Day 4: Gold Beach, OR - Mendocino, CA

Another beautiful driving day. Today was especially interesting. As we drove further inland towards Redwood National Park the fog seemed to disappear and the sun showed it's face. We went from 52 degrees to 90 degrees in what felt like minutes!

The redwoods are magical and driving thru the forests you feel like you're in the rainforest. But then you see all of this acreage of land where the trees have been torn down for lumber. Those trees are way older than you and I, and they can be on the ground in the blink of an eye.

We didn't drive the entire length of Avenue of the Giants because we had booked a room in Mendocino and had quite a drive ahead of us. From Gold Beach to Mendocino, it's about 5 hours and when you make a bunch of pit-stops to take photos, that time creeps up.

We arrived in Mendocino around 7:30pm at the Sweetwater Inn & Spa (clothing optional in the sauna & hot-tub- yikes). It was not what we had expected. I had read a lot of reviews that it was a cute and unique place to stay. Each room was in it's own little cottage. It sounds cute, but I quickly picked up on how much cuter I could make it (or even you, Claire).

Mendocino is where the "Murder She Wrote" series was filmed. The series was based in a little town in Maine and it's easy to see why they picked Mendocino. This tiny cliffside and beach town has the New England architecture and feel to it that many of us are used to.

Here's the highlights!

PS. My DSLR camera is out of commission until we get to San Fran. It seems to have a black speck in the lens that I can't reach by myself. Cross your fingers and pray that it's nothing major!

Goooood morning Gold Beach!

Here we go!!!!!!

MOMMA'S NOTES

How do you dress for a 38 degree temperature change that happens in the space of ten minutes? That didn't stop us from driving with the top down through the massive splendor of the Redwoods and turning our faces toward the sun when it penetrated the fog and the tree canopy.

Eliza drove throughout the day, not an easy task with miles and miles of wicked switchbacks. Not having any lunch helped me not lose my lunch but it was a challenge.

Checked into a very funky establishment and carefully avoided the hot tub/spa with the interesting dress code. Caught up on Hurricane Irene and ascertained that everyone back home was okay. So odd to be on an opposite coast through that scare. Great to know that we left our home and dogs in good hands.