Goodbye God, I'm Going to Bodie

A famous quote from a young girl's diary, "Goodbye God, I'm Going to Bodie," was used commonly to express the complete wickedness of the town during its heyday. At the time of its gold rush in 1879, there were 10,000 residents, numerous brothels, and 65 saloons, with daily murders, robberies, stage coach holdups and street fights.

Now, Bodie is a state park with about 5 percent of the original buildings (most of the town burnt down) in a condition of arrested decay. At over 8,000 ft in evelation without a tree to be seen, the climate is brutal. We listened to the docent explain what life was like back in the days of the "wild west." He told of the the notorious Bodie 601 vigilante group who lynched a man, the prostitute who was buried right along the fence of the "respectable" cemetery, the 3 year old boy who burned over half the town because he didn't get cake and ice cream on his birthday.

All of the photos here were taken by my niece, Allison. She asked to borrow my camera and we went around together discussing what would make an interesting photo op for her.

Half Moon Bay Camping

We headed south to Half Moon Bay State Park for a few days. They have such a nice walk along the cliffs overlooking the ocean. It was thrilling to see the hawks hunting there right up close.

The area is known as the pumpkin capital of coastal California, so they were gearing up for the autumn fun.



The downtown itself is a maze of cute shops, bookstores, boutiques, and an old fashioned grocery store with a butcher and fresh produce. I got a cute little flirty skirt and a scarf that I am madly in love with.

Road Trip – Part II

The really nice thing about a surprise road trip is that you have no idea what pleasures are around the corner. You might find yourself cruising through thrift and vintage shops, or picnicking, or having a wonderfully authentic Italian meal, or watching a kick ass bluegrass band in a punk club. Who knows?

These are some the delights we found:

Driving through the greenest hillsides filled with happy cows, goats, sheep.
The Devil Makes 3 playing to the craziest mosh pit I’ve ever encountered at the Phoenix in Petaluma (we hid in the balcony to watch).
70 degree temps and sunshine in the countryside, abloom with flowering quince, camillas, daffodils, candytuft and more.
Breakfast with mimosas at the Two Crows Roadhouse, funky little restaurant on Bodega Rd.
Cheesecake brownie and oatmeal bars from Dean & Deluca.
Auburgine Vintage Emporium –the best used clothing store I’ve ever seen (in Sebastopol and Occidental).
Amy cooked multigrain oatmeal for breakfast with dried cranberries, organic sugar, cinnamon, fresh ginger, grated orange zest, topped with bananas and almond slices. Yum!
The little teeny town of Bodega, home of the famous church from the movie, The Birds.
The family owned Volpi Ristorante in Petaluma--been there since 1925.
We went to IKEA for the very first time (didn't buy anything though).
Circled back to Truckee to see Poor Man’s Whiskey at Bar of America--we had to give up at 12:30AM, but the band and the crowd were still going strong.

Road Trip

Napa, originally uploaded by c8mills.

The amazing thing about Northern California is that no matter which direction you drive, you’ll find something unique and beautiful, ultimately cool. We crossed the summit of the Sierra, heavily laden with recent snows, through the greening foothills, to the warmth of the Sacramento Valley. We continued right passed the capitol city to cross the wetlands of the Yolo bypass. This day the winds were howling, scrubbing the air clean. We could see the mountains over a hundred miles away. Next we found ourselves following a little country road, whizzing past walnut groves, to the farm town of Winters.

We come to Winters often, just because they happen to have one of the best music venues in the country, an old playhouse called The Palms. This time we saw a blues guitarist from Louisiana, Tab Benoit. Almost three full hours of music. What a treat!

In the morning, we had no real plan, but thought that we would visit Amy and Ty in Sebastopol. We took off heading northwest, winding through hills, skirting Lake Berryessa. Before we knew it, we unexpectedly found ourselves in the heart of Napa. Vineyards, smothered in mustard, everywhere. We meandered through Rutherford and St. Helena, past the Culinary Institute of America.

I recognized a winery from a previous visit and we pulled into their parking lot. Since it was only Thursday in February, only a few people wandered the grounds. Inside the deli of V. Sattui Winery is an abundance of delicious flavors and visual candy. Too much to list, but this is what we bought: A black forest ham/gruyere cheese Panini from the deli, Humboldt Fog goat cheese, Old Amsterdam Gouda, an artichoke cheese spread, a loaf of olive bread, two bottles of golden balsamic vinegar, Monari salami, a bottle of cream soda to share. Then we soaked in the sun of the picnic area, nibbling, talking, enjoying the moment.

We ended up going to Wright’s Beach for the evening. We had our wine and our treats, wrapped in a blanket, watching the sun set over the sea. Couples started coming out to watch too, holding hands, arms intertwined. One man was serenading his girl with a guitar, when it dawned on us – it’s Valentine’s Day! Here we had this brilliant, gorgeous romantic day together and we hadn’t even realized it.

Half Moon Bay – Part II

It is possible to drive in a large loop from Half Moon Bay, winding up into the mountains, circling round through little towns, and then following the coastline back to town. Truly a wonderful way to spend some time.

First, stop in the various nurseries that are right outside of town on Highway 92. Very interesting places with roses and orchids, fountains, and pottery for sale. Huge metal sculptures of dinosaurs, and other animals, real and imaginary, grace the entrances. The Christmas tree farms were doing an incredible business, many families coming out to pick the perfect tree.

At the crossroad of Highway 35 and 84, Alice’s Restaurant is a good place to stop for a pleasant breakfast or lunch, depending on when you arrive. From there take the Alpine Road, one of the twistiest roads we’ve been on. Hiking trails seem to be everywhere on the ridges of Open Range Reserves, views of the Bay Area to the east and the ocean to the west.

Watch out for bicyclists when you follow the road down. You’ll come upon Portola and Butano State Parks, nestled deep Redwood forests. Completely different environment from the wide open spaces of a few miles back. Both are available for camping, although I know we wouldn’t want to pull a RV there.

Charming little stops, like in the town of Pescadero, break up the journey. In La Honda we stopped at Applejack’s, a true backwoods type bar with creaky floors and friendly locals. San Gregorio General Store, which is half old school country store/half hippie funky, has a large bar. There’s an eclectic selection of books, toys, apparel, pottery. They have live music on Friday and Saturdays. Brad and I laughed out loud reading through the wild postcards, buttons, and bumper stickers. Some very outrageous opinions, for sure. Some I even agreed with.

Following the coastline back along Highway 1, past Pigeon Point Lighthouse, you come to Cameron’s Inn, a very authentic English Pub, complete with two double decker buses. We were surprised when Brad asked the man next to us what the football score was, and he was an authentic English man, from London, even.

Half Moon Bay – Part I

Half Moon Bay fulfills all the requirements for a great vacation spot. I know that people usually want a coastal vacation in the summer, but really December is a wonderful time to be here. While the temperature is on the cool side, so are the things to do around here. There are cute little shops on Main Street, including book stores, gift boutiques, and antique stores. The one that you can’t miss is called Half to Have It; what a wonderland of amazing items they sell! Antiques and garden items everywhere. A very nice, relaxing way to get Christmas shopping done without the crowds. Last night, the annual Festival of Lights commenced with a tree lighting ceremony, a hometown parade, and a “sit down” marching band.

Over at the Pillar Point Harbor we had lunch at the popular Barbara’s Fish Trap on Wednesday. And Friday night we dined Italian-style at Mezza Luna, authentic, quality food, quite reasonable prices. Half Moon Bay Brewery, which hosts some excellent musicians. As a matter of fact, we have extended our stay for one more night so we will be here when Daniel Castro plays on Sunday. Brad went to the Flying Fish Grill to get a fresh crab and the man there insisted that he take a loaf of Half Moon Bay Bakery sourdough bread to go with it for free.

There is a bike path the links several beaches along the coast. Near the harbor, we found a short walk through the marshlands. When the storm surge hits, the town is overrun with surfers here for the Mavericks. The monstrous waves can get to be 50 feet high. I’d love to see that. Tomorrow we will explore all the nurseries and Christmas tree farms that are just outside the town.

We’re staying the campground at Francis Beach. Our campsite is literally 50 feet from the beach. Just look at the view out the back window!

Our first night we invited the young couple staying next door to share our campfire. Turns out that they were Australians touring the world..Japan, China, Siberian Express to Moscow, the Eastern block countries, Italy, Spain, England, then to NY, across all of the northern states, down Washington, Oregon, to Yosemite, through the Southwest (Utah, Arizona) to LA and back up the coast to here. Oh, my, what a trip! They were a blast to talk to.

Donner Lake Camping

Donner Lake, originally uploaded by c8mills.

Simply, one of the most beautiful lake camping sites in California, Donner Lake Memorial Park is exceptional. You may have heard of the Donner Party, notorious for rumored cannibalism in 1847. This is the place were it happened; they were trapped by an October snowstorm, making it impossible to get over the summit.

The lake itself is about three miles long at 6000 feet in elevation. Its beauty lies in the water’s deep coloring, surrounded by pine forest and spectacular granite mountain peaks. When we had a house here, I walked in the State Park at least five days a week, three seasons out of the year. 

Today, I was looking forward to taking my favorite walk, until I realized that the temperature was dropping fast and the winds were about 40 mph. It is downright dangerous to walk alone through a pine forest in winds like that, not only do the dead trees fall over, but the five pound pinecones fly through the air like hand grenades.

So, a little change of course, I went to the east end of the lake for some dramatic photos of the whitecap waves. I tucked under the canopy where it was a little more sheltered and took some photos of things on the forest floor, like pinedrops, desiccated tree trunks, light playing in small aspen trees. I heard a funny noise, I thought possibly it was a dog yelp, and looked around the corner. A couple was swimming! It’s about 48 degrees and WINDY! The water must have been about 50 degrees. How could they stand it?

No way was I taking my usual route along the shoreline, so I went toward the campground instead. This is where the original camps were and it’s an eerie feeling to be there all alone. Followed the path along the creek to the bridge and then decided to take some pictures of the statue. I drove passed this statue everyday and I haven’t taken a photo of it in probably twenty years. It’s George Donner and his wife, Tamsen, who actually never made it this far. They both died about five miles back.

Blackhawk Solar Cook-off

Taylorsville: just the name gives my heart a leap. Sitting low in a lovely large valley surrounded by mountain peaks, a teeny town way up in the Sierras, 20 miles north of Quincy. The campground nestles in the trees and everyone camps helter-skelter, wherever they can find a spot. But it doesn’t matter, because everyone is your friend while you’re there.

We actually arrived a little late on Friday afternoon: greeting all of our friends from Reno Blues Society, and set up our little camp with a rug, batik sheets for curtains. The music starts around seven--three bands, swing, blues, and rock. The crowd really got into the fun of it. When the bands finish, the drum circle begins, going on and on for hours. I adore sleeping with the drums pounding, echoing throughout the campground. You’d think it would be impossible, but it’s amazingly soothing. Both Brad and I fell into a deep, content sleep.

In the morning, I hear the hushed voices of the campers, sipping hot coffee while they fire up the campstoves for pancakes and bacon in the cool mountain air. During the day 14 bands play, it takes all day, while we sit in the shade in our little lawn chairs. Finally we can’t take anymore and move down to the river, putting our lawn chairs right in the water, our feet loving the cool water, watching dragonflies float on air.

The solar cook-off is not really a competition, per se. Everyone gets out their solar ovens, cooks whatever delicious foods they want and shares. That’s it. This whole program is due to the hard work of Bill and Mel Rockett. They sold out of cookers very fast this year. It’s an insulated black box with reflectors and a glass door to hold the heat in. On a sunny day, they cook at about 250-300 degrees. We made brownies in the morning and chicken with artichokes and potatoes for dinner. You can buy one from them at Black Hawk Solar Access, #3 Blackhawk Crk, Quincy, California, 95971 phone: 530-283-1396 or make one of your own.

While all of this is fantastic, what we are really waiting for is the big bouncin’ dance in the Grange Hall. It’s one of only three left in the whole US with a spring-loaded dance floor. Kenny Neal literally got the house rockin’. The whole floor moves, you can’t just “sit it out.”

To end the night, we watch the sky on a dark moonless night—the Milky Way brilliant, shooting stars blazing, with one lonely bullfrog bellowing in the background.

Camping at California Beaches

Ok, I'm putting on my tour guide hat now. Beach camping on the coast of California is something we’ve spent a lot of time doing. And just to clarify, never go to the beach in California in the summer, it will be foggy. Spring, fall and winter are usually beautiful. Unless there is a storm moving through, it will be mostly sunny and warm.

Starting north of San Francisco, we camp at Wright’s Beach in Bodega Bay twice a year, every April and every October. In April, the grey whales migrate through there and they are very close to the beach. You can easily spot them from the campsites. In the fall, we just have campfires and watch the waves. The picture above is our RV and Jeep; you can see what I mean about being close to the water.

We recently drove into Half Moon Bay campground and were blown away by how cool it is. Crashing surf a few steps over the dunes. They have wi-fi now, if that matters to you. We really want to stay here sometime soon.

So, next stop Santa Cruz. Our personal favorite, New Brighton. Great campground on a cliff overlooking the sea. You walk down a path/stairway to get to the beach.

If you are RV camping only, you can stay at Sea Cliff, right on the beach. You can see photos here.

Or go a little more south to Sunsets. Real nice campground, but not close enough to walk to the ocean. We go there every Memorial Day for the Santa Cruz Blues Festival. One of the nice things about this that Pebble Beach is about only 35 minutes away. And Monterey. And Carmel.

When you leave that area, make a short stop at Point Lobos. Beautiful walk along the coast. We had a blast watching the otters play. Your state park pass from the night before gets you in for free.

In Big Sur the place to stay is Pfeiffer Big Sur (not Julia Pfeiffer). No beach access. Nice campground. Wi-fi.

As you drive south, you might want to see Hearst Castle or see the elephant seals in San Simeon. This is as good as Ano Nuevo reserve and it's right next to the highway for free.

We stayed at Pismo this last summer and it was great for my nieces and nephew to play in the surf. The North Beach campground is a very easy walk to the beach. It's on a first come, first serve basis in the winter. We stayed there for ski/skate week in February once and we were the only ones in the campground, because it rained and was flooded. Wi-fi.

When I was a kid, we spent two weeks at San Celemente State Park. I remember having so much fun with my cousins, getting very sunburnt, and endless stairs to the beach. Haven't been back as an adult though. Wi-fi too.

There's the overview. All of these are California State Parks and you should book at reserveamerica.com to make sure you have a place. The rule is that you can reserve a spot on the first day of the month, six months before you want to go. That puts us into September already. As long as the weather is good, you can soak up the sun and get wet in the surf. But also be prepared if it rains too. Have fun!

Santa Cruzin' Again

Forgive me, we’ve been camping at the beach in Santa Cruz for the last couple of days with no internet access, so keeping up on the blog has been difficult. I’m sure you’re feeling very sorry for me now.

We take great delight in not doing what everyone else is doing, going to the city on the weekend when everybody heads for the mountains, going to the beach in December when everybody is in a Christmas frenzy. No fog, no crowds, warm enough to wear shorts and search for sea glass barefoot in the surf. You just have to time it around the incoming storms. There’s suppose to be one heading this way tomorrow evening, so we’ll be off for home around noon.

We intended to do our Christmas shopping here. You know, they have all these artsy handmade gifts, but it hasn’t worked out that way. It’s too enticing to stay at the beach. We don’t have much energy for leaving, spending our time watching the California brown pelicans kamikaze into the sea for fish, strolling along the beach, reading. Every once in awhile dolphin, seals, and otters swim by.

We do roust ourselves to leave camp in the evening to get dinner and go “see” live music. This area, home of kpig radio, is known for is excellent musical diversity. Driving out to Felton two nights in a row, we had to see Tom Russell, a brilliant folk singer, on Tuesday and Big Sandy and the Fly Right Boys, old fashioned rockabilly, last night. Both were good fun.

Also during this trip I found out that gingersnaps, macaroons, ham and cheese croissants from Gayle’s Bakery and Deli in Capitola are too tempting to resist.

Last night I got a few images in the waning light before the sunset. It happened so quickly, all of a sudden the light was gone. I’ll try to start earlier tonight.

The Santa Cruz area has three state campgrounds near the beach. Sunsets is the furthest south, no ocean views from camp, but a prime place for finding whole sand dollars and watching the sunset (hence, the name). New Brighton is near Aptos, wonderful cliff views of Monterey Bay from the prime spots. For the first time, we are staying at Seacliff, right on the water. They only allow fully self-contained RVs and trailers, but it’s literally on the beach. If you can work it out, plan for a winter beach vacation this year.

Now I’ll have to head up to the pub, Britannia Arms in Aptos, order up a hard cider, and use their hot spot link to send this out to all of you.