As I shelter in place, I’m slowly catching up on a backlog of photo projects. I hope you are staying healthy, physically and emotionally, and I look forward to reconnecting with many of you in person, someday. 

I took this trip two years ago, in 2018, with Susan and Sage, my then six-month old Border Collie.  Our goal was to see all of the lighthouses between San Francisco and the Oregon border.

 

4/13/18 – Drive to Arcata

We left town mid-morning, stopped for a short picnic lunch along a river, and when we reached Rockefeller Grove in Humboldt Redwoods State Park, took turns taking short hikes since dogs aren’t allowed on the trails. The quietness was wonderful.  We reached our dog-friendly Airbnb around 6:00 p.m. and snacked in the room – hummus, veggies, chips, and a great bottle of wine – and then soaked in the hot tub.

4/14/18 – A Day in the Sun

After playing fetch with Sage in the large back yard, we headed over to the Trinidad Head Memorial Lighthouse, a replica of the original lighthouse and a memorial for those lost at sea. We stopped at a Farmer Market, strolled at Trinidad Head – lots of seagulls, fishermen, boats, and stinging nettle – took a scenic drive, and ended up at Clam Beach for a light, late lunch. An orchid show in Eureka, a walk in Sequoia Park, and we were reach for a siesta with Sage flat out on her side. (A tired Border Collie is a rare thing). A good salad and heavy pizza for dinner, followed by another hot tub soak. Relaxing.

4/15/18 – Drizzly

We ate breakfast at a cafe in town, then took a two-mill loop in the Acrada Community Forest. The drizzle wasn’t letting up so we headed to the theater and enjoyed a movie, Isle of the Dogs. We ate dinner at the Plaza Grill, great crab cakes and salad, followed by dessert at Arcata Scoop.

4/16/18 – Drive to Crescent City

It was a chilly day, in the 40’s, but the projected rain didn’t materialize so we were happy. We made many stops along the way, and took turns with short hikes in Lady Bird Johnson Grove. We saw elk in Prairie Creek State Park, on way to our next Airbnb across the street from Pebble Beach. The Battery Point Lighthouse was closed, but it was low tide and we were able to walk around it. After a beach walk, we ate dinner in our spacious lodging. I returned to the beach for sunset pictures while Susan watched the Warriors game.

4/17/18 – Trees of Mystery

I woke up with a mild cold. Rande, our Airbnb hostess gave us a tour of her art studio, I was especially inspired by her art quilts. Sage enjoyed a bit of fetch and then we headed out to a hokey tourist attraction I last visited decades ago with my sons, Trees of Mystery. There we strolled through big trees and large wood carvings of animals. Sage was not happy about the tram ride, and we were under impressed with the view at the top. The day was overcast, but we enjoyed a stroll at Crescent Beach, watched more elk, and enjoyed another sunset at Pebble Beach right across from our lodging. I like this place.

 4/18/18 – Drive to Fort Bragg

After packing, I had a pleasant chat with Samuel, our other gracious host while playing fetch with Sage in the puppy park, a parcel of land across the street that they purchased primarily for their dogs to enjoy.

We spent most of the day on the road. I drove to Eureka where we had a picnic lunch on a lawn at the marina, after stopping at the Wildberries Marketplace in Arcata. Susan drove the rest of the way. We spent much of that time listening to “Nickel and Dimed” for our political book club, not our favorite selection. I napped briefly still fighting off the cold that Susan is hoping to avoid.

It was late afternoon when we arrived at our remote Airbnb lodging, a spacious one-bedroom apartment above a garage surrounded by trees. I took Sage, who is an awesome traveller, to play fetch in the large adjacent yard.

We had a very pleasant dinner – fish tacos for dinner on an outside patio at Silver’s at the Wharf, at Noyo Harbor. They had a dog menu, so I ordered a bone for Sage which kept her occupied for the whole meal. We finished just in time to catch the end of sunset in the Noyo Headlands.

4/19/18 – Mendocino

After visiting the Point Cabrillo Lighthouse, we admired wildflowers along the Mendocino bluffs and ate a late lunch on the outdoor patio at Mendocino Café, Sage was perfect. We did a bit of shopping, Susan bought a couple items.  We were going to walk along the perimeter of the Mendocino Headlands but turned back shortly after we started due to wind. Instead we visited a couple galleries, and Mendocino Art Center where I’d like to take a class someday (and did so in July 2019).

4/20/18 – Point Arena

We climbed 145 steps to the top of Point Arena Lighthouse, tied with Pigeon Point as the tallest on the west coast – great views! The original was damaged in the 1906 earthquake and rebuild two years later. It looks to me like the point around it is eroding away. We skipped our planned hike on the Stornetta trail, due to incoming fog and wind, and after a late lunch in Elk, headed inland into sunshine. We took a hike in Hendy Woods State Park, on the Big Hendy loop which allowed dogs. I love hiking amongst old growth Redwoods. We started another jigsaw puzzle before sunset.

4/21/18 – Drive Home

After fetch with Sage, we finished our jigsaw puzzle and packed the car. I drove the first half, a beautiful route down coast then Hwy 128 to 101, lined with Redwoods and later lush green on oak trees still standing around the vineyards that are sadly replacing native grasslands and woodlands around California.