Day 5: Mendocino, CA- San Francisco, CA

The drive today was a little rough. Route 1, along the coast turns into a bunch of switchbacks and ups and downs along the coast. We caught some glimpses of the ocean as we drove but it was very fogged in. I'm quickly coming to realize that this may not be the best time to be doing this drive, but it's a blast nonetheless. Mom drove, and avoiding smacking me in the face when I made rude comments about her driving (which really wasn't her fault, it was the road). I watched out the passenger window in search of any pods of whales but there was no luck.... maybe tomorrow?

We drove in and out of some crazy weather again (clear blue skies and then right back into the fog). This coastline is like nothing I've ever imagined. It's unbelievably majestic. We are seeing more and more kelp forests in the water and then playfully mistaking them for seals popping their heads up to say hello.

Then we went to the Point Reyes Lighthouse, which is the tallest lighthouse on the West coast. It was so foggy, you had to be right up on it to see it. We hung around and then took a few steps near the cliffs and saw what I'm thinking are leopard seals, taking a snooze on the rocks.

Our destination prior to San Francisco was Bolinas, which is a town that mom's friend has told us we HAD TO see. This is a town that isn't on your typical map and all road signs have been removed by the locals to avoid major tourism- SUCKERS! Bolinas is the most unusual hippy town I've ever see, Boulder beware! It's a beautiful, small, artsy, hippitty-dippity town. The locals are.... what can only be understood when you see the town. We stayed for dinner and then headed right back into the fog to our hotel in San Francisco. We're staying at the Best Western on Fisherman's Wharf and it's a beautiful hotel within walking distance to lots and lots. We drove over the Golden Gate and probably wouldn't have even realized it had we not been stuck in traffic and saw that the metal was red. Hopefully we'll get a better view tomorrow.... HOPEFULLY!

Mendocino used to be a lumber town and these are photos and descriptions of how they brought the lumber from the cliffs onto the boats- CRAZY!

Dispensary central!

There's always time to try on hats!

Point Reyes Lighthouse

SEALS!

Back into the fog!

The few signs for Bolinas, but none of them actually SAY Bolinas!

HUGE starfish

MORE seals!

And that's our view of the Golden Gate Bridge!

MOMMA'S NOTES

Woke up to the charming town of Mendocino which looks like a stage set and I guess it was. Besides looking like New England it has these odd water towers next to or above the houses, beautiful, bursting gardens. It's a little difficult to distinguish the locals and their dogs and bicycles from the hippie hobos and their dogs and bicycles except for their cardboard signs.

My turn driving the challenge course that is route 1 or 101 following the coastline. Eliza's turn to turn green. When the fog lifted the scenery was spectacular but sometimes we were grateful for the fog because the shoulder-less roads and the dramatic descents were a little unnerving.

Bolinas was a very quirky short side trip and a delicious dinner locale. Also a pretty great sunset as we left and looked back at it across the inlet and saw egrets and seals basking on the sand bars.

Before we knew it we were in San Francisco crossing the bridge. We couldn't see much but tomorrow we may get a closer and maybe, if we're lucky, a clear view.

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.