The Avenue of the Giants

We certainly enjoyed and embraced our time in the Sonoma Valley.  But, northern California was waiting....and it was tiime to go!  The drive to Humboldt State Park was beautiful although the weather returned to cooler temperatures as we climbed near the coastline once again.  We had hoped to drive straight through to Crecent City home of Redwood National Park, but neither of us realized it was a seven hour drive.  So, we compromised half-way to Garberville, a small town at the entrance of The Avenue of the Giants.  We found a great little RV site right on the golf course and with full hook-up including cable which was perfect as we both wanted to watch the opening ceremony of the summer olympics.  The next morning, we played a round of golf.

We then had a wonderful lunch at the Benbow Inn, where preparations for an outdoor wedding were underway in this beautiful countryside.  Good luck to the couple!  We then moved along to our destination of Humboldt State Park and The Avenue of the Giants.  A 31 mile drive that winds you through the heart of these massive redwoods.  We were certainly dwarfed among the giants.  There were many "pull-offs" along the road and we took advantage of nearly every one.  It gave us a chance to stretch our legs and explore more closely.

Pictured above, I climb in the base of a fallen tree.  One can get somewhat of an idea how massive these trees are.  However, pictures don't nearly describe the feeling of being there.  We continued along the road stopping at the many highlights along the way.

Yes, that's right....even a car can drive through the base of these trees!

These trees are thousands of years old!  Imagine what they have seen.........

Pictured above is "Giant Tree"  It measures 363 feet tall with a circumference of 53.2 feet.

                                                                                     

We found it quite interesting that the floor of these groves are covered with clovers!  Of course we searched for ones with 4 leaves, but none were to be found.

But, we did find Big Foot!!

We enjoyed our stroll amongst the redwoods.  It is a magical, romantic place.  We even observed a wedding taking place in one of the "day area" parks.  Wow, two weddings in one day!  Is God trying to tell us something?  It was truly a romantic day and made us start thinking of where we would like to tie the knot.

Wine Country and Libations

Crossing the Golden Gate Bridge and looking back at this fantastic city by the bay and all the beautiful memories we acquired the past five days, made me feel quite melancholy.  But, new adventures lay ahead and we were ready for the change of pace and scenery.  The short drive to Sonoma county was filled with rolling hills and farmland.  We arrived at  Benzinger Winery too late to take a tour but made reservations for the next day and upon their recommendation, found a quaint little Italian Restaurant nearby.  While dining on caprese salad and glass of wine, a party of six sat at the table next to us.  We joined in conversation with them and Catherine graciously invited us back to her house and offered for us to stay the night. ( I know my dad is probably a nervous wreck reading this part of my blog. afterall, these people were complete strangers.)  All of them were warm and welcoming and we were graciously welcomed.  Catherine and Dave's home was fabulous and Guy and I loving realestate, quickly asked for a tour.  They recently built this country home and no expense was spared along with intricate attention to detail.  We fell in love with this house and is exactly what we want to build.

Even a wine cellar is housed in their barn next door.

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Of course, we opened a bottle and engaged in great conversation while listening to wonderful music.

Thank you Catherine for your warm hospitality.  It's wonderful to know that world is still full of people like you!  The next morning, after a cup of java in her beautiful kitchen, we were on our way to the family owned Benzinger Winery for our "Partners Tour".  Situated on 85 acres of rolling hills the view afforded grape vine after grape vine, with about 1000 olive trees surrounding this bio dynamic farmed vineyard.  We toured through the property and into the caves where the wine is aged.  It was here we had our private tasting of their premium wines.

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A grand time was had by all and since Guy didn't partake in the libations, I had double the enjoyment!  Later in the afternoon, we moved along to the town of Petaluma. A beautiful small town with all the amenities.  It was here, we decided to chill for the night and took in a comedy at the local theater.  We found a spot for the night in a KOA campground and enjoyed a restful night.  We are certainly enjoying all the experiences we are encountering and growing closer to eachother with each passing day.  Does it get any better than this?

A Convertible Ride to Monterey and Carmel

Just when you think it can't get any better, my prince suprises me with a convertible for a romantic ride along the Pacific Coast Highway!  My heart was so full of excitement, I thought it might just burst!  Top down, wind blowing through our hair this free-spirited couple was savoring every moment along the 2 hour drive to Monterey and Carmel. The views were stunning!

Our dog Jubilee rode backside and she screamed "this is better than sticking my head out the window!"  She had a smile on her face the entire ride.  Arriving in Monterey, we strolled the streets and ate at Bubba's Shrimp House and enjoyed Forest Gump Trivia.  This was the first time for both of us to eat at this chain of restaurants and was the first one built.  This is where it all started.... We were quite pleased with the food and service.  Back in the car, we took a short ride to Carmel By the Sea, Clint Eastwood's hometown.  Wow!  Wow! Wow!  The sights and scenery were amazing!

The water was an aqua crystal clear blue/green and the sounds of the sea lions barking in the distant was quite charming.  We drove along scenic drive and enjoyed the multi- million dollar homes. Impressive but some homes were a bit "over done" for my taste.  We then took the 17 mile drive along Pebble Beach and the famous golf course.  Guy played out here several years ago....but I am certainly not in that league.  None the less, I enjoyed the course and watching the amazing golfers play.

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Pictured above is the Par 3 hole that extends over the ocean. With the high winds, one must select the right club and the shot be made perfectly or lose your ball will to the water. We enjoyed the scenic drive and stopped at nearby beaches along the way.

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I am at a loss of words and pictures don't justify the beauty we experienced this day.  It was truly a magical day for us!  We will cherish our time here and it will be hard for us to leave tomorrow.

But we will take with us the beautiful memories and the closeness we shared.

Biking the Golden Gate Bridge

We were off to an early start as we have another full day planned.  After a yummy breakfast at a quaint seaside cafe in Pacifica where we are staying, Guy took to the pups to the beach for a run and swim.  The dogs have done amazingly well on this trip and have totally enjoyed the oceanfront lot we have.  Along our walks on the beach, we have found an interesting property worth further investigating.  The house is in need of repairs, but if it can be picked up at the right price, maybe we will be living here.  Guy and I have fallen in love with California and all that this beautiful state has to offer.  I have fallen in love with the food and fresh fruits and vegetables.  In New England, we don't get produce this fresh....and what a difference in taste!!

  Hungry for adventure, Guy and I drove to San Francisco, parked the car at The Fishermans Wharf and boarded our bikes heading for The Golden Gate Bridge.  Another beautiful sunny day but a bit windy.  We rode bayside and stopped along the way to view the beautiful sights and to converse with other tourists we met.  I even got to practice a bit of my German!  As we got closer to the bridge, the wind really picked up and it was all I could do to stay on my bike and forge ahead.

Once on this massive structure, the wind really began to howl. It was exhausting....but we continued on our path.  This suspension bridge has the capability to "sway" 27 feet each way, luckily, we could not feel this.  

After stopping a few times along the way to absorb the breathtaking views, we made it across in one piece!  A bit wind-blown, but in one piece. We then continued our ride into the next town of Sausalito.  A beautiful quaint high scale seaside town adorned with water-side shops and restaurants.  We dined on fresh fish followed by visiting a few shops. Time was limited though as we had to catch the ferry back to San Francisco despite not having a red token (inside joke). 

It was a beautiful site leaving this seaside town.

Back on our bikes, we rode back to Fishermans Wharf, got back in the car to head home and feed the dogs before heading back out to San Francisco to see the Giants vs Padres baseball game.  Instead of driving back to the city we took BART (Bay Area Rapid Transit)  We got a real feel for the city this way and it was a fun experience.

We had great seats and enjoyed the view of this fairly new stadium despite the cooler weather.

It was a wonderful day once again!

 

Muir Woods and the Great Redwoods

The early part of today was more administrative....paying bills, doing laundry, etc....eventhough we are on vacation, the mundane parts of life don't stop.  It's all okay, because the afternoon more than made up for it.  Around 3:00 we headed to Muir Woods about 19 miles from our camp.  A beautiful vista drive through winding roads led us to a small parking lot with a little entrance to a park.  Wow, once inside one would never have imagined what lies within.



Huge, massive, imppressive...and definately the "wow factor" when viewing  these enormous trees.   The aroma of fresh pine reminded me of Christmas.  We strolled miles upon miles through the trails and paths that took us up close and personal with these trees, some of which have been around for thousands of years.  Impressive? Absolutely!  Thank you Jon Muir for advocating and saving these trees which were once abundant all along the coast.  In fact, this area we visited was slated to be logged and he help to prevent that from happening. 

                                                         

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After hours of walking and talking and losing ourselves in the scenery, we took a short drive to Muir Outlook.  A brief walk with stunning views overlooking the pacific ocean.

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Along the short walk, we discovered several bunkers which we have seen frequently along the coastline.  A memory of distant times when the U.S. needed to protect itself from foreigners.

Back in the car and contining our drive we came upon Stinson Beach and a quaint little restaurant named Parkside Cafe, where we dined on amazing food.  Bellies full, we strolled the beach hand in hand as we watched the sun leave the sky and Guy got romantic sharing his feelings of me as he scratched a note in the sand.

I am the luckiest girl in the world and love the most amazing man!

Night tour of Alcatraz

One of the things on my list to see while in San Francisco was Alcatraz.  Much to my dismay, so do millions of others.  Which means, no tickets available for 3 weeks.....however, they release a few tickets every morning and if you are one of the lucky ones, well...you get a ticket.  So, my sweet Guy woke up in the wee hours of the morning to drive downtown and stand in line to hopefully get some tickets.  The best he could get was "stand-by" for the night tour which was exceptionally lucky!  So, we had the tour on the agenda for the evening and decided to stay around San Francisco in the morning and view more of the sights.  We started with breakfast at Pier 39 followed by the many shops in the area.  They even had a farmers market with the biggest cheries I have ever seen....and so sweet and juicy.  Yes, I ate the entire bag as we strolled along, (not such a bright idea) but I couldn't help myself. 

Next stop Coit Tower, a structure similar to the Washington Monument but on a much lesser scale.  A short elevator ride to the top and fabulous views of the city surround you.

  We then headed back to camp and enjoyed a leisurely afternoon with a nap and stroll on the beach with the dogs before heading back to the city for our night tour.  We had the first two tickets for stand-by and still did not get on the first boat.  Fortunately for us, there was a second boat and 7 out of the 20 waiting as stand-by got on!  The tour begins with a 20 minute ride to the island through the swift and rough currents of the bay.  As the backdrop of the city skyline got smaller, anticipation grew as we began to approach the island.

 Upon first examination, the island is beautiful with its steep cliffs and many species of birds inhabiting the area.  However, as we sailed closer, one could see the rough condition of the buildings.  I suppose with the lack of upkeep and the constant damp salt laiden and windy weather that exists here, it doesnt take long to take it's toll.  However, the stimulus package from the president has dumped over 25 million dollars to restore an empty building, so repairs are underway.  Okay, I understand it's a landmark and a time in history....but couldn't that amount of money be more wisely used?

 Once off the boat we began a self-guided audio tour that took us through the cell blocks, dining hall, library, hospital and administration building.  We were allowed to walk the grounds as well where we viewed the recreation area and guard tower as well as the army barracks and housing for the guard's families. Yes, children grew up on the Island of Alcatraz! 

  As the sun began to set, the jail became increasingly erie and a chill went up my spine.  To think of the inmates like Al Capone, Alvin "Creepy" Karpsi, George "machine gun" Kelly and Robert Stroud, the "birdman of alcatraz" and all the activites that precided was quite bone-chilling.  We toured "the hole" a part of cell block D that was used for solitary confinment for unruly prisoners.  Guy volunteered to be locked up for 2 minutes.  He said the worst part of the ordeal was the sound of the door as it slammed shut.

  We also viewed the cells of Frank Morris and John and Clarence Anglin who chisled their way out with a spoon near their ventilation duct, through the bowels of the prison and slipped into the water.  It is a mystery to this day if they made it to shore or drowned in the chilly waters of the bay.  Alcatraz closed it's doors in 1963 due to funding and it remained unihabited for 6 years until the Native American Occupation took place as they demonstrated a reclamation of their land.  In June 1971 federal agents removed the remaining individuals and began to bulldoze the buildings into piles of rubble.  However, Congress created the Golden Gate National Recreation Area in 1972 which made Alcatraz part of the National Park Service and in 1973, the first visitors arrived on the island.  We enjoyed our visit there and was glad that it was only a visit....