Monday, May 30, 2011

Day 43 - Westport, CA









Memorial Day Monday. skies are gray, 12 degrees. We are back on California 1.

We can see from our first vista point that the ocean is much calmer today and rather gray, like the sky.

This coast road is something else as we turn and twist, the ocean below us, the road edged by forest one minute, winding into a valley next, we circle the beach below and up again with fields on the left and right. Up and down we go, left switchback then right switchback...Vehicles over 30-feet not recommended...

Elk (pop. 210). We turn around so Ross can get a photo of a great view (see photo) while I walk about in the Catholic Cemetery - Irish surnames, Italian surnames.

The sun is coming out. 14 degrees. Navarro Bluff Rd. Albion (pop. 398). Two cyclists on a bicycle built for 2!! A hiker!! Little River, Van Damm State Park, Mendocino (pop. 1008). We decide to visit Mendocino. It has many well-preserved 19th-century buildings and houses. The architecture reflects the New England roots of early settlers who were drawn by the rich timber resources of the surrounding countryside. It is on the National Register of Historic Places. We parked and walked a small trail to the ocean then back to Main Street where we purchased some beer and wine and stopped at a local coffeehouse for café au lait and very nice cookies.

Russian Gulch State Park.

We make another stop at Point Cabrillo Light Station built in 1909, for a 1-mile roundtrip walk to the Light Station. It was well restored and very interesting (see photo).

Caspar. Fort Bragg - did some food shopping, had lunch and headed back to the Mendocino Coast Botanical Gardens. We were spoiled by the rhododendrons (photo). Walked through several different gardens, one with cacti (photo) and another with heather which was beautiful.

Drove on to our campground in Westport which is located near a beach. Walking back to our RV we noticed that our neighbours were from Quebec so we went and knocked on their door to exchange travel stories. By the time we got inside to start preparing supper it was raining. Too bad ... but let's hope the sun comes back tomorrow. Good night!

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