Archive for the 'Further Afield' Category
Carnegie Arts Center in Turlock, California
We are back on the road again after a long absence. This Summer has been interesting with visitors, vacations and other obligations. It is good to be on our travels once again.
It was a Sunday and we were on our way home from Fresno to San Jose via Turlock. Why did we want to go to Turlock and where the heck is it? Turlock is in the Central Valley to the south of Sacramento and we wanted to go to the Ansel Adams photography exhibition in the Carnegie Arts Center . I had to look on the map to see exactly where Turlock was as I had never heard of it. Our route was along Highway 99. Up to this point, I had only been on Highway 99 from Fresno to Highway 152 and so far I had not impressed. Once beyond Chowchilla the surroundings improved for a while. Turlock itself was not too bad either.
The exhibition is being held at the newly refurbished Carnegie Arts Center until January 8, 2012 . The building was once a library built in 1916 with Carnegie funding. In 1968 a new library was built in Turlock and the original building became an Arts Center. In 2005 a fire gutted the building. For a few years it was debated whether or not to rebuild or to start from scratch. Thank goodness the decision was made to preserve as much of the original building as possible and to build an extension to it which complemented the original design. The newly restored outside was impressive; the blending of the new with the original had been very well done. Inside was remarkable too. The grand opening had been the day before and we were the first members of the general public to turn up that day. We were greeted very warmly and made to feel really special. We were expecting to pay the advertsied entrance fee of $10 but were told the first weekend was free. We were encouraged to give a donation, which we were happy to do.
The exhibition itself was amazing. Of course there were the well known Ansel Adams photographs but also a lot nobody had seen before. There was one section on his portraits and these were the ones I liked the best. My favorite was one depicting a farming family in the Central Valley sitting on a porch. Tom liked one of a lady on the inside of a screen door looking out but not at the camera. Each picture had a comprehensive description at the side including where it was taken and when. One interesting touch was a long video showing excerpts from different interviews with Ansel Adams. I had seen photos of him but to actually hear him talk and see him in different locations was truly revealing.
It took us a couple of hours to take in all the Ansel Adams photographs and then we took a wander around the rest of the building. At one point we could see the external wall of the original brick building with signs of the damage caused by the fire. One gallery is in the old building but it was completely empty. The day before it had been a hive of activity on Opening Day. It looks like a great place to hold a wedding. In the new section there is also a conference room.
Del Puerto Canyon
Back on the road again, we drove towards I5 through Patterson. Now Patterson was another town I had never been to before and was surprised at the number of palm trees lining the roads. Tom and I were discussing which route we would take home – drive south to Highway 152 through Gilroy and onto 101 or north to I580 and over the Altamont, through Livermore to I680. Then we noticed that there was a third alternative over the Diablo Range and Mount Hamilton to Highway 130. We decided to live dangerously and go the road ‘less traveled’. Before we embarked on our adventure, we stocked up on food and water just in case we broke down. We were a little worried how we would find the right road over the mountains but it turned out to be easy. The main road from Patterson passed under I5 and we found ourselves on Del Puerto Canyon Road. Within minutes we left civilisation behind and enjoyed the scenic ride. The road, at least until we had driven through Frank Raines Park where we saw green grass, was well maintained but we saw very few cars on Del Puerto Canyon Road. We stopped to eat our lunch in idyllic surroundings halfway between the park and Highway 130. Not one car passed us. We were relieved to reach 130 without breaking down. The highest point was Mt Hamilton, where the Lick Observatory is situated. From then on we had plenty of traffic to contend with, especially all the cyclists. We were happy to drive slowly behind them as they coasted down the mountain until it was safe to pass them. The cyclists going the other way took the steep gradient effortlessly but I didn’t envy them. As we drove through the Joseph D Grant Country Road I saw Quimby Road off the the right. Checking the map, it looked a quicker way to get back, so we turned round and turned onto it. Then began the narrowest and steepest road we had encountered all day with some really heart stopping hairpin bends. The views over Silicon Valley were spectacular though. Before too long we were back into civilization and on Capital Expressway. Yes it did take longer to take that route home but we really enjoyed ourselves. It is not something we would do every time we travel to the Central Valley but we were pleased we had done it once.
September 26 2011 | Further Afield and Special Places | No Comments »
Quaint Mendocino along the northern California coast
This is our last day in Fort Bragg. Several family members were driving home today and left early in the morning so we bid them farewell. A large proportion of the wedding party remained and were going on the Skunk Train. We did think about joining them but when we looked into it we changed our mind. We thought the train would be going all the way from Fort Bragg to Willits but, on looking closer, the round trip from Fort Bragg only goes halfway to Northspur. There is another train which goes from Willits to Northspur. The price was $49 each, presumably for each round trip, so we decided it was too expensive. The weekend so far had been just within our budget and a trip on the Skunk Train would have pushed us over the limit. We decided to do a bit of sightseeing.
Judy, Rachel’s Mum, came with us so the three of us set off at about 9:30 in the morning. Our first stop was Noyo Harbor. It was a little difficult to find. We guessed where it was because just north of the junction with Highway 20, Highway 1 crosses over a bridge and we could see some small ships. There were no signs pointing to it that we could see but when we saw a street sign which said Harbor Drive we thought it could lead to the harbor, which it did. I, for one, was surprised how far in from Highway 1 it was and the number of big fishing ships which were moored there. We parked our car near the Highway 1 bridge and walked down to a small beach. Tom, as usual, was busy taking photographs so Judy and I wandered on down to the water and chatted. I noticed some strange tracks in the sand. They led from underneath some rocks and meandered across the sand, under a log and to another rock. At first I was convinced they had been left by a snake but on studying them closer we came to the conclusion that a smallish crab had made them.
We got back into the car and headed to the main harbor, but most of the boats were on the other side of the estuary. On our side of the water were a couple of eating and watering holes, fishing tackle shops and other marine type services. A lot of places were advertising fishing trips.
Noyo Harbor in Fort Bragg
After we had exhausted what there was to see at Noyo Harbor we turned south on Highway 1 and headed to Mendocino. I have been to Mendocino a few times and it is cute. It is a very arty crafty sort of place with lots of boutique shops selling higher end gifts – but not too classy. I did buy a couple of Christmas presents which I will take to England when I visit in August. The weather was once again on the sunny side though occasionally the sun disappeared behind the clouds. We wandered around a couple of art galleries and then to the back streets looking for the Mendocino Art Center. Judy had been there a few times and had been very impressed with it but she couldn’t remember quite where it was. We went up and down streets looking for it but it was no hardship. We were away from most of the shops and in the residential area. There are some very nice little houses there and most gardens were well tended with lots of flowers and shrubs. We kept seeing a strange looking tree and none of us knew what it was. They seemed to be growing like weeds there. In one house where they had at least half a dozen specimens, they had posted a sign explaining what they were. I did write down the name on the back of a receipt but, of course, when I needed the information I could not find the receipt. I hoped Tom managed to get some nice photos of them (Tom: Nope I didn’t). If anybody who has been to Mendocino knows what they are, I would be most grateful to hear from you.
By this time we were all hungry and still hadn’t found the Art Center. Near the Post Office we found the Mendocino Deli on Ukiah street and it looked ideal. I had a bowl of clam chowder, Tom and Judy had sandwiches. They have a nice little garden at the back which we retreated to to wait for our food. It was very pleasant sitting there eating our lunch and chatting, chatting, chatting. After we had our fill we continued our mission to find the Mendocino Art Center by tramping the back streets of Mendocino.
Eventually Judy became excited because she began to recognize familiar signs and suddenly there it was - The Mendocino Art Center . The main building was set in a beautiful garden with other associated buildings on the periphery. Looking at their website, the art center has more to offer than a tour round the various galleries in the main building. The other buildings houses artists’ studios and workshops are held throughout the year. There is also accommodation available at a very reasonable reate for those attending workshops. The center offers various musical entertainments as well and during the summer months BBQs are held where the entrance and music is free but there is a small charge for the food. It is quite a happening place.
But to get round to our visit on this day, the garden is a sight for sore eyes even before the front entrance is reached. Many interesting and varied sculptures can be spotted and discovered in various areas of the garden. On the front lawn were an amusing collection of sculptures which twisted and twirled with the wind, made out of a variety of odd materials. To the left of the front door, is a wonderful, large horse’s head made from twigs and small branches. It is a powerful exhibit.
Saw this guy taking a little siesta at Noyo Harbor
Inside the three of took off in different directions. Don’t know where Judy and Tom wandered off to but I strolled around the ground floor. I found a gallery displaying paintings which had been entered into a competition, with the winners and runners up marked by ribbons. Then I found myself in a wonderful little gallery which was dedicated to a local artist , Christopher Stuart Lloyd. Sadly he died suddenly in early June this year of a heart attack when he was just 54 years of age. What he has left behind is amazing. What drew me in were a couple of big, round mobiles hanging from the ceiling. On closer inspection of the first one I could see that suspended inside on very thin fishing line, hanging in straight lines, were an assortment of metal objects. Some were relatively large like spoons but others were tiny – nuts, bolts, nails etc. The other mobile contained a collection of cog wheels and clock parts. I read that Christopher used to explore some of the inaccessible beaches on the Mendocino headlands by climbing down to them on a rope. Most of the objects had been washed up many, many years ago from ships which had been shipwrecked along the coast. Also on display at the art center was a poignant poem written by someone who knew him very well. Reading it brought tears to my eyes. Just wish I had written some of the words down.
Mendocino sunset
I had to go outside and sit down on a bench near the horse’s head to reflect and contemplate. When Tom and then Judy joined me I told them about the Christopher Lloyd exhibition and they went to view it. They were similarly affected. Makes me wish I knew about his work beforehand.
We made our way back to Shoreline Cottages to get ready for our last night of celebration, though it was a much reduced party. We all met up at the house where Rachel had been staying and had a BBQ in the garden. This is where Rachel originally planned to hold the wedding. It was right on the coast with a wonderful view of the ocean. We gloried in a wonderful sunset after we had eaten our fill and then chatted and laughed for hours before sad farewells were exchanged and we all made our way back to our respective lodgings.
August 03 2011 | Further Afield and Special Places | No Comments »
Seagulls lined up in Fort Bragg
We had arrived at Shoreline Cottages on Highway 1 before our room was ready. Shoreline Cottages is a small complex of eleven cabins, each decorated with a different theme. Rachel had reserved all but one for some of the wedding party. Some members of both families had arrived the day before but nobody was there. This gave us the opportunity to go and explore a bit.
Back on Highway 1 traveling towards Fort Bragg, we turned left at a sign pointing to Pomo Park Bluffs. As we got out of the car we could hear the mournful tolling of a bell on the top of a buoy which marked the entrance to Noyo harbor. We could not see the harbor from where we stood but we could see the dangerous rock which abounded in Noyo Bay. I’m sure there have been many shipwrecks off this coast.
There were some interesting information boards here and there from which I learnt that Fort Bragg had been a major logging center in it’s prime. When the industry slowed, due to over logging, fishing took over. Off the coast here the local King Salmon are abundant. Now sport fishing is a big tourist attraction. One board informed me that fisherman used to come to this point (which is called Todd’s Point) to look at the sea to decide whether it was safe enough to go to sea. If the weather conditions were less than safe, they would go home and wait for another day. This place (in certain circles) became known as Chicken Point.
We drove into Fort Bragg in search of lunch. I have only been there once before when we had our family Christmas gathering in Casper. The weather was bleak then and I was not impressed with Fort Bragg. We didn’t go into the town center but only to a movie theater on the outskirts. This time around, with the sun shining, it looked a a whole lot better, besides which the historic downtown area is more more interesting. We found a nice little cafe called Living Light which specialized in vegan food. We had a salad each. To drink I had coconut milk and Tom had a ginger and lime concoction.
By the time we returned to Shoreline Cottages, our room was still not ready but some of the family had arrived plus we met the bridegroom’s parents, John and Annette, who’d recently arrived from New Zealand. At 2 we were able to take possession of our room, which was called the Rose and Ivy room. Naturally the bed cover and all the decorations followed this theme. It was a very nice room with a bathroom and fully equipped kitchen.
Rachel and Dave at the wedding rehearsal
The wedding rehearsal was at 3.30 and we were attending as Tom is the photographer. Poor Rachel and Dave have experienced a lot of stress over the last few weeks. Only last week the venue for the wedding had to be changed. Fortunately Rachel and Dave were able to find the ideal location at the Mendocino Botanical Gardens. The twenty minute walk through the gardens from the front entrance to the chosen venue was magnificent but our first view of The Cliff House was daunting.
It turned out to be more of a rustic cabin than a house. There was a lot to be said in favor of it though as the view of ocean through the large window which stretched across the front was awesome. So why was daunting? The mere fact that the window was there posed a problem to Tom from a photographer’s perspective. Also the space seemed very small. The furniture consisted of display tables, information posters on the wall and two huge wooden benches. Tom worked out his strategies though and took a lot of photos during the rehearsal.
The rehearsal went very well. Rachel and Dave had a big hand in the script for the ceremony. It was full of feeling with humorous touches and very moving. We had the opportunity to meet the rest of Dave’s family plus some of Rachel and Dave’s friends who had parts to play in the ceremony the next day. Gayle, a retired Methodist minister who officiated, brought her warm personality, her calm and reassuring way and sense of humor the the proceedings.
Afterwards we all went back to Shoreline Cottages where all the wedding party, consisting of 38 people who were all staying in various locations in Fort Bragg, were gathering for a BBQ. The centerpiece was a signpost made by Jim, Rachel’s Dad, showing all the places and miles from Fort Bragg that folks had traveled from to be with Rachel and Dave on their special day. A good time was had by all, filled with cooking, eating, drinking and having fun. At the end of the evening, the diehards congregated around the fire pit to round off the evening.
Rachel's wedding gown with boots of course
The next day Tom and I arrived early at the house where Rachel was staying to take the ‘before’ photos. Rachel didn’t want photos of her getting ready or with bridesmaids and other people fussing around, so we concentrated on the dress and shoes. Did I say shoes? To be correct, this was one of the areas where Rachel showed her uniqueness because she was going to wear boots. Not just boots but cowboy boots and they were not just cowboy boots either but blue cowboy boots.
Leaving Rachel to get ready, Tom and I made our way to the botanical gardens where we parked in the event parking area which cut the walking time to the Cliff House down to five minutes. The weather was perfect with sunshine and no fog. Being right on the coast, a chilly breeze from offshore cooled things down but, considering days like this in Fort Bragg don’t happen as often as they do further south where we live, we considered ourselves lucky.
The Cliff House had been transformed by a team of hardworking family members and good friends. The steps down to the cabin were decorated with ribbons. Inside the benches had been pushed up against the back wall, along with the two display tables which had been covered with tablecloths. On one stood the champagne bottles in tubs of ice and glasses. On the other food had been arranged for a light lunch afterwards. Chairs had been brought in to provide seating for guests; vases of gladioli stood in the front; candles and sprigs of lavender were arranged on shelves lining the walls.
Tom busied himself taking photos of guests as they arrived and I was making sure that all couples, groups and special moments were caught. Rachel particularly wanted everybody to wear a hat (shades of the royal wedding in April) and many of the guests complied. Even the men joined in as you can see in the group picture in the gallery below. Instead of flower girls, Dave’s nephew and niece – who happened to be twins – blew bubbles. The bridegroom and his best man arrived looking happy and relaxed. Using her prerogative, Rachel arrived late. Tom and I stood outside to wait for her arrival. We both expected her to take the short walk from the car park so were facing the wrong direction. Glancing backwards I saw Rachel and Salvador (her best dude, not bridesmaid) approaching from the other way. She looked radiant, strolling along holding up her dress with both hands, clearly showing her blue cowboy boots. Salvador followed, holding up the train of her dress. Tom managed to get a picture before she was brought to a stop so the folks inside didn’t catch a glimpse of the bride too soon.
The happy couple
The ceremony went beautifully and there wasn’t a dry eye in the place at the end. Tom was busy taking photos throughout but his task was made more difficult by the rearranged furniture. There were only two spots he could take photos from the side and avoiding over exposing everybody by taking shots directly towards the window. After the ceremony the photographs outside were taken on top of the bluffs with the ocean and coastline behind. The sun was still shining and nobody seemed to mind the chilly breeze coming off the ocean. The champagne reception with nibbles followed. Tom did stop to take a short break but then he was off again.
When the party broke up, Rachel, Dave, Stef the best man, Salvador the best dude, Tom and I wandered up to the main entrance and photos were taken along the way. The gardens were a perfect place to take some amazing photos – down by a pool, at a gazebo and around a sculpture.
Time to go back to our cottage and chill out for a bit. In the evening the whole wedding party met up at the Mendo Bistro in the center of Fort Bragg for the wedding reception. Even though there were other customers around we had a section laid out for us with nicely decorated tables and a customized menu. Afterwards there were a few speeches but on the whole it was an informal affair with everybody chatting and mingling and getting on like a house on fire. When we returned to Shoreline Cottages a few of us, once again, rounded off the evening around the fire pit with a couple of bottles of wine. The end of a perfect day.
Here’s a gallery of some photos from the wedding.
July 24 2011 | Further Afield and Special Places | No Comments »
Flowers along the Mendocino coast
It is early on a Thursday morning and we were on our way to Fort Bragg for the weekend. There is a special reason for this trip – we are going to the wedding of Tom’s cousin Rachel and her kiwi fiancé, Dave. Tom will be the photographer. Fortunately it is not a big affair but a very small gathering of family and friends.
On the way we stopped a couple of times, once for breakfast and the other time to visit the refurbished Ford factory in Richmond. First though we had to negotiate the rush hour traffic at the junction of highways 880, 80, 580 and 24 around the Bay Bridge. It’s called the “maze” for a reason.
At first we encountered a bit of fog before we reached 101 but the sun soon popped up. The last few days have been extremely hot and we looked forward to some cooler weather on the coast. 880 was the normal boring ride complete with poor road surfaces and congested traffic.
Just before 7 am we stopped for breakfast in Berkley at one of our favorite breakfast stops – Bette’s Oceanview Diner on 4th Street. Normally it is crowded when we eat here at the weekend but this time we very nearly had the place to ourselves. We both ordered two scrambled eggs cooked the special Bette’s way ($3.25). Tom had black beans and salsa ($3.95) and I had a fruit cup ($4.25).
By 7.30 we were back on 80 heading for Richmond. I had never been to Richmond before so was looking forward to seeing a new place. Mind you, I have heard bad reports of Richmond. All too soon we were on 580 and had turned off at Harbor Way. First impressions of Richmond were good. Yes it is industrial but it looked and felt OK. I couldn’t judge Richmond itself as this was the only part of Richmond I saw.
Check out the photo gallery below. Click on any of the images. Lots of birds.
Ford Point (originally called the Ford Motor Company Assembly Point) looked beautiful and imposing. The construction of the huge building was completed in 1930 and for over 10 years it continued to thrive with thousands of workers recruited from the midwest. During the Second World War, it turned to making tanks. In 1956 it was closed down, leaving thousands of displaced workers. With nowhere else to go and no jobs available, Richmond became very run down. Now, over 50 years later, the derelict factory has been transformed back to its former glory. The sun, reflected back by the glass of the hundreds of small windows along the front of the building, glittered and twinkled. Tom parked the car at the water’s edge with a fine view of San Francisco city across the bay. Quite a few businesses have been attracted to set up shop here but there are lots of spaces still available. Eventually it is hoped that the building will be a bustling hive of activity once again.
Even though the sun was shining, it was cold outside the car so we didn’t stay long. Soon we were crossing the bay over the Richmond/San Rafael Bridge. This is definitely the ugliest bridge in the Bay Area and it certainly did not feel the safest one. The view of San Quentin with Mount Tam in the background greeted as as we breasted the bridge. From this angle San Quentin looked nothing like a prison with it’s cream brickwork and palm trees in front.
The next part of the journey on 101 through Novato, Petaluma, Santa Rosa and Healdsburg was mundane. North of Healdsburg heading towards Cloverdale the scenery became more interesting with rolling hills to the right and patches of vines here and there. To the left, higher hills accompanied us. We turned off 101 soon after bypassing Cloverdale onto Highway 128. We started to climb steadily and soon were negotiating twisty bends and hairpin corners. We had to stop several times for roadworks and at one point we drove at 8 miles an hour behind a convey of slow moving vehicles with flashing lights which were in the process of mowing the grass at the side of the road. Then we had to slow down as a mother deer and her white spotted fawn crossed the road In front of us. It didn’t matter an awful lot as we were not in a great hurry and we were enjoying our surroundings.
We had a comfort stop in Boonville at 10. I bought some apples in a small deli but they had no public restrooms. I asked where the nearest one was and received the information that I would find one at the gas station on the way out of town. Boonville is a tiny town but it has it’s own language called ‘Boontling‘.
As 128 turned east towards the ocean, we drove through miles of forest between huge redwoods which lined both sides of the road. Driving through the trees was an eerie experience. We couldn’t see the sky and on either side the enormous trunks of the redwoods with their craggy bark towered above us. Eventually the scenery changed and we knew we were getting close to the ocean. Then we saw the ocean. We noticed a lot of whitecaps out there and could tell by the swaying grass and the dancing branches that it was breezy outside. At least it wasn’t foggy.
The last part of our journey was northwards on Highway 1 with the ocean on our left. We bypassed Mendocino and carried on to Fort Bragg pulling into Shoreline Cottages, where we will spend the next three nights, at 11:30 am.
July 12 2011 | Further Afield | 2 Comments »
Crop dusters on the way to Fresno
It was 5.45 on a Saturday morning and we are setting off for Fresno. Our normal route is 101, 152, I-5 and then through Firebaugh to 99. This time we are taking a different route, first stopping for breakfast at Eddies Restaurant in Los Banos and then taking 33 south, driving down the middle the San Jonquin Valley.
The temperature was just below 50 degrees and we were hoping it didn’t rain. It was still dark but we could see one star (Tom said it was probably a planet) twinkling in the night sky. The sun began to rise and the mountains became more defined. As it became lighter, we could see more and more detail. Then the sky turned pink above the peaks.
By this time we were driving along Highway 152 through rich farmland and passing signs advertising fruit stands – all closed as we passed of course. Then we reached the foothills and started to climb. On either side of the road the green hills dipped and rose. Casa de Fruita, with all it’s lights ablaze, shone like a beacon.
One of the peaks we saw as we turned onto 152, was the one we spotted when we were having dinner at the Faultline in San Juan Bautista last year. We hoped to pass near enough to it so we could identify its location and hopefully discover what it is called but alas we were disappointed. Every so often we spotted it and then lost sight of it again. Eventually we lost sight of it completely and even by looking back I could not see it.
San Luis Reservoir
Many times we have travelled this road and passed the sign for Dinosaur Point. This time we decided to investigate. As soon as we turned onto it, Tom realized that this was the old road he used to drive on to get to the Central Valley back before the San Luis Reservoir was created and the B.F Sisk Dam built in 1967. The road led to a boat launch on the reservoir. The level of the water was to the brim due to the amount of rain we have had recently. It is the first time for several years we have seen so much water.
Back on 152 again we drove the short distance and pulled into the Romero Visitors Center and the overlook. The gate was closed because the Visitors Center was not open yet. We parked the car just outside the gate and had a wander around. From my vantage point looking down onto the water, I could see several fishermen precariously standing on the side of the hill at the waters edge. Out on the water were several groups of birds and a beautiful egret flew by. I even saw a fish jump. On the other side of the water I saw a wind farm. Even though I was experiencing a chill breeze, none of the windmills appeared to be working.
After breakfast in Los Banos, we carried on driving east along 152 and turned right onto 33 a few miles outside Los Banos. Just before we drove through Don Palos we passed a diner called Barb’s Breakfast & Brunch on our right. Next time we are down this way we will try it out. The sign outside Don Palos informed us that there were 5,000 lived residents there.
In the distance we saw a crop duster which was flying low over the ground towards us. Just before it reached us it banked and turned back. I have never been that close to a crop duster before and hoped that we wouldn’t be be overcome by whatever he was spraying. Along the way we passed several huge concrete buildings dotted here and there. Some still seemed to be thriving businesses but a lot looked abandoned like one with ‘Farmers Rice Crop; still barely readable painted on the side.
It was a very pleasant ride through territory we have not seen before. In the distance we could see the snow capped Sierras about 90 miles to the east. The fields were freshly plowed and not showing much sign of anything growing yet. Off to the left we saw a hawk hovering, waiting to pounce on its unsuspecting breakfast. Sheep and lambs were grazing in several fields which is a rare sight in the area.
Almond orchard blossoms
Approaching Firebaugh I saw two small decrepit houses raised off the ground on blocks of wood. Soon after that a full sized metal sculpture of a buffalo in a garden. Normally we drive into Firebaugh on W Nees Avenue from I-5 and then on Firebaugh Blvd towards 99 and Fresno. This time we saw the industrial side of Firebaugh with the N.F Davies Drier and Elevator grain store to the north and lots of other businesses. I always considered Firebaugh a relatively small place but now I realized it is quite large.
Less than 10 miles south of Firebaugh we drove through Mendota. A large sign informed us that it was the ‘Cantaloupe Center of the World’. South of Mendota we turned left onto Highway 180 and past the huge Spreckles Sugar factory which dominates the landscape. It was only open from 1963 – 2008. The fields on either side of the road for a few miles were just scrub land and hard pan. Slowly the scenery changed. First we saw a feedlot and then the orchards began. What a beautiful sight – rows and rows of trees with white blossom, which I think were almond trees. We stopped so Tom could take some photos. He wandered down amongst the trees and called me over. As I got out of the car I could vaguely discern a sweet smell from the blossom which became more and more intoxicating the closer I got to the trees. Looking through the trees I could see the blossom falling and laying on the ground like snow.
We turned north on Lassen towards Shaw. The road became narrower and there were more almond trees. Grape vines started to appear and in several places some very old and abandoned vines. Along the road, which was less busy than both 33 and 180, were bee hives. We passed more and more houses and soon we were on Shaw and rapidly the countryside was no longer visible as shops and urban life took over.
We have found a new route to Fresno which cuts out the boring ride down I-5 and will come this way again.
March 10 2011 | Further Afield and Special Places | No Comments »
We’ve had some problems over the past several days which caused some down time. We moved the site to a new host and the transfer didn’t go smoothly. We think it’s all sorted out now and things should be back to normal.
So we apologize if you checked in and we weren’t here.
November 25 2010 | Further Afield | No Comments »
Beautiful Dale Farm House in Dibden. Charming B&B with the most wonderful breakfasts.
We hadn’t planned a trip to England at all, but my mother was taken ill at the beginning of April and I went across to be with her. Unfortunately my mum died a week later but I was able to spend a lot of time with her beforehand. Tom flew over later to be with me and we had a few days break before the funeral. After picking Tom up from Heathrow Airport, we took the scenic trip back to Taunton in the south west by driving through the New Forest.
(Click on the images for larger versions)
This is an area of approximately 145 square miles which I have been to many times but Tom had only skirted the perimeter. From the M27 we took the Cadnam road to Lyndhurst. Now I’m sure Lyndhurst is a lovely place but it took an awful long time to drive through it. Every road leading to it had a back up of traffic and it is like this every single time I have driven through it. It is a town which desperately needs a bypass. It took us long enough in April, but during the summer months it is even more of a nightmare.
Once through Lyndhurst, the journey became enjoyable and we could take pleasure in the countryside. In 1079 William The Conqueror named the area his ‘Nova Foresta’ or new hunting forest. Now, nearly 1000 years later, most of the forest has disappeared, mainly due to the navy taking the the timber to build their ships in the late Middle Ages. Today the area is a mix of woodland and heathland. The locals, or Commoners, are allowed to graze horses and cattle in the New Forest and these animals roam freely. The animals are prevented from straying too far by cattle grids. As you drive through the forest, you will see many ponies and they have the right of way. The speed limited is 40 mph on unfenced roads and it is necessary. We rounded a bend and came up behind two cows, which ambled along the road in front of us for about 200 yards before deciding to head towards a pond.
Our first stop though was in Lymington. This is a small town not far from the coast. We needed to book some accommodation and we have always found that the Tourist Information Office is the best place to do this. We parked the car near the center of the town and walked to the main shopping street. As we didn’t know exactly where the Tourist Office was, we stopped for a cup of coffee at an independent coffee shop and asked for directions. At the Tourist Office, a very helpful lady gave us a brochure to browse through. We prefer farmhouse bed and breakfast to hotels and there were several to choose from. As we were next visiting Beaulieu, we picked a place nearby. The lady telephoned and we were fixed up, leaving with a map of where the accommodation was and a phone number.
On to Beaulieu where the world famous Motor Museum is situated. Beaulieu is a very nice little village where some of the houses – those with
Motor Museum at Beaulieu
red painted front doors – are owned by the Beaulieu Estate. Beaulieu Estate, which comprises not only the National Motor Museum but Beaulieu Abbey and Beaulieu Palace House, has been owned by the Montagu family since the dissolution of the monasteries in the sixteenth century. Our intention was to visit all three buildings but ended up spending all our time in the Motor Museum. What a fascinating place. Lots of vintage, classic cars and racing cars plus land speed record holders. There are over 250 exhibits. I particularly liked the one of a kind cars like Del Boys (Only Fools and Horses) three wheeler and Mr. Bean’s mini.
We left Beaulieu to drive towards Hythe, which is on the Southampton Water, and set out to find where we were booked for the night -Dale Farm House in Dibden. We had the instructions on how to get there but somehow got lost and ended up going up and down the same stretch of road and around the several roundabouts before we pulled off the road and rang the our host. Fortunately we weren’t too far away, we just hadn’t negotiated the right roundabout. Soon we were bumping down a unmade up road until we found Dale Farm. The setting was perfect.
We were greeted warmly by Christine Archdeacon, given a key to our room – which was at the top of the stairs (mind your head!). What a lovely room with an compact but impressive ensuite bathroom. The view from the window was outstanding. After lugging our suitcases upstairs and washing our hands we took a walk round the garden, meet the ducks, watched a couple of pheasants and admired the surroundings.
Time to get something to eat. Christine recommended some good restaurants nearby and we chose the nearest one which was the Pilgrim Inn at Marchwood. Right next door is a restaurant but it wasn’t open. Both buildings are under the same ownership and have recently been refurbished with brand new thatched roofs. Inside the pub there was another warm welcome. We could pick our own table and browsed through the mouthwatering menu. Our server was very friendly and we had a long conversation with her about photography. We both chose something from the specials on the blackboard – Tom had calves liver – now this was a bold step for him as he hasn’t liver since he was a child and he didn’t like it then – and my choice was a chicken dish. Before the meal Tom enjoyed his first pint of British beer this trip while I had a St Clements. The food was fantastic.
After a very comfortable night’s sleep, we were ready for our farmhouse breakfast at Dale Farm. Our host, Peter – complete with chefs jacket and harlequin trouers – greeted us as we walked into the restaurant and we had a simply wonderful breakfast. We filled up with cereal, a very colorful fresh fruit salad, yoghurt, fruit juice, the tastiest English cooked breakfast with local produce I’ve ever had, toast, home made marmalade and all washed down with several cups of tea. Peter spent a long time in conversation with us as until the other guests arrived and soon the room became full. Peter and Christine have spent several holidays in California and we told them to look us up if they come again. If you ever check this website out Peter and Christine, we looking forward to meeting up with you again.
May 11 2009 | Further Afield | 1 Comment »
This is our last full day in Hawaii and we decided to take another easy day. We decided to go snorkeling one last time. Tom tried to persuade me to hire some snorkeling equipment, especially some sort of flotation device, while we were in Kailua-Kona last night. I would dearly love to do it but I’m too scared. As I’ve said before, I am frightened of water and I know I would panic if I had to be in any water where the bottom was a long way away.
(Click the images for a larger version)
But first of all we had breakfast. Our treat today was banana stuffed French toast. After breakfast we were given a short tour of the coffee farm. John showed us the old coffee barn. It is a tall, wooden building which has been converted into a bedroom. It’s one room contains a rustic queen bed with a mosquito net, a sofa and closet with a toilet. The shower is outside. It is really quite romantic and isolated and with a view of banana trees and an unobstructed view of the night sky. In our room we have no view of the sky at all as we are surrounded by tropical vegetation. The barn was originally used to dry the coffee beans.
John then showed us the coffee plants. The coffee beans are bright red and look like cherries. The skin is easy to peel back. Inside there is a soft pulp surrounding the white coffee bean. It achieves its dark brown color after roasting. Johnsie joined us and she pointed out pineapples, mangoes, starfruit, bananas and many more. If there was more time, we would have loved to explore thoroughly but being conscious that they had work to do we left them to it.
At Honaunau Bay the tide was much higher and a lot of the places on the rocks were taken. Also, to get to them, we had to wade through water. The regulars had already gathered and we sat within earshot of them. It was fascinating to here bits of their conversations. One guy, who had just returned from snorkeling, was relating his tale of spotting an eagle ray nose out an octopus from the coral and eat it.
Tom went in a couple of times and really enjoyed it. He saw lots of brightly colored fish but no turtles or dolphins. When the sun became unbearable we left the rocks and walked the short distance to Keoneele Cove with its sandy beach. It is a very small beach but plenty of room for us and there was just a mother and her small boy there, though later her husband arrived by kayak. I did venture into the sea but did no snorkeling. It was nice to sit in the warm water for a while. We sat there and ate a very meager lunch of the cheese sticks and biscuits left over from the day before yesterday and the banana cake from the beginning of the week.
We spent a good few hours there though just enjoying our last visit here this trip. I wonder whether we will ever make it back here. I hope so.
After a quick shower to wash off the sun block and to get the sand out of from between our toes, we drove
into Kailua-Kona. We took our last walk down Alii Drive and back along the promenade towards the pier. Today there is another cruise ship out in the bay and the passengers were waiting for the boats to take them back to their ship. Nearby is the place where the Ironman Triathlon race will start next week.
Time for something to eat. Tonight we decided to try out the Kona Brewing Company but it was difficult to find without a map. We did spot it but walking to it was a different matter. After wandering round a small strip mall looking for a place to get through, we eventually found a gap and made our way round to the entrance. It was crowded, even though it was only 4 in the afternoon. We did consider sitting outside because the weather was so pleasant but we were put off by the smokers so decided on a table inside. Tom tried out the beer and ordered a pizza. I stayed with the iced tea and, as I wasn’t all that hungry, ordered a pupu, or more commonly known as a starter, for my meal of tomato, mozzarella and basil.
It was time to go back to the farm and start our packing. Our flight is tomorrow lunchtime. We have had a really great time here and I love it. We can highly recommend the Pomaika’i (Lucky) Farm B&B, with Johnsie’s fabulous breakfasts, as a place to stay. Our only negetive commet on the Big Island is that the rest of the food here is not that great. The restaurants have been interesting places to go to but the food has not been outstanding at all. Surely there are some nice restaurants.
November 09 2008 | Further Afield | No Comments »
There were new people at the breakfast table today. They were a young couple from San Francisco. Most people seem to come to stay here for a couple of days, either stopping a few days at other places on the Big Island or island hopping.
Our hot item at breakfast today was Sausage Bake. I must say Johnsie is a good cook. Everything she has given us has been first class.
Today we are off to Waipi’o Valley on the other side of the island, north of Hilo. We set off at 8.30 on a beautiful bright and sunny day, driving north on Highway 11. Just north of Honalo, we took Highway 180 which is a scenic uphill drive along a windy road up above Kailua-Kona. To the north east of Kailua-Kona we joined Highway 190 and continued in a north easterly direction towards Waimea.
Soon after joining 190, we take a small detour to the right up Kaloko Road. This is a seven mile steep climb round horseshoe bends up to 5,000. Near the top we were driving through a cloud forest. In the afternoon it has always been cloudy up here but now it is clear. We were expecting jungle like landscape but it isn’t. More like woodland with no tropical plants at all. There was a view down over Kailua-Kona and the airport but not worth being photographed. We did see wild turkeys on the road and, I think wild chickens. Tom thought they were too big to be chickens and they might have been peahens as our guidebook mentions that renegade peacocks roam a nearby golf course.
We took Highway 190 all the way to Waimea where we turned right onto Highway 19. The most impressive signs on the way were the 1801 and 1800 lava flows from Hualalai and the 1859 lava flow from Mauna Loa. It is amazing the affect they have on the landscape. Also along this road is one end of the Saddle Road. We would have loved to drive this highway to Hilo but our rental contract with Hertz does not allow it.
Waimea is a cattle town. The famous Parker Ranch is situated nearby. Just a few miles east of Waimea we took another detour along the Old Mamalahoa Highway. According to the guidebook it was a more interesting route and we agree. Lots of green pastures on either side and rolling hills. There are caves along the way but we saw no sign of them at all. We joined Highway 19 again just before turning left onto Highway 240 for the last leg of our journey.
Once again according to our guidebook, Waipi’o Valley is the place to go to but we never went down onto the valley floor. We did go to the lookout and the view was spectacular. From high on the cliff you look down to a black sand beach and the waves lapping the shore. The valley itself extends some way inland but from the lookout you can only see a small part of it. On the far side are steep cliffs and in the rainy season waterfalls will be cascading down the sides. We saw no waterfalls today. There is a trail up the side of the far cliff into the next valley which looks to be extremely steep.
Only four wheel drive vehicles are allowed to drive down the mile long road which drops 900 feet into the valley. There is a four wheel shuttle down and a choice of a wagon tour or on horseback when you reach the floor of the valley or, of course, we could walk down. Walking down would have been alright I guess but getting back up again would have been a real chore. The guidebook told us the cost of the shuttle would be about $50 each, the wagon tour $55 each and the horseback ride $89 each. We inquired at the information kiosk where we could book these tours and were told to drive back a mile to the town of Kukuihaela where we would find more information at Artworks.
We found Artworks easily enough, in fact it was the only shop as such in the place. A tour had just finished and I spoke to a couple of people who were returning to their car. They had thoroughly enjoyed the trip but it cost $159 each. That was way out of our price range so we decided to give it a miss. We might have been tempted if the waterfalls were in full spate. We did buy a sandwich and a drink at Artworks though and sat outside on the veranda to eat our lunch.
From Kukuihaele we drove back to Honoka’a where we stopped and had a walk around. There was not a lot going on in the town. We wandered down both sides, looking in shop windows but a lot of the shops were not open. Maybe it is the end of the season or it could be they only open at the weekends. There were quite a few signs up about an audition held today in the town for extras to take part in a film later on this month. They were looking for elderly people which would have suited us fine but the auditions ended at noon. Darn!!
At 2 we decided to head back to our side of the island- This time we stayed on Highway 19 all the way to Kailua-Kona instead of taking the detour along the old highway. We did take one small detour though jJust south of Puako. Our aim was to go to a beach at one of the resorts but it was impossible. We saw lots of resort villages and posh hotels but no access to any beaches at all.
I Kailua-Kona we wandered around and stopped off at a bar for a drink. The place was almost empty but there was a good view over the ocean. We did get into conversation with the only other customer there about the debate today between Sarah Palin and Joe Biden. We caught a bit on the radio in the car but would have preferred to have seen it on television.
For dinner we returned to the Fish Hopper (where we had lunch on our first day). This time we sat in a booth at the back and still had a vood view out to sea. We could see swimmers practicing for the Iron Man Triathlon. As it was very hazy, the sunset was unremarkable today. We chose the three course special and for $14.95 it was very good.
On our way back to the car we bumped into Cindy and Al who had been staying at the farm. They are staying in Kailua-Kon tonight before catching a flight home tomorrow.l
November 01 2008 | Further Afield | No Comments »
The rain had stopped by the time we woke up. All the leaves were still dripping though.
We are going to take it easy again today but first of all there was breakfast. Today it was Baked Oatmeal. Now you know how much I like oatmeal but this is the first time I have ever had it baked and it was scrumptious. Must ask Johnsie for the recipe.
By 9 a.m. we were at the small cove next to the City of Refuge for another snorkeling expedition. We had stopped at the little market near the farm to buy something for lunch but the choice was extremely limited. There was dried and flaked cuttle fish but we decided not to be too adventurous. In the end we bought string cheese and Wheat Thins plus a couple of cans of drink. We still have some banana bread left over from Monday.
Not many people were at the rocks so we found a reasonably flat piece of lava rock to spread our mat and towels out on. This is considered one of the best snorkeling locations on the island, mainly because it is so accessible and also as it is easy to get into the water. It’s called a two step entry. Finding where the exact spot is can be difficult but Johnsie gave us good directions. Face the porta potties at the top of the beach and line up with the one at the far left. Turn 180 degrees and that is where the entry is. Or you watch where all the the regulars get into the water. If you enter from any other spot you are in danger of stepping onto sea urchins.
Tom didn’t go into the water straight away. We just sat on the rocks enjoying the atmosphere. It was so peaceful. We watched couples and groups of people arrive, stake out their patch of rock and walk down to the waters edge. There were no signs of dolphins or turtles today. A boat arrived around the headland and several of the passengers donned their masked and fins and entered the water.
Tom ventured into the water and paddled off. I read a bit and got acquainted with a small dog called Annie. Her owners had gone snorkeling and she obviously liked human company. As soon as she saw her owners climb out of the water she was off to greet them and I never saw her again.
Al and Cindy, another couple staying at the farm, arrived and sat near us. We chatted for a bit and they both then ventured into the water. When Tom return he said the fish were amazing. He also saw sea urchins but he stayed well clear of them. After a short rest, while I explored a few tide pools, he went for another swim.
It became really hot sitting out there in the sun. Of course I had slathered sun block all over every exposed part of my body and wore my new straw hat – complete with a flower I found on the ground, but still I caught the sun. At least I will be going home with a bit of a tan.
At 12 p.m. we drove the car into the City of Refuge car park and walked to the picnic area, carrying the cool box. It was lovely there. Lots of picnic table and coconut palms giving convenient shade. It was not very busy to begin with but by the time we left there was nobody else around.
After our spartan lunch of Wheat Thins and string cheese we took turns to walk down to the waters edge. Tom brought me back a small piece of coral. That, along with the piece of black lava from the vicinity of the volcano, will join my collection back home.
There were some lovely deep tide pools to investigate. I saw some reasonable sized black crabs scuttling around, some sea slugs and sea anemones. Lots of small fish were darting around in the pools as well. It’s mesmerizing gazing into the pools. Stand still for long enough and all manner of creatures come out of hiding. I also spent a long time just looking out to the ocean and watching the incoming tide.
We drove back to the farm at 2 p.m. for a shower and change of clothes. Then we sat out on our veranda reading and writing. The usual afternoon rain started at about 4 p.m.
At 4.30 we drove into Captain Cook for our evening meal. Tonight we ate at Pepperoni’s, an Italian restaurant next door to and run by the banana bread shop. The special was Baby Back Ribs. We had brochette to start with followed by half a rack each of the ribs. On the side were black beans, coleslaw and garlic bread. We would have liked a glass of wine to go with it but at the moment they didn’t have a liquor license. The person whose name was on the license had died and they had to reapply. We could have brought our own but as we didn’t know in advance we had to go without. Ice tea was our substitute. The ribs were quite good and there certainly were a lot of them.
It had just about stopped raining when we came out of the restarunat and we were back at the farm by 6.30.
October 26 2008 | Further Afield | No Comments »
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