THATS ALL FOLKS

Tonight is our last night of the trip. We’re in Coalinga, the RV is called Almond Tree, where there are no almonds in sight, just fields and fields of pistachios. It’s unfortunately that this is the only place to stay on the I-5 between Lodi and Los Angeles. Maybe one day they will actually open the RV Resort at Harris Ranch.  Keeping my paws crossed for that one. 

While my humans are at dinner at the Harris Ranch restaurant celebrating the final night of this trip, I’m home reminiscing about all the places we have been the last two months. We visited Solvang, we drove the Cascade Loop, stayed in Leavenworth, and we slept on both the Washington and Oregon Coasts, we even stayed several nights on a farm. The weather was hot, then cold, then foggy and hot again. We had a great time. Lots of fun and lots of adventures for the humans, hiking, biking, eating, and drinking for 48 days on the road. Sounds like fun doesn’t it, and it was. It’s been another great adventure.

Now it’s time to go home and celebrate my 20th birthday in October and plan the next adventure.

WINOS

Bet you didn’t know that there are over 85 Wineries here in Lodi. We usually only spend one night here. Since this time we are here for two nights the humans went on a search for some delicious wines. 

First stop was supposed to be Michael David Winery. When they drove by the tasting room there were so many cars that they decided to skip that one for the moment.  Kathy T. looked on Google and found one that looked interesting called Nostra Vita. Their specialty was sparkling wines! It was a beautiful outdoor setting under some large pepper trees. They each tasted a flight of six wines. The men tasted only reds while the Kathies tasted the sparkling flight. There were several wines that they liked and they purchased them. The favorite was a red sparkling wine. Saving that one for Christmas!

Next, it was back to Michael David Winery to see if the crowd had thinned out. They ate lunch in the winery farm shop restaurant and then went to the tasting room. Still way too many people there! Lots of Brides-to-be and children running around. So, off they went to the next winery.             

They picked another family winery, Van Ruiten, which also had an outdoor tasting area. The table was under some large vines with grapes hanging down. A very pretty setting. They were able to choose 5 wines each to taste from a very large tasting menu. Warren and Jim purchased a couple of bottles.

It was a fun afternoon and there was still time for a nap before dinner. Tonight there were no cocktails, but a delicious surf and turf meal which everyone enjoyed. Kathe made smashed potatoes, Kathy T. made a spinach soufflé, Warren grilled colossal shrimp on the grill while Jim grilled steaks. Our last family meal of the season as tomorrow night they plan to eat dinner at Harris Ranch.

ROUGH RIDERS

Five hours of torture for me. The road from Willits to Lodi today was one of the worst. I hardly got any sleep, maybe twenty minutes. Nerves are shattered, and not just mine. I’m just really glad Kathe didn’t toss me out at the rest stop. I used to be such a good little traveler, but I guess old age has made me crabby, which in turn makes her cranky!

The drive through Mendocino and Sonoma counties was very scenic and a little bumpy. Marin county and highway 37 was slow and rough, but once we were on Highway 12 the road was worse than the roads in Alaska. Do they have frost heaves in California?

So happy to be here in Lodi where it’s sunny and we can relax for a couple of days before we have to hit the road again.

Cocktails tonight were Aperol Spritz and Chambord Spritz. Water for me.

FORT BRAGG

Another sunny day in Willits this morning. Big plans for the humans while Bella and I stayed and guarded the home front. They drove up to Fort Bragg on Highway 20 through the redwoods.

The plan was to visit the famous “Sea Glass Beach.” It was very a very foggy day at the beach. They learned that long ago all of the trash from the fort was just dumped into the ocean. Lots of bottles, trash and even automobiles were tossed over the cliffs. Eventually all that glass became sea glass and was deposited on the shore. It’s all still there, piles of it, but impossible to collect due to the rugged and dangerous coastline. The sea was wild and no one was able to climb near the beach. 

Plan “B” was to get a hot cup of coffee and explore some of the town. But then, they saw the “Guest House Museum” which looked like an interesting place to visit. The three story house was built completely with redwood in 1892. It was a showplace home for the Johnson family, the owners of the Union Lumber Company. The docent was very knowledgeable about the building and the history of the home which survived the great earthquake of 1906 when almost everything in town collapsed.

In the garden outside there was a large redwood stump which was from the largest redwood ever cut down. It took over 60 man hours to cut it down. The stump is 21 feet in diameter, and was estimated to be 1,753 years old when it was felled 1943.

But wait, that’s not all they did today! My Kathe insisted that they visit the Mendocino Coast Botanical Gardens before going back to Willits. The gardens encompass over 47 acres of land with four miles of trails. Unfortunately, they only had time to visit a few of the displays. They chose the Dahlia Garden and the Display House with an amazing display of prize winning fuchsias and begonias. There was so much to see that they could have spent hours in all the various gardens, but they had to go back home to us doggies  for dinner time. 

WELL ITS WILLITS

Tonight we are in the town of Willits, which is known as the “Gateway to the Redwoods.” There is only one problem, we spent the whole day driving out of the Redwoods. We are going in the wrong direction. We’re driving south! Anyway, it was a beautiful if not scary, twisty trip through some of the most amazing trees in the world. I didn’t like the drive much, as a matter of fact. I cried and screamed until they stopped to let me out for a comfort stop. All that twisting and turning had me in fits. When I came back in, Kathe gave me a calming treat and I slept the whole rest of the drive.

We finally arrived 5 hours later due to all the construction on 101, and found our sites here at the Mendocino Redwoods RV Resort. This place must really be something in the summer season. There’s a pool, a putting green, an arcade, and a petting zoo. Some of the ultra deluxe sites have a personal hot tub spa. We have deluxe sites which are full hookups that are on uneven gravel. We were happy to set up and start enjoying the evening. Because it’s September it’s very quiet and there are very few people here.

Tonight Warren cooked the trout that Kathy T. and Jim caught in Twisp along with the Ling Cod that our neighbors in Honeyman gave us last week. Warren made delicious fish tacos and Kathy T made the margaritas. Early to bed for everyone after a long day.

SOUNDS OF THE SEALS

We can almost see the ocean through the trees from our campsite. Each night we hear the waves and the barking of seals, although we are at least a half a mile from the ocean. This morning it was clear and warm and everyone was dithering about what to do on our last day here. There was some talk about a bike ride, and then a longer conversation about hiking back into the State Park.

At about noon the decision was made to hike the Rim Trail. They started at Wedding Rock and began a moderate, two mile hike in the forest where they saw some fantastic views of the ocean. Kathe and Warren found some wild evergreen blueberries along the trail that were quite tasty. The trail ended at Palmer Point where we used to climb down to the tide pools. Unfortunately, that area is now closed due to coastal erosion and it’s unlikely to be open anytime soon. The pictures were taken today on the hike.

Before turning around and hiking back, Warren and Kathe found some really ripe blackberries and feasted on those as they returned to the car.

It’s been a great three days here, just relaxing and enjoying the beauty of the area. Tomorrow we head further south and our drives will be longer and our stays shorter so we can be home by the end of the month. 

ANOTHER FOGGY MORNING

It was so foggy and dark this morning we all slept in. Good news for me, no sunshine means no bath. The bike ride was postponed again due to the low visibility and the fear of cars on the road.

After a leisurely breakfast or two or three, the humans left to go into the town of Trinidad for some shopping. It didn’t take long as there are only three shops in the little town not counting the grocery store. They spent more time in the grocery store than anything else. Lots of specialty foods and treats that they don’t carry in other stores.

A trip to the pier was the next stop. Watching people trying to catch fish was disappointing, so they decided to stop for a bowl of chowder before going back to the campground. The bike trip was now postponed until tomorrow if the weather cooperates. 

This afternoon while Kathy T. stayed home with Bella and me coloring, the others drove into the State Park to hike. Warren, Kathe, and Jim hiked the Agate Trail and spent a some time combing the beach for agates. They came home with a bag of treasures. The hike down to the beach was fun, but the hike back up was definitely not. But  who knows there might be something they found worth the trip. 

One more day here and we travel again.