SAN FRANCISCO AND THE REDWOODS
CLEARLAKE
So, did you know that lots of wine comes from Northern California? Yes, it really does. Much to my surprise and pleasure we made some amazing wine discoveries here. I did actually discover a wine appellation that I was unfamiliar with, known as Lake County wine, which is grown around the Clearlake area. Clearlake is a few hours north of Bishop and we checked into our RV park, Clearlake Resort, for a week. This park has direct access to the lake and is comprised of mostly permanent residents who live in their RV's. When we checked in there were a few other visiting rigs, fishermen there for the big tournament taking place that weekend. When the tournament was over, the rigs were gone and we were left with the regulars. Can I just say that this park was not in the best neighborhood? A few days into our stay, there was an altercation in the mobile home park next door (separated by a chain link fence) when 2 people started trading verbal threats. The police showed up in force, with 2 ambulances, and a police chase ensued when the culprit ran away. One of the ambulances took someone away, lights flashing. Jim and I looked at each other and agreed that we were glad we only signed up for a week!
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| In front of the Brassfields Estate Winery |
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| This way to the Tasting Room |
While we stayed here, we were delighted to find several local wineries that made this Lake County wine. We visited 2 of them, Brassfield Estates Winery and the Ceago Winery. Bought wine at both, but Brassfield was clearly the better of the two. I ended up joining their wine club, so their wonderful wine will follow us in our travels.
Also while we stayed here we made a trip into San Francisco. I have always wanted to see Alcatraz, so I talked Jim into going there on our anniversary, May 7th. We drove to Oakland and took the ferry over to the San Francisco Pier, where we walked to catch our cruise ship to Alcatraz. Traffic was horrible through Napa due to road construction and we missed our intended ferry, taking the next one, fully expecting to miss our prepaid Alcatraz trip. Fortunately, we made the boarding time and the rest of the trip was stress-free.
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| Ferry from Oakland to San Francisco |
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| A hitchhiker on the ferry |
I loved wandering around Alcatraz, seeing where the prisoners were housed, fed and punished. What a depressing life that would have been! We learned quite a bit about Alcatraz that I never knew.
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| I guess he doesn't know that this is the island of the Pelicans! (Photo courtesy of Jim) |
For instance, it started life as a fort and maintained a military history from 1850-1934. It became the penitentiary in 1934 until it closed in 1963. It was occupied by Indians in 1964 and again in 1969. (See Alcatraz Wikipedia link)
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| During the Indian occupation |
This place has a colorful and varied history. I really enjoyed the audio tour of the prisoner cell block, narrated by former prison guards and prisoners. I met a woman in the book store who wrote a book about living on the island. When she was a child, her father was a prison guard and they lived on the "Rock".
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| Welcome to Alcatraz |
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| Cell Block (courtesy of Jim) |
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| Looking down toward the dock |
The gardens have been revived and tidied up. Many of the flowers and shrubs planted during the prison occupation survived the years of neglect and are once again flourishing.
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| The Gardens at Alcatraz |
We left our Alcatraz cruise and walked up to Fisherman's Wharf and decided to have an early dinner before we boarded our ferry back to Oakland.
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| Entrance to the Grotto |
We ended up eating at the Fisherman's Grotto restaurant, long a popular San Francisco landmark. Jim had fish and I had veal. A delicious way to end the day.
A few days later we went to Calistoga to visit a winery I have wanted to see since watching the movie, "Bottle Shock", the Chateau Montelena Winery, the one featured in the film. Their claim to fame is winning an international competition with their Chardonnay, beating out some fabulous French wines in the process. We bought a bottle of their famous Chardonnay plus two others.
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| The "Chateau Montelena" |
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| No valet available, unfortunately |
We visited another winery in the area, Envy Winery, and bought a bottle there as well. The entire area is planted with so many vines, it's incredible to see. The plants stretch way up the hillsides, as far as the eye can see. Beautiful, symmetrical designs, lacing through the countryside.
THE REDWOODS
We left Clearlake and headed up Highway 101, traveling yet further north. We ended up in Redcrest, California, 30 miles south of Eureka. The Ancient Redwoods RV Park is located on the Avenue of the Giants, surrounded by towering redwood trees. Great place to stay while exploring the redwoods!
The people here are great and the park is very well maintained.
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| One of our favorite places to sit and relax (Jim's photo) |
We are in total awe of these giants. We go into the forest almost every day to sit amidst the trees and marvel. Words can not describe the beauty and mystery surrounding these trees. Jim and I sit there and talk about how these forests survived, why they grow so closely together, why is there clover everywhere....you get the idea. I know it sounds crazy.....we have just never seen forests like these.
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| Clover is everywhere under the redood trees (Another of Jim's photos) |
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| Poisin Ivy captured by Jim |
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| Banana Slugs love the redwood trees. ICK! (Thanks, Jim!) |
Staying here for a month has a lot of advantages. We are exploring the surrounding area, living like the locals. The nearest grocery store is 15 miles away in Fortuna. I have to be careful with my shopping list! This part of California is sprinkled with small towns up and down the coast. There is one town a few miles north of us called Ferndale. It advertises itself as a Victorian town.
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| An example of the architecture in Ferndale |
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| Ferndale cemetary is one of the most beautiful and unusual I've seen |
We have gone up to Eureka several times. We have walked along the waterfront, gone to the movies (saw Star Trek Into Darkness....ho hum), visited Costco (of course) and driven up the coast past Arcata to Trinidad Harbor, where we had the best seafood dinner at the Seascape Restaurant on the pier.
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| Trinidad Harbor |
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| Strolling through Eureka |
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| Eureka waterfront |
On one of our visits, we took a tour at the Blue Ox Millworks, a museum and school based on the art of woodworking and carving, mostly done by hand and with non-electric tools. An interesting experience.
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| The Blue Ox was actually missing. Poor Paul Bunyan! |
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| A collection of foot-powered scroll saws at the Blue Ox |
The buildings are really old and falling down. The grounds contain a "skid camp" used by loggers, with the bunkhouse, cooking shed and gathering hall/theater. All of the buildings in the entire camp were built on "skids" or wooden rails, and would be moved from place to place by teams of mules, then later by a locomotive called a "steam monkey". Quite the major endeavor, I would think!
Another day trip found us on California Hwy 1, going south to Fort Bragg. Getting to Hwy 1 was an adventure, on this twisty, turning road out of Leggett, CA. We stopped in Leggett to see the "Chandelier Drive Through Tree".
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| Drive-through tree in Leggett |
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| Sitting on a fallen redwood |
What a tourist trap! They charged us $5.00 to see the tree. Of course, our truck is much too big to drive through so I took pictures of other people driving through.
We left 85 degree weather in Redcrest and when we hit the coast the outside temperature was 55 and overcast! The difference in climate within such a short distance boggles the mind. I imagine it has something to do with the proximity to the ocean.....LOL.
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| I believe these are seals, lazing on the rocks off the coast along California Highway 1 |
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| A "riot" of flowers! |
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| I loved these bell-shaped flowers |
The flowers here are different than the ones grown in New Mexico and since we are here at the right time (AKA Spring), everything is in full bloom. The colors and layout of the gardens were beautiful. It was an overcast morning, a good day for photography. I think I got a few really nice shots.
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| My favorite of the day - currently being used as my computer wallpaper! |
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| The Lost Coast of California |
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| Boy, are we lost! (Jim found us though and took a photo!) |
Click on the photos to enlarge
