Our extended stay in the San Francisco area allowed us to slow down a bit and enjoy some of the places that would not have made the bucket list in a short stay. Kind of glad we got to stick around. Since we have been staying on a military installation, we took advantage and got some routine vehicle maintenance done on the Jeep. Soon we will be off to Sacramento to do the same with the Black Pearl. At first, we were a bit surprised that we couldn’t get an appointment until early August for the RV, but it really was a blessing. The places we intended to go were in the Redding, California area. Currently the Carr fire still rages on, consuming 1600 buildings and 154,000 acres. We are hopeful that we can proceed north soon to continue our journey.
We have cousins in this area and reached out to visit Leo & Mary Vadeboncoeur in Cupertino, then Deb and I had Sunday brunch with Yakshi Vadeboncoeur in Vacaville. Its been years since I have seen them, and it was wonderful reconnecting with extended family. We have been sharing conversations on social media but still there isn’t an app that delivers a real smile and a hug.
Point Reyes National Seashore is roughly 50 miles north of San Francisco. There were 3 significant landmarks that we were off to see; the Point Reyes lighthouse, the shipwreck and the tunnel of trees. On the way, we discovered the Marin French Cheese Factory. Not only did Debbie die and go to Brie heaven, they also had a deli that featured turkey and brie sandwiches on sourdough bread for our picnic at the shipwreck. So, being a “coastal thing” we were at the mercy of the mid-day weather patterns. The only real setback was the not seeing the lighthouse…very foggy and no parking. The shipwreck (an Instagram Icon) was awesome, and the tunnel of trees was also a sight to see. During the drive through the park, we saw elk in the hills, sea lions on the beach and abundant shore birds. There are also working cattle ranches within the National Seashore…..open ranges that made the drive interesting dodging cows.
We visited Bodega Bay on another day trip with the 3 Scallywags. We never tired of driving through the wine counties of Napa and Sonoma. After a brief stop in Petaluma, we followed the rolling hills and ranches to the coast. We had our picnic right on the water at Westside Regional Park and followed the coast up to the dog friendly beaches at Duncan’s Landing. The long way home meant driving along the Russian River and meandering through the redwoods on HWY 116. No regrets!!
We saved our last San Francisco hurrah for a trip to the John Muir National Monument, near Mill Valley. Deb and I visited here in 2011 and so much has changed. To accommodate the number of visitors to the park they implemented a reserved parking system that went into effect in January. Without a parking voucher, it’s difficult to get to the park. So, we parked about ½ mile from park entrance and off we went. Muir Woods is in a remote valley that is the home of the coastal redwoods. The trees, the stream and the valley floor vegetation were like a step back in time. A majestic place of awe and reverence to experience.
John Muir said it best “God has cared for these trees, saved them from drought, disease, avalanches, and a thousand tempests and floods. But he cannot save them from fools.” Never have I seen a park so overrun with unruly children. The park itself seemed stressed from the summer heat, it was very crowded, there were times when Deb and I would pause for 2-3 minutes to let the crowds go by, so the noise would diminish to capture a Muir moment.
All in all, we spent a month here in the Bay area. There is so much to see and do. As much as we loved Little Italy and Chinatown, we had just as much enjoyment and pleasure visiting and revisiting the Napa Farmer’s Market. So, on we go, off to Sacramento and soon the Pacific Northwest.
Leave a Reply