In my lifetime, I’ve crossed and recrossed the Yolo Causeway many, many times. But last week was the first time I actually stopped to explore the surrounding wetlands, now designated as the Vic Fazio Yolo Wildlife Area. I wasn’t precisely sure what to expect when Google told me I had arrived at my destination — and I’ll admit I was […]
Last Wednesday I featured an episode of California’s Gold that included a short segment on abalone diving in Northern California; it was only after I’d completed the post that I realized there was an entire half-hour episode from 1999 on the same topic, delving deeper into the history of abalone and its role in California culture. It’s packed with great […]
Rounding a curve of Highway 1 in the town of Point Arena, I noticed a series of small signs attached to the Bishop pines lining the road.
I’ve spent a fair amount of time along the Sonoma coast in Northern California ever since the mid 1980s, and it has always seemed to me the epitome of a rugged and rocky shoreline. But after recently spending a week a little farther north in Mendocino, I’m beginning to realize I ain’t seen nothing yet! I stumbled upon this particular […]
I’ve wanted to explore the Marin peninsula’s Muir Woods for quite a long time — it’s one of many suggested outings for visitors to San Francisco — and this week I finally took the plunge, renting a car and making a day trip out of it. And while I enjoyed both the drive and the destination, despite freeway traffic jams […]
Although it runs the length of California’s coast, once north of San Francisco State Route 1 becomes a scenic two-lane roadway that dips and climbs as it snakes its way across rivers (like the Russian, the Gualala, the Navarro, and the Noyo) and through a lot of small towns, one of which is Point Arena, population 473. It’s all too […]
The Point Arena Pier was closed to the public during our first visit in November of last year. This time around, the pier was open and we were able to walk out to the end and have a look around. Things still seemed a bit quiet — but maybe that’s because we’re so used to seeing tourists teeming around Bodega […]