I enjoy taking roads that are off the beaten path, and today Kathy and I did just that. I did not do it on purpose. The GPS took me the shortest route and that just happened to be over the mountain and through the woods. Yes, it was on a one lane gravel road that contained no guard rails on the high passes, but the views were priceless. The Willamette Valley spread out below us and the high farmlands were surrounded by pine forests and deep valleys. The oats in the fields were golden in color and ripe for harvest. It was an amazing pastoral scene. The end of the journey was an area containing seven waterfalls. We were high and could look down upon one of the major falls as it cascaded to the pool far below.

We also were able to visit the Oregon Garden, designed by the Nurseryman’s Association and containing a home designed by Frank Lloyd Wright. The conifer garden was my favorite section of the park. It contained at least one conifer of every type on the planet. I had no clue. I marveled at the variegated varieties and the weeping spruce varieties. Interspersed by fountains and rock features, the garden was an impressive display. Our off the beaten path road took us somewhere special today. WEG

The Oregon south to central coast is noted for its magnificent sand dunes, some reaching 500 feet in height. I think the fact that the pine and spruce forests intersperse with the dunes and that lakes dot the valleys along the coast together serve to give this portion of the west coast a distinct feel. The villages along the coast are centered in fishing and have a nautical ambiance with clam chowder, fish stuffed with crab, and fish and chips dominating the menus.

I saw sand drifting onto Highway 101–the coastal road in Oregon–and quickly pulled over. I looked at the dune and said to Kathy, “Let’s climb it.” At first she was hesitant since it was tall and steep. I told her if we fell, it was soft sand, so off and up we went. Half way up we discovered a number of fully ripe fruited blackberry bushes growing on the edge of the dune. What a treat! The thing about sand dunes is that, since the sand is loose, you slide backwards; so you don’t make much progress. The struggle upwards–probably about 60 feet–was worth the effort as we were able to see sand dunes interspersed with forest stretch out before us. The way down was easer to navigate–gravity helped.

Who knew that Oregon has covered bridges? We took a detour to see one and soon found ourselves on gravel roads among vineyards and commercial Christmas tree farms. The bridge was white and barn-like with thick wooden boards for flooring. It was fun to drive across its one lane.

Oregon has great natural beauty and is clean, clean, clean. WEG

Who knew that far north California was filled with Victorian architectural splendor? Ferndale, just south of Eureka, is known as Victorian Ferndale and is a delightful village filled with pastel-colored homes and businesses with contrasting touches of gingerbread woodwork. The abundance of such architecture helps the city to live up to its title. The entire area around the city is pastoral. Cattle graze in green fields that gently roll across the landscape. Tall white wooden farm homes are surrounded by rust-red barns that have a distinctive Scandinavian feel with their off-centered and steeply-pitched roofs that fall almost to the ground.

The old town of Eureka is also a Victorian gem. Along the harbor are imposing Victorian mansions. A Victorian garden is a well-tended park near the city zoo. On the other side of the zoo is the entrance to a wonderful city park given by a landholder who decided that, rather than cutting the magnificent redwoods on the property for profit, it would be better to preserve “God’s most wondrous handiwork” as a protected park. It is an inspirational feeling to step into the shadows of the redwoods. You immediately realize how small you are since the massive girth of the redwood base is itself made small by the towering height of the tree. It is an immediate feeling of smallness, and yet, awe at the same time. So, right in the middle of Eureka is a valley park with tended trails that weave through 300 plus tall trees and along a stream the follows the valley floor. We had a joyful and peaceful walk.

The man-made Victorian blends well with the God-made surroundings in Northern California.

On a different note, this year’s long journey was prefaced by my statement that Kathy and I were also on a quest to reinvent ourselves. So far, she has not been too keen on some of my ideas. Since we have seen several tattoo parlors recently, I suggested we get one. I had persuasive rationale. I noted that I didn’t want to do the spa thing, but went ahead and did a couple’s spa treatment with her. I let strange women crawl all over my body for her. She still had a flat out answer of “No!” I have dropped it for now. The journey isn’t over yet and there is reinvention remaining to do. WEG

I wanted to drive the Lost Coast Road north of Ft. Bragg since it is very sparsely trafficked and runs through a desolate region of California. It is also the meeting point of many of the earthquake fault plates. As a result, the area has more earthquakes than other places in California. I wanted to be able to say I had done it and survived. It didn’t happen as planned, since I learned about the magnificent redwood forests at the end of CA-1 in Northern California near Eureka and decided to take that drive instead. Kathy was happy with the change of plans, and I must say the drive along the Avenue of the Giants was awesome. California’s Humboldt Redwood State Park is home to the world’s oldest standing forest. There are older individual trees in other places, but this forest has stood for over 2,000 years and what remains is from what was once the planet’s largest forest. Many of the trees are over 360 feet tall (the tallest trees in the world), and the deep shadow the canopy produces is ethereal. We found ourselves pulled towards walking amongst these magnificent trees many times. I also drove the van through the hollowed-out part of the Chandelier Tree, which is a mere 315 feet tall, but still growing. It was a fantastic drive.

Once in Eureka, we settled into our motel, and went to eat at a restaurant next door. All of the sudden, the building began to shake. Yip, it was a mild earthquake. So, I had my earthquake fix in what I discovered to be the most northern point of the Lost Coast. What a day! WEG

Over the years I have planned to go to gardens as we traveled because Kathy loves them so. Our children knew that I would drive out of the way because a roadside sign advertised a garden of some type. They got used to going with the flow.

Today , the Mendocino Botanical Garden was about a mile from our hotel in Ft. Bragg, California–no out of the way there. This garden is the only coastal botanical garden in California and our three hours there were filled with beautiful and educational sights. Massive flower plantings representing the coastal climate filled acres of the garden and they were in full bloom–breath taking. The rest of the garden was divided into sections representing coastal areas around the world and they were educationally marked and interesting. The California vegetable garden was wonderful, the dahlia (in full bloom) quadrangle was colorful and bright and the coastal trail was magnificent. It was a very satisfying time and my wife was more than happy! I did well, WEG

California Highway 1 is a phenomenal drive! Highway 1 is not to be confused with Highway 101. At times they are the same road, but for most of the drive they are separate highways, although they run parallel to each other. The difference is that Highway 1 is the coastal road, and therefore, the more rugged and scenic road. Highway 101 is more like a freeway, oftentimes multi-lane, running a straight line from point to point and rarely coming within sight of the coast. Highway 1 is anything but straight.

On our journey from San Francisco to Ft. Bragg we were simply awed with the beauty we encountered. There were more hairpin turns than could be imagined and most times no guard rails of any kind. Going up and down, from about a thousand feet to shore level with turn after turn over and over again made the head spin. The views were amazing. Rolling hills, sand dunes, sheer cliffs, bays with massive rock protrusions, sandy shores, bogs, estuaries, deep valleys and always brilliant blue water were within sight. At times, we found ourselves in deep forests and at other times in flower covered treeless hills, but all the time the coastline was to the immediate west. We thought this was the most impressive part of our coastal journey thus far in California, and that says a lot, since all of Highway 1 so far has been amazing. WEG

Kathy and I love San Francisco. Today we were able to return, but from a different angle. Rather than staying in the city, we chose to stay across the bay in Larkspur Landing and take the ferry across the bay, past Alcatraz, and into the Ferry Terminal along the Embarcadero. Our hotel is in a bayside shopping and dining village and only a ten minute walk to the ferry. The ride this morning, in the fog, took us only 30 minutes. The views of the Richmond Bridge and the double decker Bay Bridge were clear, but the Golden Gate Bridge was hazy in the fog. The skyline of San Francisco is simply stunning and beautiful. Once on the ferry terminal with its myriad shops and eateries, we were happy to discover a farmer’s market in progress as well. I could have stopped at every stall and gotten something to eat, but refrained as I had several San Francisco treats that were on my “to do list” for the day.

*Macaroons–not just any macaroons, mind you, but the ones from one bakery in China Town. They are moist and coconut filled and covered in dark chocolate. Could my memory locate the bakery and would they still sell macaroons? When it comes to food, my memory is a lockbox and we walked right to the bakery, Macaroons–check. By the way, walking up the steep hills of San Francisco more than took off the calories from the macaroons. This is the kind of exercise I like. Cool weather (65F) and beautiful and interesting sites and treats at the end.

*Cioppino–Chip-een-o is an old Italian San Francisco fish stew that got its name from the fishermen chipping in some of their day’s catch for the evening meal. One restaurant on Fisherman’s Wharf has my favorite cioppino. We got an outdoor table and I made a royal mess cracking the crab shells, but the taste was heavenly.

*Crepes–on Pier 39, and you watch them make yours. This was my dessert and it was mm-m mm-m good. Filled with bananas and strawberries, whipped cream and chocolate, it was a winner. True to form, for those of you who have followed this blog, my wife went for ice cream while I went for pastry.

It felt good to revisit this beautiful city and revisit some of my favorite San Francisco treats. WEG

So Different and Yet the Same
What is so different?
1. Our lodging: We went from California rustic environmentally chic in Big Sur (which was wonderful) to California uptown modern lux in Monterey. When we arrived at our lodging in Monterey we were pleasantly surprised to find that we had been upgraded—why, we do not know—but upgraded still the same. We had to wait awhile until the room was finished being cleaned, but the clerk assured us that it was worth the wait. And indeed, it was. It was not a room but the presidential suite! It is two floors of absolute comfort and luxury with a huge patio overlooking Monterey Bay, Fisherman’s Wharf and the yacht harbor. We went from a bathroom so small, leaving the door open allowed your behind to have room to wiggle, to a bathroom suite so large our whole family, grandkids included, could fit in (none of them are with us so we have it all to ourselves). Oh my, oh my, how wonderful.
2. The Ambiance: We went from rugged, big timbered, crashing ocean on cliff-lined shores scenery to sandy bay shores. We went from wild flowered hillsides to planned gardens and huge pots filled with blooming flowers of every description. We went from aloneness to people-filled streets. We went from simple pleasures to choices galore. We took a refreshment break sitting around an outdoor fire pit, the flames shooting from the glass rocks, and gathered some warmth on a cool, yet sunny day. We browsed the galleries and shops in beautiful Carmel-by-the-Sea—a quaint town that is stunning in many ways and very close to Monterey. We had a hard time making a decision as to which wonderful fish restaurant to choose along Fisherman’s Wharf in Monterey. When we returned to the hotel, the concierge asked where we had eaten and didn’t think we chose the right one—we enjoyed it, none the less.
What is the same?
1. The climate: How wonderful it is to be in late July and the temperatures are in the low 70’s F during the day, if not cooler, and in the low 50’s F at night. And the sun is shining! No sweat, no humidity, just wonderful weather.
2. The flowers—They are blooming and abundant all along the journey and they are beautiful whether on hillsides or in gardens or street plantings.
3. The ocean—It never stops being a wonderful sight. WEG

High Coast Country
July 24, 2013

Big Sur rightly has a reputation for nature and tranquility at its finest. Perched high on the cliffs along the Pacific coast between Cambria and Monterrey, Big Sur is not a city, but rather a strip of land in the high redwood forest overlooking the ocean far below. It is also a state of mind–an ethereal place–where fog drifts among the majestic trees as the sound of huge ocean waves wafts over the landscape. Here you can be lost in time and space and at the same time feel connected and grounded.

We walked a road less traveled as we wound up the coastal mountain above our lodging. At the bottom, we could touch the huge trunks of the towering redwoods and as we traversed higher we realized that our cliff side walk had led us to the top branches of the very same trees. Gentle waterfalls and mountain deer were all close at hand. And the views of the Pacific over a thousand feet below were no less than spectacular, especially to see the huge waves gather their might off shore as they marched toward the shore. And the colors–dark green of the trees, verdant green of of the hills, deep blue of the ocean turning to turquoise as it neared the shore, yellow of the flowers and grey of the drifting fog mixed with white of the clouds–would have made any artist eager to reproduce the sight. And we were above it all looking down and we were alone–all alone–and lost in our thoughts.

Our lodging is on the national register of historic sites and is run by a foundation dedicated to keeping it in its original state. It might not be for everyone, but we are having a glorious time. Everything is so California–while rustic, it is rustic with style–nothing uncomfortable, yet in every detail, antique and quaint…like original hand-hewn doors that can be made into half doors with the top half latched to the wall with a hook…like candle light dining in quaint rooms with a fire place…like every window having a view of something beautiful…like quiet rules and no children allowed (unless you book an entire wing to contain their noise)…like no television, radio or internet or sodas or unhealthy food…like creaky wooden floors and small bathrooms…like high comfortable beds with wonderful bedding…like no keys to rooms because they do not lock from the outside but are secured at night with an old fashioned latch…like rocks on the floorboard to be used as doorstops to keep interior doors from tilting open. (In case you were wondering, my wife did not drag me to some commune.) You probably get the picture and it all seems to sum up what Big Sur is all about. WEG

Sand and Olallieberries

The area around San Luis Obispo, California, is delightful. Vineyards and wineries abound, the coastal mountains and Pacific Ocean afford wonderful views and the old city with Craftsman and Spanish architecture is filled with shops and restaurants. The drive to and from SLO along the Pacific Coast Highway (California 1) is awesome, with waves crashing into the rock-studded shore and the coastal mountains rising above the highway.

Close to SLO are the Oceano sand dunes–the only place along the California Pacific that allows motorized recreational vehicle traffic. Kathy and I rented a morning drive in a Prowler high power, low to the ground, two seat buggy and took off to the dunes for what I assumed would be a fun and easy drive. Mind you, I have never driven such a vehicle before and no one told me the dunes were endless and rolling and HIGH and STEEP and no laid out path. Kathy prayed OUT LOUD as we hurtled down 80 foot drops–I had no choice but to take them and to accelerate quickly to make the next rise or (1.) Get buried in sand and stuck; (2.) Risk sliding sideways in the soft sand on the steep dunes and overturning the cart. I do not like heights and this was one height after another–it was a roller coaster without rails. Thankfully, I found a relatively flat area and tooled around there for a while. Then it was time to head back and we had to find a position pole to locate ourselves on a map. As you probably guessed, in my concentration on staying alive and listening to Kathy alternately pray and scream, I had traveled far from base and had to take a more direct route back because of time limitation. This meant more and worse dunes. We skirted by one monster–a giant doodlebug hole–by staying on the precipice and running at top speed to keep from slipping into the abyss. It was so steep and deep that I feared if we slipped in they would need to bring in a helicopter to ferry us out and I actually wondered how much that would cost!? Back at the hotel, Kathy and I were so covered in sand that we had to shampoo our hair several times and the sand had gotten to places that surprised me. Kathy told me she enjoyed our two and a half hour adventure.

Traveling on to Cambria on CA-1, we felt relaxed and hungry. The beauty of the surroundings were inspiring. We stopped in Cambria and ate olallieberry pie, an area speciality. This berry is a cross between a blackberry and a raspberry. It went down smoothly with French vanilla ice cream. What a day–sand and olallieberries! WEG