboats runs kayak tours and rentals from Woodley Island in Eureka.
Humboats → RedwoodsRedwood National and State Parks
The tallest trees on earth, about an hour north.
Plan a visit → Redwoods · DriveAvenue of the Giants
The classic redwood drive through Humboldt Redwoods, about an hour south.
Map it → Summer · BaseballHumboldt Crabs
Summer collegiate baseball in Arcata since 1945.
Crabs schedule → More ideasVisit Redwoods
Humboldt County's official guide to everything else.
Visit Redwoods →Listed to help you plan, not as partners or sponsors. Check each site for seasons, prices and bookings.
Arcata to Portland, and back.
Giving back to the North Coast.
The first move
Students and recent grads figuring out what comes after Humboldt, especially when the path isn't a straight line.
The next chapter
People on the North Coast changing direction, coming back after a layoff, or building something of their own.
Local long games
The small businesses and makers who show what a long game looks like up close. We want to tell their stories.
A quick trip to the redwoods.
Humboldt County (ACV)
The California Redwood Coast airport in McKinleyville, about 15 minutes north.
Search flights → Train and busAmtrak Thruway
Amtrak's connecting bus runs up Highway 101 to Arcata from the Bay Area trains.
Amtrak → DriveFrom Portland
About seven hours: I-5, then over to the coast on US 199 and down 101.
Directions →Planning a trip? Email mike@longgamelife.live to hear about the next Long Game meetup in Arcata.
What's open right now.
Long games we admire.
The North Coast runs on people who built something and stuck with it. A few of Coach Leighty's favorites, in Arcata and down the road in Eureka.
Stu's Brews
Drive-thru coffee and custom cakes, built by a husband and wife who know what it really takes.
Visit Stu's Brews → Arcata · Outdoor gearAdventure's Edge
Arcata's outdoor shop for gear and bikes before a trip into the redwoods or out on the Lost Coast.
Visit Adventure's Edge → Arcata · Pizza and subsArcata Pizza & Deli
A Humboldt staple for pizza and deli subs.
Find it on the map →Long Game is building partnerships with a few key local businesses. When a partnership is official, it shows up right here.
Know the ground around camp.
Long games run better when you're rooted where you live. Here's who looks after the Humboldt coast and redwoods, where locals spend their time off, and where to start if you're visiting.
Protect it
Groups keeping the coast, forests and trails healthy. Show up for a cleanup or a trail day.
- Surfrider Foundation, HumboldtBeach cleanups and Humboldt Bay water-quality work.
- Sierra Club, Redwood Chapter North GroupVolunteer group for Humboldt, Del Norte and Trinity.
- Redwood Parks ConservancyNonprofit partner of the redwood parks, with volunteer days.
- Friends of the DunesCoastal dune restoration and the Humboldt Coastal Nature Center.
- Leave No TraceThe seven principles every Long Game trip runs on.
Live it
Where the locals actually spend their time off.
- People's RecordsNew and used vinyl a block off the Plaza.
- Arcata Skate ParkNear Sunset Ave and 101. Pads required. City parks page.
- Arcata Community ForestRedwood singletrack right above campus.
- Hammond TrailCoastal path from the Arcata Bottoms to Clam Beach.
- Arcata Marsh & Wildlife SanctuaryAbout five miles of flat paths on Humboldt Bay.
Visit it
Planning a trip, or new in town? Start here.
- Visit RedwoodsHumboldt County's official travel guide.
- Redwood National and State ParksThe tallest trees on earth, an hour north.
- Sue-meg State ParkAgate Beach and headland trails near Trinidad.
- Cal Poly Humboldt LumberjacksUniversity athletics.
- Humboldt CrabsSummer collegiate baseball since 1945.
- Arcata on WikipediaHistory and the basics.
Links go to each group's own site. Listed as local resources, not partners or sponsors. Spot something closed or missing? Email mike@longgamelife.live.
Everybody has a long game. Some of the best ones start in the redwoods.
Whether you're a student, a local, or someone who left and keeps thinking about coming back, start with a free 20-minute call.
Or email mike@longgamelife.live