Big Sur coast from Nepenthe. A million dollar view. We talk about Nepenthe further down.

We decided it was time to revisit Big Sur as it has been a couple of years since we took the scenic drive along Highway 1.

(Please click on the small images to see larger versions, the resolution is better.  Sorry, but just about all browsers don’t do these photos justice.  Most browsers aren’t color managed so much of the shadow and color are lost.)

As we approached Gilroy on 101 we saw signs for the Garlic Festival. This is a big event which thousands of people will attend. I have never been and maybe one day I should just go to see what it is like and to sample garlic ice cream. Encountering traffic on the way home though could be a problem.

We arrived in Pacific Grove at 6.45a.m. and as the cafe we planned to have breakfast in did not open until 7 am, we had a little bit of time to kill. We drove down to the end of Lighthouse Avenue to see if I could find the motel I stayed in on my first trip to California in 1997. On that occasion I was with my son and daughter and we were spending New Year in the area. We found the motel almost at the end of the road and it looks the same as I remembered it. As we still had a few minutes to spare we drove down to Lovers’ Point which is a nice little cove with a sandy beach. In the past I have spotted sea otters amongst the kelp beds not far from shore but not today.

After breakfast we found our way back to Highway 1. When we crossed Carmel; River Bridge we were officially on the Big Sur scenic drive.

We wanted to have a quick look around Point Lobos State Reserve. There is a car park but it has a day use charge. According to ‘A Guide to California’s Big Sur‘, walk-ins did not have to pay to enter the reserve and that there were parking places along the road. All we found were ‘No Parking’ signs posted.

Our first stop was at the 67.00 mile marker (for more information about mile markers see this) in a small gravel pull off and we were in for the

Blue or Gray Whale? We're not sure. Anyway they were very close to shore.

treat of our lives. There was an no official trail but there were signs warning of dangerous cliffs. We walked down a rough beaten path towards the ocean where we had a good view of the coastline. There was no access to the shore at all. Here the rocks meet the sea with not a beach in sight. I was gazing out to sea at the kelp beds, keeping my eyes open for sea otters but what I saw took my breath away. Just offshore, maybe no more than a quarter of a mile, I spotted a water spout. Could it have been made by a whale? No, it couldn’t be, not at this time of the year. The whale migration was over a couple of months ago. But I saw another one and then another. I called to Tom and we kept our eyes trained on that section of the ocean. There was one water spout after another and deduced there were more than two whales out there. All the activity seemed to be in one spot but after we had been watching for at least half an hour we realized they were slowly moving north. Every so often we saw a fin rise out of the water but none of them breached. We concluded that they were feeding. Tom took lots of photographs but it was very difficult to actually capture anything. Sure wished I knew what sort of whales they were. The next day I mentioned to someone what we had seen and was told there was something on the news about the number of whales spotted off the coast of California. Of course I had to check online and found this. Maybe it was blue whales we saw. Wow.

Big Sur coast line

Eventually we tore ourselves away an continued our drive. At the 65.32 mile marker we stopped to take some photos and again at the 62.5 marker. The latter is called the Abalone Cove Vista Point. It bet there are no abalone there now. Tom reflected that back in the day you could probably walk out at low tide and pluck them from the rocks (note from Tom: Wild Abalone is the best food I ever ate.  It is rich but not overly so.  Texture, taste and sweetness from the sea.  Man, it doesn’t get any better). Just off the the right there was a line of trees which effectively blocked off a lot of the vista. They were screening somebody’s back lawn. At the end of the garden, on the edge of the cliff, was a bench. I expect that is the place to be when the sun goes down.

By this time is was 9.30 and the tourists were out. I guess we could be called tourists today. I expect all the small gravel pull offs at the side of the road will be packed later on as more and more people hit the road. Just past the Rocky Pit Restaurant we stopped again. A field, with half a dozen grazing cows, sloped down to the ocean. When we looked along the coastline to the south we spotted a rock archway in the cliffs.

The road becomes more and more scenic the further south we went but scary too. If you don’t have a head for heights, some of the bridges are

Wind blown cypress along the Big Sur coast

difficult to cross. I just take a deep breath and look straight ahead. Bixby Creek Bridge is the most photographed bridge on this road. Up close you don’t get a true appreciation of it. A little further south at Hurricane Point (58.3 marker) is the perfect place to take a picture. It was a little foggy up there so Tom did not attempt to photograph it today. To see one of Tom’s photos of the bridge just look at the top of the page. The history of why Highway 1 was constructed and who did the hard work can be found here.

About eight miles further on, the Point Sur Lightstation is located on a large rock. There are three hour guided walking tours led by volunteers at certain times – November to March on Saturdays and Sundays at 10 am and on Wednesdays 1 pm; April to October on Saturdays and Sundays at 10 am and 2 pm, Sundays at 10 am and Thursday during July and August at 10 am. Admission is $10. There are moonlight tours as well, admission $15. No advance booking is required but it is first come, first served. Must put that on our list of things to do in the future.

We stopped again just before the entrance to Andrew Molera State Park at the beginning of a trail. A sign just inside indicated that it led to a primitive camp site and this was the only access to it. While Tom took photographs from the road, I stretched my legs by walking a little way down the trail which cut through a field. Wildflowers grew profusely along the edge of the path. When it became a little chilly I turned back because I no longer had my sweatshirt on. A father and son passed me on their way into the campground carrying a surf board.

Back on the road again, we took a detour down Sycamore Canyon Road to Pfeiffer Beach in Pfeiffer Big Sur State Park. It was a steep 2.5 mile drive on a one lane road through woodland and past a few houses. We passed only one car coming up but there were two behind us and one in front. The fee for day use is $5. A sign displayed at the pay booth amused me – ‘Yes it is windy and no refunds’. There was short walk to the beach alongside a stream which was not in full spate. The beach was sandy and hemmed in by high cliffs and three huge rocks which were just offshore. At first sight it did not look very big but when we walked north a little way, around a small point, we saw that the beach extended some way. The surf surged through the gaps between the rocks and through a tunnel in one of them.

Archway at Pfeiffer Beach in Pfeiffer Big Sur State Park

There were quite a few people on the beach. Lots of family groups with picnics. One family were flying a kite and another building sandcastles. A couple of little girls in swimming costumes were walking a little way into the water and then running back again screaming in mock fright when the tide came in a covered their feet. I walked along the beach and spotted several cairns of balancing stones. The beach does not have larges pieces of driftwood but lots of little sticks which could be used to build small structures. I also noticed that a lot of seaweed had been washed up, most of it kelp.

I walked back to the northern end of the beach, leaving Tom busy with his tripod near the first big rock. Wading across a small creek I found a convenient rock to sit on in almost total seclusion. The sun, having burned off the fog, was shining brightly. There was a warm breeze which felt very pleasant so I used my sweatshirt as a cushion. Then I started writing. It was a glorious feeling to be sitting in the sun, listening to the surf and the happy sound of children at play and I was thoroughly content.

Heading down towards Nepenthe along the Big Sur coast

Our last stop was at Nepenthe. There is no way you can drive down Highway 1 and not stop here. Nepenthe was designed by Rowan Maiden, a student of Frank Lloyd Wright in the late forties. Nearby is a cabin, which was built in 1925 and at one time was owned by Orson Welles and, his wife at the time, Rita Hayworth. Nepenthe is on three levels with a restaurant on the top deck with a large outdoor terrace, Cafe Kevah on the middle deck with another large terrace and the Phoenix Gift Shop on the lowest level. From the top two decks are wonderful views down the coast. When we arrived we parked at the road level. Because there were a lot of cars around, most of them appeared to be Corvettes so assumed there was some sort of rally or meet going on, we thought it would be difficult to get anything to drink, never mind something to eat. We opted for the Cafe Kevah and were pleasantly surprised to find it almost empty.

We ordered a grilled Cheddar and Fontina Panini sandwich, served with a mixed green salad plus a beer for Tom and a hot chocolate for me. All the tables are outside underneath umbrellas. The sun is warm so the shade was welcoming. We had views over the ocean and inshore. Two years ago Nepenthe was threatened by the Basin Complex wildfire, which took over a month to contain, but we have not seen evidence of that fire anywhere today. As soon as our food hit the table, we were surrounded by a family of Stella Jays and a couple of crows. They sat waiting to snatch up the crumbs but they were out of luck. When we had finished eating, one of the jays hopped from the adjacent table onto ours, hoping I expect to glean any crumbs from our plates. One slight movement from me and he flew away.

After lunch we climbed to the top deck just to see what was going on. In stark contrast to the deck below, it was crowded. Obviously the Corvetters had congregated there. From this level you get a better view down the coast but it was a bit hazy so we could not see very far. On our way back to the car we stepped into the Pheonix Gift Shop and somehow managed to resist the temptation to buy anything.

Time to head home. We had a marvelous day exploring parts of Big Sur we had not visited before but there is still lots we have yet to see.

Related posts:

1. Big Sur
2. Franklin Point

Holly's Lighthouse Cafe in Pacific Grove, California

Whenever we go on our travels I always do a search for somewhere to get breakfast on the way. Our destination on this trip is Big Sur so I started my search in Monterey. One thing I check is the reviews and one place place really caught my attention – Holly’s Lighthouse Cafe in Pacific Grove. The reason being their oatmeal is made with steel-cut oats. We just had to investigate.

Pacific Grove is a nice little town. It is on the coast between Monterey and Carmel but a lot less touristy than either. Holly’s Lighthouse Cafe is on Lighthouse Avenue, which is the main street. There are a lot of interesting shops along the way but they are all closed at 7 am.

Holly’s Lighthouse Cafe is a charming place with huge plant pots outside the door. We were the first customers so had the pick of all the tables. We chose the one in the window.

It is not your typical diner – no booths at all but two, four and one eight seater tables plus four seats at the counter. All the tables have blue checked plastic tablecloths. Every table has a small vase with fresh flowers.

The menu is extensive and there are two boards showing specials. Of course I had the steel-cut oatmeal with toast ($5.99). As usual I asked for wheat toast and was offered a choice. They have a walnut wholewheat toast so I had to try that. Tom went for one of the specials, an Eggs Benedict with Canadian bacon ($11.25). The coffee by the way was very good ($1.75).

With ‘lighthouse’ in the name of the cafe, that was the obvious theme for the decor. A couple of large pictures depicted lighthouses and a shelf, which ran the length of one wall, was crammed with all manner of model lighthouses. Right next to us was a 4 foot high wooden lighthouse with shelves cut into it. Of course each shelf sported a model of a lighthouse. There were several other photos, including an old one showing the Winston Hotel which originally stood on the site. Also a large photo of Holly’s and a black and white photo of a surfer.

A local radio station played softly in the background. It is amazing how fast the cafe filled up and muted chatter was going on all around. Along with the cheerful server, it all created  pleasant ambience.

My oatmeal came in a round bowl and it looked the real deal. The brown sugar and raisins were served in small white ceramic bowls and the milk in a small white ceramic jug. The walnut toast came on a plate with the oatmeal. Tom’s Eggs Benedict looked very attractive. Such a pity one of the eggs was a little undercooked and Tom found a hair in it halfway through his meal. My oatmeal was good but it could have been a little warmer. The toast though was crispy and delicious.

The restroom (directions, turn left at the lighthouse) was different. It was small and narrow but it had been artistically painted. One wall depicted ivy. The wall by the sink had a geometric donut and coffee cup and saucer pattern. On another wall a small portrait in a frame had been painted and the end wall had a window painted on it with a beach view. Almost unnoticed at the top of the painting was a small plane advertising Holly’s Cafe.

Would we go there again? Probably. I guess we were unlucky to have a hair show up in our food and we probably should have mentioned it at the time.

Related posts:

1. Alma’s River Cafe, Walnut Grove
2. Lighthouse Cafe, Sausalito
3. Zachary’s, Santa Cruz

Fillmore District, San Francisco

A day off. Where shall we go? We decided San Franciso needed another visit as we haven’t been there for a while.

We checked to see what was going on at both the de Young and the Legion of Honor museums but their combined website was very confusing. ‘The Birth of the Impressionists’ was due to open the next day but there were no details about what was on today. As it was a Tuesday, we wanted to know if either were even open but Tom couldn’t even find out that information.

In the end we set off with no clear idea where we would end up. For breakfast we stopped at the Lakeside Cafe on Ocean in the Merced Manor district. We have eaten here before so we know the food is good, if a little pricey. They have soothing classical music playing in the background and the surroundings are nice.

After breakfast we made our way in the general direction of the Fillmore district. We got a little lost because there were not too many allowable left turns but we eventually arrived on Fillmore Street. The only parking was at a meter where the limit was one hour at a cost of $2.

We walked up one side of Fillmore and down the other. There are some very nice shops; we passed small, high end dress and shoe shops, elegant furniture stores and loads of beauty parlors with exotic names. In just three blocks there are five coffee shops. Along with the ubiquitous Starbucks and Peet’s, there was Tully’s Coffee Shop, The Royal Ground Coffee and Coffee Bean and Tea Leaf.

I’ve had great trouble finding decent and stylish greeting cards and when I spotted Paper Source I made a beeline for it. Just inside a whole array of suitable cards so I bought four of them. One day I will write a list and make a special trip to a shop like Paper Source to buy a year’s supply. At the back of the shop you could purchase all kinds of paper, including blank cards and envelopes to make your own greetings cards. What particularly caught our eye on the way out were racks of beautiful Japanese paper but they were about $10 a sheet. The shop smelt of paper, which was very pleasant.

The next shop we wandered into was Browser Books. Neither of us can resist a bookshop and this one had lots of interesting reads. I’m reading Stieg Larsson’s ‘The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo’ on my Kindle at the moment (who isn’t?) and Browser Books had it prominently displayed along with the next one called ‘The Girl who Played with Fire’. Another book which promises to be good is ‘Little Bee’ by Chris Cleave. Maybe that will be my next purchase closely followed by ‘Stones into Schools’ by Greg Mortenson, which is the sequel to ‘Three Cups of Tea’. Amazingly just up the road from the bookshop at The Clayton Theater they were advertising the film, ‘The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo’ (we later saw that film and it’s very good).

All this meandering up and down Filmore brought us close to running out of time at the meter so we popped a few more coins in as we passed.

Fillmore Street heading down towards San Francisco Bay

Tom wanted to walk up a little further to take some shots of the Bay where Fillmore suddenly dips downhill. I remember the first time Tom brought me to that point and my stomach just plummeted and now we always bring first time visitors to San Francisco to give them a thrill as we crest the hill and plunge down the other side.

At the junction of Broadway and Fillmore though there was road construction going on. A massive backhoe was making light work of picking up large slabs of tarmac and dumping them into the back of a truck. At the same time, concrete was being pumped in to fill the hole and two guys were busy spreading it. If was an efficiently coordinated effort while traffic was being directed around the construction site. A Muni inspector was on duty to lower the arms of the trolleys as they approached the junction so they could maneuver around the operation. It was fascinating to watch.

Our last stop was at Peet’s coffee house. We sat for ten minutes enjoying a cup of coffee (Tom) and a hot chocolate (me) before getting back to the car just as the expired flag popped up.

Our journey home did not take too long at all and we noticed the thermometer rise from 60 – 80 degrees. It’s true what they say about how much colder San Francisco is in the summer so if you are visiting during June to September don’t forget to bring some warmer clothing.

Related posts:

1. The Castro, San Francisco
2. The Embarcadero, San Francisco
3. San Francisco – Ferry Plaza Farmers Market

Java House Restaurant, San Francisco

The Java House Restaurant is somewhere not to miss if you are ever near AT&T Park in San Francisco. For one thing, according to the plaque outside, it has been around since 1912 and is the oldest eatery on the Embarcadero. Constructed entirely of wood, it is more like a shack. The outside is covered in posters, mostly to do with baseball, but also a poster for the movie ‘I Love You Man’. If it is good enough for Herb Caen and Willie Mays, then it is good enough for me.

Inside you order at the counter. The menu is very basic and I warn you in advance, it is a greasy spoon. All the egg dishes have three eggs so high doses of the wrong kind of cholesterol. Obviously no oatmeal. There were some specials on the board but they didn’t appeal to us. We both ordered the cheese omelet with hash browns and toast ($7.50).

Seating is in three areas, a couple of tables near the counter, a side room and six tables outside on the sidewalk. We chose the side room where there were three sorts of chairs. All the furniture was a bit tacky to say the least. One thing I noticed was the sticky floor (and the table top was almost as sticky). Can’t complain about the view though, as we looked out over a marina with a collection of desirable small boats.

What about the decor? It can only be called a hodgepodge. Beer adverts were everywhere including a Coors frieze going round the walls and across the ceiling. Lots of signed photos of Giants baseball players. One outstanding feature in the side room was a large cut out sculpture on the wall of a cartoon couple jiving, dressed in clothes of the fifties. I wonder if it has been there since then?

After a false alarm when we thought Tom’s name was called, we collected our food from the counter. It came on a pink plastic oval plate. The hash browns were more like country potatoes and the omelet didn’t look like it was big enough to have three eggs in it but what do I know? The toast was buttered and placed on the same plate. We had to go get some jam from a side counter. The selection was not great.

My omelet was a tad undercooked but it tasted fine. Tom really liked the potatoes and the coffee was OK. We cleared our plates though, with just a greasy film remaining.

I made the trip to the restroom with great trepidation, which turned out to be fully justified. It was not the worst but, in the recent past, I can only think of one other which was worse. Would we go there again? Not to eat I don’t think but maybe for the coffee.

Java House Restaurant

Pier 40, The Embarcadero, San Francisco CA 94107

Related posts:

1. Cafe Rain Tree, San Francisco
2. Station House Cafe – Point Reyes Station
3. Tyger’s Coffee House, Glen Park, San Francisco

Motorcycles lined up at The 19th Hole in Tres Pinos

We spent the weekend in San Juan Bautista and it certainly was a hot one. Thank goodness the temperatures in San Juan were at least ten degrees cooler than in San Jose.

As we spent the weekend with Don and Arlene, Tom’s Dad and his wife, and they were not arriving until midday, we didn’t leave home until 11 am. Of course we encountered a lot of traffic at that time of the day and ended up taking a detour down Monterey Road – which is a more scenic route compared to 101. Eventually Monterey Road ran out and we were back on 101. We ran into really heavy traffic again just one mile from the San Juan turn off. Lots of people were heading for the Monterey Peninsula.

Arlene had a good idea for lunch. The 19th Hole in Tres Pinos had been featured in the local paper and it sounded like it would be a good place to eat. None of us had ever been there so it would be an adventure. We found the place easily as it is right on Highway 25, but we were in for a surprise. Parked outside were about 100 gleaming Harley Davidsons, with more arriving by the second. They were lined up on both sides of the road in neat rows. They were all different, which I found amazing. The predominant colors were back and silver chrome of course but there were some red and blues scattered amongst them.

The bikers and their passengers were thronged outside on the deck and in the bar, all holding bottles of beer and chatting loudly. Most of them were dressed in black jeans with studded belts and black tops. Some of them sported colorful bandanas; lots of them – including the women – had tattoos and the majority of the men were bearded. They looked intimidating but were a friendly bunch. We admired their bikes and asked questions and they were only too happy to show off how they had customized their prized possessions.

Catching the eye of someone behind the bar didn’t take too long and we were shown into the restaurant. What a difference. Here was all peace and tranquility as it was completely empty of customers. We took a table by the window where we could look onto the desk and watch the bikes passing. Even though it was quiet where we were sitting, the level of excitement vibrated all around.

Our server was very sweet and when we asked why there were so many bikers, he told us all about The Poker Run. Poker runs are a favorite pastime of bikers. The object is to stop at 5-7 several points along a route – most of the stops are at bars – and collect a card. The highest hand at the end receives a prize. There is an entry fee and the event is held to raise money for a particular charity.

Of course I looked online when I got home. This poker run was organized by the Top Hatters, who are based in Hollister. Now Hollister has been a magnet for bikers for many years. Back in 1947, on July 4th, an estimated 3,000 bikers descended on Hollister and things got a little out of hand. From what I have read they didn’t cause much damage but they partied all weekend. The media got wind of the event and turned up. Two weeks later Life Magazine ran a full page photo of a drunk biker sitting on a bike surrounded by empty beer bottles. An eye witness said it was a set up:

“‘I saw two guys scraping all these bottles together, that had been lying in the street. Then they positioned a motorcycle in the middle of the pile. After a while this drunk guy comes staggering out of the bar, and they got him to sit on the motorcycle, and started to take his picture.”

To read more, go here. Of course “The Wild Ones”, made in 1954 starring Marlon Brando, was based on that weekend and the reputation of bikers has been tarnished from that point on. I have always found bikers to be courteous and think they are much maligned. Apart from anything else, they raise a lot of money for charity.

Meanwhile, back at the 19th Hole, we all ordered beer – what else could we possibly drink? Tom and I shared a tri-tip sandwich, which was served in a basket with French fries. Mmmm.. it was good.

Back in San Juan we stopped off at the newly opened Vertigo Coffee Shop .  We wrote about Vertigo in this post.  We found Dimitri was busy painting the

The beautiful San Juan Bautista Mission

trellis outside and Kitty in the shop. Inside the place had been transformed. The first thing you see when you walk in is the pastry cabinet displaying goodies from La Boulanger – and very good they looked too. On the wall was a blackboard displaying all the different drinks available. On the counter a coffee machine and young boy and girl taking orders and making the drinks. Don and Arlene had an iced coffee, Tom a Macchiato – which is an expresso with a tiny bit of milk or foam – and I had a hot chocolate, which came in a large cup and saucer. Of course they only serve coffee roasted by Dimitri. [Update: Vertigo Coffee Shop has its Grand Opening on August 14-15]

Kitty came and over to talk to us and recounted some of the challenges they faced with getting the coffee shop up and running. Before the could open, the concrete floor had to be replaced because a former tenant used chemicals which had dissolved some the the concrete and made it unstable. Dimitri and Kitty had both learned that a lot of hard work, agony and frustration is involved in running a business but there is also a lot of satisfaction. The shop used to open at 6 in the morning but now it opens at 5. There had been a huge demand by potential customers for the shop to open earlier so they could get coffee on their way into work. It’s a longday for Kitty because it is late in the evening before she makes it home.

It has been beautifully decorated and, on the walls, original paintings were displayed. They were all done by the same artist and were available for sale. Kitty was telling us some of their plans. Soon they will have some squishy sofas in and in the near future they hope to get their coffee roaster installed, which will be fantastic. We all enjoyed our visit, and the coffee of course, and we wish them well in the future.

In the evening we walked into town and had dinner at Jardines de San Juan. It is a Mexican restaurant and has a lovely garden.  Tables are set in shady spots and little nooks. The sound of live music wafted around the garden. Arlene and I wandered around until we found the source, a solo guy playing a Peruvian harp. He made wonderful music. We selected a table on the veranda. The service was a bit erratic and the menu didn’t look very exciting. The setting though was perfect and we thoroughly enjoyed sitting there watching the world go by. Pity the food was not memorable.

The next morning we had breakfast in the Mission Cafe on 3rd Street. We have had many breakfasts here and will undoubtedly have many more in the future. After breakfast we had a little walk around the town and found a very small farmers market on Washington Street. It hasn’t been running long and they only had six stalls. We bought some white nectarines which tasted really good.

Afterwards we went for a drive south of San Juan and found ourselves on Mission Vineyard Road. We drove a little way through farmland and then turned down a road which lead to St Francis Retreat. Boldly we drove through the gate and ventured up the drive. It was very pleasant inside but we did not see a soul around. There were cars about so presumed that, as it was a Sunday, everybody would be attending church. We left the way we came, driving out slowly so as not to disturb anyone.

The view from Fremont Peak

At the end of Mission Vineyard Road, we turned left onto what eventually became San Juan Canyon Road. We were on our way to Fremont Peak, which is the highest point around. It was a scenic drive and the higher we climbed the more distant panoramas we could see. Eventually we reached a car park. The sun was shining down and it felt like the hottest day of the year so far.

I strolled over to an information board which explained how Fremont Peak obtained its name. It was originally called Gavilan Peak after the Spanish name for hawk but renamed after the American soldier, Captain John Charles Fremont. In 1846, when the area was part of Mexican province of Alta California, Fremont, along with a small group of soldiers and accompanied by his guide, Kit Carson, planted the American flag on the top of the peak and built a small fort nearby. His action nearly provoked a battle but Fremont saw that he would be greatly outnumbered if the Mexicans attacked and he escaped with his men.

There was a trail nearby to the top of the peak so decided to walk along it for a bit, leaving Tom, Arlene and Don in the car park. The peak did not look that far but it was deceiving. Nevertheless I kept going for a while, being amazed how far I could see the nearer I got to the top. I did not have any water with me and the climb was steep. Unfortunately I did not quite make it to the to because I had brought no water with me. I realized how stupid I was to attempt to climb in such hot weather without any water, so turned round and walked back down. No doubt we will make the trip again and I will make sure I am better prepared.

Our day rounded off nicely by cooking up hot dogs and enjoying a nice salad in Don and Arlene’s backyard.

Related posts:

1. San Juan Bautista
2. Mission Cafe, San Juan Bautista
3. SAN JUAN BAUTISTA

Duxbury Reef

Neither Tom nor I had ever heard of Duxbury Reef so we were intrigued when we saw mention of it. Once we found out where it was – Bolinas, and there were some wonderful tide pools there, we just knew we had to check it out.

If you are going to explore tide pools, then the best time to visit is when there is a low tide. A minus low tide is even better. To find out about tides, you have to consult the time tables. There are a couple online here and here. Consulting the tide tables can be a bit confusing. First you need to know where the nearest tide readings are taken. For Duxbury Reef it is either Point Reyes or Bolinas Lagoon (both of the links will open up in Bolinas Lagoon). Then you look for the date. As we have to visit on a Saturday or Sunday, it narrows our choices considerably. Then you check for time of day you will be visiting and look for a minus sign which denotes a minus tide. One other thing to check, make sure the year is correct. First time around on another site, it was for the year 2006 so I had to search to see how to change the year. The Saturday of our visit the tide was -0.7 at 7.29 a.m. – the lowest early morning weekend tide for the rest of the year.

Saturday morning we were up at 4.15 and on the road by 5. Tom checked the weather so knew we would probably encounter fog. And we certainly did. San Francisco was shrouded with the stuff. Driving across the Golden Gate Bridge the towers were lost to view with only the merest hint of Alcatraz off the the right. Negotiating Highway 1 in the Marin Headlands was a challenge and as we zig-zagged our way along the coast we were aware that the ocean was nearby but only caught odd glimpses of the water through breaks in the fog. The steep drop-offs were passed without my stomach plummeting.

It was gratifying to see that indeed there was a very low tide, especially when we drove past Bolinas Lagoon. Vast mud flats were visible out in the middle. Lots of egrets were paddling in the mud searching for their breakfast.

Just past the end of the lagoon, we turned left towards Bolinas. There aren’t any signs, you have to know that Bolinas is there. At the next junction, where we turned left again, there was a sign which simply said – ‘Entering a socially acknowledged nature-loving town’. This sums up Bolinas.

Of course we checked out where Duxbury Reef was and even looked at a map. It seemed easy enough to find but, you’ve guessed right,

Heading down to Duxbury Reef

we became a little lost. We took a few wrong turns and ended up a couple of times in a cul-de-sac and once the road was completely closed off due to a landslide. Eventually we returned to Mesa Road and somehow found our way to Elm Road. At the end of Elm Road we turned left onto Ocean Parkway and ran into a fairly large car park at the end of the road. Success, we had reached the right place.

There was just one other car there. I did expect there to be more people around. After all it is the weekend and a minus tide so why weren’t there more people? I can only assume that it is a combination of not many people having heard of Duxbury Reef and it being difficult to find.

A short trail led down to the beach and there in front of us was a large area of exposed tide pools. Only one other person and his dog were in sight. It was a bit chilly on the beach and visibility out to sea was not good but with my hooded sweatshirt on it wasn’t too bad.

Duxbury Reef tide pool

I started out to explore the reef. The rocks were covered with slippery seaweed so walking and clambering over them was a slow process. It didn’t matter though as I was not in a great hurry. There were lots of lots of tide pools ranging from tiny crevices to larger expanses of clear water. Negotiating a route to the edge of the ocean was not in a straight line. Some of the inlets were quite large and finding an easy way across at a narrower point or by using stepping stones took time. Of course each tide pool had to be scrutinized as I passed. To get the most out of them, you have to stand very quietly for about five minutes as minute fish swim under cover and tiny crabs scuttle out of sight as you approach. By not moving for a while, they all venture out again and you can then study them.

At first I thought some of molluscs were attached to the rock but then noticed that some of them were moving very, very slowly. Then a tiny leg would appear and then another and I realized that they were hermit crabs. I read a fascinating fact about hermit crabs. As they grow larger they need to move into a bigger shell and a sort of line develops around an empty shell so when one hermit crab exits its too small shell for a larger one, there is already another hermit crab waiting to inhabit the one that had just been vacated. I wonder how they communicate to each other?

I noticed that there were a lot of one sort of mollusk which I couldn’t identify. When writing this post I tried to find out what they were. I can tell you what they weren’t – cockles, mussels, whelks, barnacles or limpets. Comparing our photographs with images online, we think they were sea snails but if anybody out there disagrees, please send a comment. We saw a lot of sea anemones clustered together on the rocks. When they are closed they look very nondescript and uninteresting. Brush against them with your shoe and they tighten up even further. But when they open up they are beautiful. We saw several large green sea anemones waving their tentacles. Don’t be tempted to touch them because they sting.

Bicycle and stuff in the charming little village of Bolinas

For most of our time there we had the place to ourselves, then a couple and their four children arrived and were busily exploring the tide pools. The children were fascinated by everything they saw. Not that they were close enough for us to hear what they were saying but could tell by the way they were crouching and pointing excitedly. It was a pleasure to watch them.

While Tom continued to take photos, I walked back up to the beach and wandered further along the sand. As it was called Agate State Beach Park, I was on the lookout for agate. I wasn’t quite sure what agate looked like but that didn’t stop me looking. I don’t think I found any agate but I may have seen a small piece of amethyst in a piece of honeycomb rock. Just wish I’d taken a photo of it. Tom caught up with me and I showed him the rock. He didn’t know whether it was anything to get excited about.

On the way back to the car we took a little detour along a trail that led to the top of the bluffs. We couldn’t see down to the beach very well but we think the reef extends some way down the coast. Perhaps we did not explore all the tide pools. Maybe if we had walked south along the beach we would have discovered more. The trail took us back to the car park.

Time to go and find something to eat . We drove into Bolinas and went into Coast Cafe. We have eaten several times there and like the food. Even though it is a little pricey, the quality of the food and the ambiance is well worth it.

Related posts:

1. Fitzgerald Marine Reserve, Moss Beach
2. Bolinas
3. Fairfax -Bolinas Backroad

Early morning on the Coyote Creek Bike Trail.

It has been ages since we have been on a bike ride and so we are now putting that right. During the week Tom checked both bikes and had to put new tires on his before they were fit to be ridden again. Early in the morning we set off down Monterey Road to try and find the place we finished the Coyote Creek Bike Trail last time way back in April 2008. We had a big problem finding the right place as we couldn’t cross Monterey Road for some time because of the concrete barrier running down the middle. Eventually we turned down an unnamed road leading to the Santa Clara County Model Aircraft Skypark. On our right we passed an orchard and it was obviously picking time because we saw a lot of ladders and buckets down the aisles between the trees. Tom stopped the car and we went to investigate to see what sort of fruit was growing and it turned out to be cherries. A little further up the road we saw the early morning pickers starting out on their shift.

At the end of the road there was a packing factory on the left and just past that there was a locked gate across the way. There was room to park the car just before it so we did just that and unloaded the bikes. While I waited for Tom to load up his camera gear, I watched a Black Phoebe perched on a sign singing away. Every so often it darted away to catch an insect and back it came again to resume its singing. It was easy to get around the gate and we set off down towards the Model Aircraft Skypark. There was a lake on the right hand side and it was obviously a angling lake but I couldn’t see any fishermen.

Last time we finished our ride at the Model Aircraft Skypark and it didn’t take long to reach it this time. Back then it was a hive of activity and we sat and watched the planes flying around. This time there was nobody around at all and everything was locked up.

It was a chilly morning to begin with but the sun rose over the hill and before long it blazed down upon us. Early in the morning is the best time for a bike ride. There were very few people around to begin with – a lone jogger and several other bikers going the other way. In the near distance we could see cars traveling on 101 and, of course, we could hear them as well. A hawk was circling overhead and suddenly he swooped down and we lost sigh of him.

The trail passed under 101 and we were on the east side. Off to the right the creek was flowing close to the trail. A bit further along Tom stopped to take photos and I got off my bike, walked back to the creek and took some photos of my own. I saw a strange sight. On the other side, a man was approaching the creek carrying a large rock. He waded into the water and carefully placed it in the creek. I realized he was building stepping stones to cross the creek. I pondered why he was doing it but didn’t come up with any logical explanation other than he wanted to get to the other side. Maybe the creek is easy to cross normally but now there the water is high and flowing fast building a stepping stone bridge is the only way to cross over.

Deer spotted along the Coyote Creek Bike Trail

Back on our bikes we continued our ride. Some sections of this trail can be a bit boring but definitely this southern section is the prettiest. We spotted a doe and her partly grown fawn feeding not too far from us and stopped to watch. The mother lifted her head and twitched her ears. She probably couldn’t see us too well but she certainly knew we were there. We kept very still until they had both moved off.

We negotiated a bend and came upon a rest area. I’m sure the sign said Oak Rest Area but according to the official Coyote Creek Parkway trail map it is called Walnut Rest Area. It has picnic tables and the Sycamore Nature Trail can be accessed here. Not far past there we passed a big open sided shed. We thought it might once have been a packing shed but it doesn’t look as though it is used now.

Around another bend and we came to a long wooden footbridge. Our bikes made a noise as we crossed and it reminded me of the childrens story of ‘Three Billy Goats Gruff’. Just beyond it was a sign warning about mountain lions and further on a map showing where mountain lions live. Next thing we knew we were passing houses and had reached the end of the path. I was a bit disappointed as I had expected the bike path to go all the way to Anderson Lake. By checking online when I got home I saw that there is a way to get to Anderson Lake but there were certainly no directions on the bike trail. All we could see was a correctional facility.

We turned and headed back to the car. This section was not as long as we expected but it felt good to have reached the end of the bike trail. After we had loaded the bikes we drove into Morgan Hill and stopped for bagels and coffee at Main Street Bagels in the middle of town. We sat outside and enjoyed watching the world go by and listened to the church bells ringing. On the way home along Monterey Road we stopped at a fruit stand and bought some cherries and apriums. I had never heard of apriums but they sure were good, if a little expensive at $15 a basket. Of course I had to look online for more information about apriums when I arrived home. An aprium is three quarters apricot and one quarter plum and looks like an apricot.

After this warm up session, we must plan our next ride. Our calendar is full for the next few weeks but hopefully soon we will be able to hit another bike trail.

Related posts:

1. Coyote Creek Parkway
2. Upper Guadalupe River Trail and Los Alamitos Creek Trail
3. Wilder Ranch Bike Path

Bridgeport Covered Bridge

After breakfast, we set out for Bridgeport, which is ten miles away from the cabin on Pleasant Valley Road. On the way we passed Wildwood Lake and pulled into a small parking area to take a closer look. The lake was formed when the Anthony House earth dam was constructed. The name of the dam intrigued me and I have tried to find out more about it. The only information I found just said that the dam was named after a house called Anthony House which had been submerged by the lake.

The main reason for traveling to Bridgeport was to see the longest single span covered bridge in existence located in the South Yuba River State Park. We caught a glimpse of it before pulling into a car park. From the car park we walked across the road and found the trail leading towards the covered bridge. The first covered bridge I ever saw was in Oregon and to date I have seen many covered bridges and they are a pretty sight. This is a particularly fine example. Just before we reached the bridge we took a detour down to the river. The bridge crosses the South Yuba River which, at this time of the year, is swollen with the melting snow from the high Sierras. Looking up at the bridge from the edge of the river was an impressive sight and Tom took lots of photographs. While mooching around I was amazed at the number of butterflies flitting around.  The Monarchs were easy to spot but there were several I did not recognize at all.

I climbed back up the bank and wandered towards the bridge. I imagined what it must have been like in its heyday with the mule trains

One of many wildflowers we saw on the trail along the South Fork of the Yuba River. This one is called, 'Elegant Brodiaea'.

hauling wagons through it. It is constructed of Douglas Fire and even after all this time – it was built in 1862 – the smell of the wood is very strong and pleasant. I stood at the end and looked through to the far end. The interior was dim but light from the three windows on either side brightened up the inside. Running the whole length were four thick raised sleepers, presumably to keep the mules on track as they crossed the bridge. I walked along the top of one of the planks and tried not to look down between the gaps at the river below. When I came to the first window and stopped to gazed through it. The windows have no glass in them so I was able to poke my head through. Down by the river I spotted Tom still busy taking photos. I called but he didn’t hear me.

(Click on the images for larger versions. There are some other options on the larger photos too)

At both ends of the bridge are commemorative plaques which gave interesting facts about the construction of the bridge and when I got home I looked on line for more information. This site gives information about the construction and the toll road and this one on the three plaques.

By this time Tom had caught up with me but then he disappeared from sight. Finally I tracked him down in the Historic Barn. Outside the sun was beating down but inside the barn it was deliciously cool. On display were eleven huge wagons and I marveled at their size. The wheels of the older ones were made out of a solid pieces of wood and rimmed with iron. On the walls were photos and interpretive panels which told the history of the wagons. Some of the wagons were pulled by up to 42 mules because they were so large and heavily laden.

South Fork of the Yuba River

Nearby was a small visitors center with some interesting displays.  A full sized Kodiak brown bear, a near relative of the Grizzly Bear, was the first object that caught my eye. There were fascinating displays featuring wildlife, plant life, how the original native tribes lived, pictures of I.O. Wood (who built and owned the bridge) and domestic objects from the gold rush days. There is no charge to visit the South Yuba River State Park but we left a generous donation in the box by the door.

Outside there was a hands on experience on panning for gold with volunteers ready to explain and answer questions. We were tempted to try our hand but the table was crowded. Under the shade of a huge tree a table had been laid out with leaflets. Behind the table sat a volunteer who was eager to hand out leaflets and to give information. One leaflet I picked up was called Bridgeport Trails. As Tom and I plan to walk one the trails I thought it would come in very handy. John and Judy told us that one of their favorite hikes is the Buttermilk Bend Trail and, sure enough it was on the leaflet. I was also handed a printout which pointed out interesting things to look for on the walk. To get to the trailhead we had to return to the car park. The docent informed us that we didn’t have to recross the road but could take the path which led under the bridge.

It was a hot day but we had a big bottle of water and Tom, of course, had his camera. As it was a holiday weekend there were quite a few hikers on the trail and several large family groups. The trail was wide to begin with so getting past the slow moving groups posed no problem. Later on, when the path became narrower we had left the families behind and passing other hikers was easy.

The printout explained that most of the trail is the course of a ditch which carried water down to Englebright Lake and was used to lay down dust on the turnpike. It was certainly a very scenic route and for most of the way we looked down on the fast flowing South Yuba River. A short way along we spotted a small sandy beach on the other side of the river and there were lots of people making the most of it. There were quite a few swimmers in the river. Large rocks in the river had sun worshipers stretched out on them. On such a hot day the water did look exceedingly inviting and Tom wished he was down there in it. Not me, I would be too frightened of the strong current.

On the way back to Nevada City this field was just ablaze with color.

Even though it was relatively late for wildflowers there were lots around and most of them were labeled. I was impressed with this as it enabled me to identify most of them. There were the bright orange Canyon Dudleya, cornflower blue Globe Gilia, yellow Tufted Poppies (they looked identical to California Poppies but maybe not so tall), tiny yellow Silverleaf Lotus, light and bright purple Winecup Clarkia, pretty purple Elegent Brodiaea along with Clover and Purple Vetch. One plant which intrigued us was the Woody Sunflower Gumplant and it did indeed have a gummy feel to it.

At one point the trail turned inland along the edge of French Coral Creek to a footbridge across creek. The leaflet told us to look out for ‘substantial stonework…probably where a flume crossed the ravine’. We both searched for it on both sides of the creek but somehow we missed it.

Along the way there were several benches to sit and admire the scenery. At one such stop there was another couple and I sat and chatted for some time. The view looked downstream and beyond. It was a very pleasant way to spend half an hour while I waited for Tom to catch up with me.

We didn’t quite make it to the end of the trail. For one thing we were nearly out of water plus we had promised to call and see Aunt Thelma at her house in the afternoon. Our route to Nevada City was along the scenic Bitney Springs Road. Aunt Thelma showed us around her beautiful home and, along with John, the four of us took a stroll down her garden to Deer Creek. The last part of the path was very steep with many obstacles but Aunt Thelma had no problem at all getting down and back. She is a remarkable lady and, would you believe it, 98 years old!

Tom and I rounded off our fantastic weekend in the Gold Country with a wonderful meal at the New Moon Cafe on York Street in Nevada City. It was a slap up meal and I tried soft shelled Dungeness Crab for the very first time.

Related posts:

1. Malakoff Diggins State Historic Park, Gold Country
2. Penn Valley and Nevada City, Gold Country
3. Gold Country

Daybreak Cafe in Penn Valley, California

We had our day planned out but first we needed breakfast. Somebody had been told us that the Wildwood Center on Pleasant Valley Road had a cafe so, as it was just down the road from where we were staying, we pulled in to have a look. Sure enough, there was a cafe which served breakfast but it is only open Monday to Fridays and this was a Saturday. Next door there was a market so we went in to buy a bottle of water and asked the cashier where else we could find breakfast in Penn Valley. She gave us directions to one where Pleasant Valley joins with Highway 20 but, when we arrived at the location there was no cafe in sight. We followed signs into the town of Penn Valley and stumbled across the Daybreak Cafe.

It was a very welcome sight and we were greeted warmly as we walked in the door and told we could sit anywhere. This must be the only place to eat in the area because it was nearly full. Coffee was served straight away.

Oatmeal was on the menu, served with toast ($4.60), so that was my obvious choice. Tom went for the sourdough pancakes with two eggs and two strips of bacon ($7.95). The coffee was $1.50.

Inside it is very pleasant and almost as if you were sitting in somebody’s house because of the net curtains at the window. There were about 20 tables but no booths or seating at the counter. Ceramics is definitely the decorative theme. On the wall behind counter were about 50 mugs hanging on hooks. Displayed on shelves were utensils, plates, teapots and even a clock. On the walls were a couple of photographs. On each table were silk flowers.

My oatmeal was very tasty. Tom enjoyed the sourdough pancakes but buttermilk pancakes are still his favorite. The coffee was good.

For a change, Tom reviewed the restroom. It was outside and the key, which was attached to a huge wooden spoon, was hanging on the side of the counter. He said it was unisex, clean and basic. There were a couple of stenciled sayings on the wall but he couldn’t remember what they said.

This is definitely a place we would come for breakfast when we visit the area again.

Related posts:

1. Old Town Cafe, Grass Valley
2. Penn Valley and Nevada City, Gold Country
3. Auntie Mame’s Cafe, Scotts Valley

This and all the other photos are now available for sale. Click on this image for a larger version and you'll see the links.

We just teamed up with Fotomoto and can now offer our photos for sale. Just click on any photo (like the one to the left of Big Sur) and a larger photo will pop up with links at the bottom offering the photo for sale. You can buy a print at various sizes and specify the paper it will be printed on. You can buy a postcard with your personal note inside and have it mailed. You can buy a download copy at various prices depending on your use. Or if you’d like to send a free eCard to someone, please be our guest.

Related posts:

1. University of California Botanical Garden at Berkeley
2. Locke, California