Last October we were at the Mendocino coast, and one afternoon the Big Guy decided to take a little time away from fishing to go hiking with me in the giant redwoods of Hendy Grove. From the Navarro River Bridge on Highway 1 it was less than a 30-minute drive along a beautiful stretch of Highway 128 and into the […]
Here is another look back to photos from earlier this year — this time my visit to the Petrified Forest near Calistoga in late May. I drove about 1½ hours from where we were staying on the northeast shore of Clear Lake, taking Highway 29 south toward Calistoga. While it was kind of a long drive, the trip was fun […]
If you’re into history (like me) and if you love trees (again, like me) this episode is the perfect fit! Although this episode originally aired over 20 years ago on October 10, 2003, both trees still survive — more or less. You may not see the historic Vizcaino-Serra oak tree standing tall in its original location, but if you are […]
The 1.5-mile walking path behind our hotel in Flagstaff, Arizona, was exactly what we needed to stretch our legs and decompress from two days of desert driving. Our room wasn’t half bad, either. We hope to get back there at some point and maybe stay longer than one night! My title today is borrowed from a song on the original […]
Russian Gulch State Park is such a beautiful place to explore, especially on a cool afternoon in October. The sky sent down a light drizzle as I started along the headlands trail, but by the time I had circled back and later headed to the landward side of the park — following the road that crosses beneath Highway 1 — […]
The Petrified Forest located in Calistoga could scarcely be more different from the Petrified Forest National Park in Arizona. This lovely spot in Napa County is relatively small, with shaded paths and spring wildflowers, and I thoroughly enjoyed my visit last month — and would have lingered there even longer if possible. Yet I have to admit that, although the […]
Whenever we’re looking for a place to stay on our coastal trips, we try to find locations where it’s easy to get outside and walk. Not all of the houses we’ve rented fit that criteria, but it’s a definite plus in my book. The shoulders along Highway 1 can be small to nonexistent, and the road itself consists of innumerable […]
I’m continuing my look back to September 2022 which I began yesterday, and today’s post includes images from Black Point Beach in Sea Ranch and Gerstle Cove near Salt Point (Sonoma County) and the Point Arena Lighthouse (Mendocino County). This was really one of the nicest coastal trips we’ve had, and I would be very happy to spend more time […]
