Archive for the 'Special Places' Category
At 6 we hit the road. It is light already but also cloudy and the rising sun is not visible. I don’t
know what makes this time of the morning so magical. The flowers look bright and fresh; the trees green and even the grass looks golden and not brown. Then we hit Highway 101 and nothing can make that freeway beautiful. Rank weeds and litter decorate the edges; numerous pylons tower within view; power lines are draped everywhere and idiot drivers abound. The state of the pavement is pretty good now, especially between Sunnyvale and San Mateo. There is always something interesting to catch the eye, like a new construction or the solar panels near Palo Alto. At Moffet Field the police stop the traffic for five minutes. When we eventually pass there was no sign of a wreck, just two vehicles pulled over and several police cars. At Millbrae there were flares laid down as they were cleaning the left shoulder.
As we approach the city, it is shrouded in fog. Parking in San Francisco is always a problem. With the bikes we could not park in a multi story and there are parking meters along all the main streets. In the end we found some street parking without parking meters at Brannan and Delancey. It is cold and there is a slight drizzle and here Tom is with his cycle shorts on. After our last cycle ride I took the precaution of wearing leggings on top of my cycle shorts. Ah well, here we go again!
Our ride starts on the The Embarcadero just to the south of the Bay Bridge. I asked Tom whether we could ride over the bridge but there is no bike lane on the section between the city and Yerba Buena Island although there will be one on the new section between the island and Oakland.
The Embarcadero sidewalk is wide and we are able to ride on it. Along the way there is much to be seen. We meander along, stopping frequently to gaze at something different - the fire boats moored at the end of a short peer; a small rowing boat tied up but barely afloat; the Bow and Arrow sculpture which is half shrouded while maintenance work is carried out and the Crouching Spider sculpture which replaced the two enormous females made out of scrap metal (we much prefered the latter).
We are both in need of a hot drink but the Java Coffee House is closed and padlocked. I hope it is because it is too early and not permanent. Two women and a boy walk towards us holding cups of coffee so we stop and ask where they’d got it from (the Ferry Building) and had an interesting chat. They were interested to know where we came from when they heard my accent.
Soon we hit the Ferry Building where it is a hive of activity with storeholders setting up for the farmers market which is held in the Ferry Plaza from 8 am to 2 pm every Saturday. Even though is it only 7.30 a lot of people are already busy buying the fresh produce. I guard the bikes while Tom goes into Peets and spent my time people watching.
We sat on a bench looking out over the bay and the ferry terminal while we drank our coffee. Then we were on our way again, exploring each pier along the way.
Not so long ago the Ferry Building and the buildings on the piers were abandoned and dilapidated but a lot of work has been done to restore them. As we cycled past, we peered into windows. In one we spotted a series of color photos hung on a wall showing views of the old buildings.
A lot of fishermen were about and it appears to be a good day for fishing. We saw a recently caught, good sized, striped bass panting on the ground. The angler told us it would make a decent meal but I’m not so sure I would want to eat anything caught in the Bay, especially so soon after the recent oil spill.
Pier 3 is where the Hornblower Cruise ships are moored -the California Hornblower, the San Francisco Belle (a paddle boat) and the Santa Rosa - all huge but very different. The Santa Rose was sporting a big advert advertising three Dinner Wine Cruises, which look exciting.
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June 05 2008 | Neighborhoods and Special Places | No Comments »
When I read about this cycle ride a few months ago, I was keen to take part. Now, at 6 am on the day, I am not so sure.
Strawberry Fields Forever is run by Cyclists for Cultural Exchange, a non profit organization
whose ‘express purpose is to further peace and international understanding through exchanges between people with a common interest in cycling’ (straight quote taken from their website). It is centered around Watsonville which, as everybody knows, is the strawberry capital of the world. There are three routes being held - 25 miles, 100 kilometers and 100 miles. As we are comparatively novice rides, we plumped for the shortest route. It is described as ‘A nice loop through some beautiful coastal redwoods and apple orchards. Two short climbs. This is one for those just venturing forth on their first organized ride, or those with children in tow.’
The weather should be hot. Afterall we have endured three days of temperatures in excess of 100 degrees and today we are promised slightly cooler weather but we didn’t expect ’slightly cooler’ to be below 50 degrees and extremely foggy to boot. We were not dressed for these cool conditions but we thought ‘what the heck’. Well that’s what I thought. Tom might have a different version.
The start was between 7 and 9 am from the Pajaro Valley High School and there we duly presented ourselves at 6.30 am. We came to the conclusion pretty quickly that we were seriously outclassed and that maybe the 25 milers didn’t start until later because all the other early arrivals had far superior equipment from their riding gear, go faster helmets and super duper bikes.
I expected a mass start but contrary to belief everybody could set off as soon as they had registered. Each route was marked by colored arrows on the pavement.
Soon after we set out, we were passed by a team of identically dressed riders and the leader asked if we were taking part in the 100 mile ride. I just laughed and replied ‘What, dressed like this?’ Before long we were on our own following the blue arrows. The red and yellow arrows were pointing a different way.
It was freezing and my hands were really cold because I have no gloves. Tom, bless his heart, gave me his to wear and instantly I was warmer.
The complete route was over roads. Now Tom and I have only ridden on cycle paths so getting used to cars and traffic lights was a novel and sometimes scary experience. Very soon though we were out in the country and both cars and signals were few and far apart.
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May 31 2008 | Special Places | No Comments »
This must be the closest bike trail to home but we have never been on it. Today we will try it out.
We park the car on Blossom River Drive. The weather is a bit overcast but the sun does make a few appearances. There is a bit of a wind but it is not too bad.
The entrance to the Upper Guadalupe River Trail is on Blossom Hill Road and Blossom River Drive. We decided to go right first of all towards San Jose. The trail is fairly flat, paved and well marked but hardly used or at least we did not see too many people. It’s not as though we had our usual early start as it is now 10.15.
We follow a creek for a couple of hundred yards and then it widens out to a small lake. We take a sharp curve to the right and go round the lake and under Highway 85. There are a few water birds on the water and we even spotted a turtle.
Soon we passed the light rail station at the back of the Oakridge Mall but the trail petered out soon after that. There was a sign pointing down a residential street to the Highway 87 bike trail but we did not fancy riding along beside the freeway.
So we turned and headed back the way we came. I knew to the south it goes to Almaden Lake but was not sure if we can go further or whether that is a dead end as well. We will see.
It is a pleasant path with the view of the Santa Teresa Hills in front of us. The Guadalupe River is to our right and we see three anglers just setting up for a hard days fishing.
It was not too long before we came to Almaden Lake. I’ve driven past here on a sunny day when the place has been packed and it makes a convenient alternative to the ocean. Swimming is allowed in a small section at certain times of the year and there is plenty of sand around the edges to play in. There are other forms of amusement; paddle boats, horseshoe pits, children’s playgrounds, bocce ball courts and I’m sure there are more features as well. We passed several picnic areas. In one there was some activity so I guess there is going to be a private picnic here later on.
At one point we came to a gate across the path with construction on the other side but there is
a detour through the car park. The trail rounded a bend and we found ourselves on the Alamitos Creek Trail and I must say we were very pleasantly surprised. We didn’t realize there was such a jewel so close to home.
The first part is a walking, biking and fitness trail and there were lots of walkers on it. It was nice to see so many families out for a Sunday walk.
What made the biggest impression on us was the beauty of the trail. The gently babbling creek to the side, the Santa Teresa Hills in the distance and the masses of wildflowers were all charming. The trail meanders close to houses but it still feels very rural. To help matters, the wind has dropped and the sun is shining. What a beautiful day. We passed Leland Senior High School and crossed Queenswood Way and as we weren’t sure how far the trail goes but we turned round opposite Swanswood Court. I have since learned that this trail finishes a bit further along but it joins the Calero Creek Trail.
April 20 2008 | Special Places | No Comments »
We left San Jose at 4.30 in the pitch black and it did not begin to get light until we reached Stockton. Mind you, the urban sprawl we were driving through was not much to look at. Just before Stockton we took Highway 4 East towards Highway 99 and then Route 88 towards Sutter Creek.
It was not long before we were in the countryside of the Central Valley and the scenery began to be interesting. We passed a lot of orchards and rows and rows of grape vines sporting their new greenery.
At Lockeford we stopped for breakfast and by 7.30 we were on our way again. It was a beautiful drive through some lovely countryside with masses of wild flowers of every color along the route.
It’s going to be a hot day and already the sun is up and the shades are down. In front of us we can see the Sierras which is always an uplifting sight.
The cattle ranches and vineyards gave way to scrub and rock and we began to climb out of the valley.
When we reached Highway 49 we turned left and stopped off at Sutter Creek.
Sutter Creek
The first thing that caught our attention was a huge banner announcing the 49er Bypass Challenge for Walkers, Runners and Bikers was taking place today. Trust us to arrive when something was going on. The same sort of thing happened to us on our first trip to Murphys and also to Volcano. In Murphys it was a Homecoming Parade and in Volcano a chili cook off.
Another banner was strung across Main Street and the middle of the town was cordoned off so we turned up a side street and found a small car park and took a wander around.
They call this city the Jewel of the Gold Country and it is a very cute place. The main street consists of cafes, gift shops and antique emporiums all situated in buildings constructed over a hundred years ago. Sutter Creek was a tent town during the latter half of the 1800s when gold was found nearby. Be warned, the sidewalk is not suitable for wheelchairs as there are lots of levels and steps.
Today there was a lot of bustle as volunteers for the 49er Bypass Challenge where busy setting up water stations and cones and contestants with numbers pinned to their vests were warming up and studying route maps. There were four routes - a 1 mile walk around town, 5 and 10 kilometer course for runners and a 25k bike ride and they all started and finished at the same point with staggered starting times.
We stopped off at the Backroads Cafe where Tom had a decent cup of coffee and I treated myself to a cup of chocolate (without the whipped cream). Everybody was very friendly and I chatted to the coffee servers, the volunteers in the street, the competitors and the passerbys. There is a laid back and relaxed feel about the place.
I was surprised at how few competitors there were. The first call was for girls 6-7 and men over 80 but there were no participants. There were about a dozen different starting times for the under fifteens and the over 35s but nobody came forward. The announcer was having a hard time to get anybody on the start line. There was one call for 69 year old females so no wonder there were no takers - who wants everybody to know how old you are? It all seemed a little complicated to me and the announcer struggled to get all the categories and start times right. By 9 though he had a few takers and we watched small groups set off on the 10k run in one direction and the dozen bikers set off on the 25k course in the other direction. Between 9 and 9.30 there was a lull before the participants for the 5k run were called to the starting point.
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April 16 2008 | Special Places | No Comments »
Last weekend we went to Woodland for our family Easter reunion, so no post.
Yesterday we decided it was time to overhaul the bikes and today is our first bike ride of the year.
Coyote Creek Parkway is almost on our doorstep and it is 15 miles long. As we did not have far to go, we had breakfast at home, hence no post to the breakfast log.
The weather was a bit overcast first thing but the sun peeked out on our short drive to our starting point at Parkway Lakes. We intended to start from Riverside Drive off Monterey Road but we couldn’t find it. We decided to start in the middle of the cycle path instead of attempting the whole round trip of 30 miles. At 9.15 we pointed our bikes to the south and set off. Although there were a few cars and trailers around, we saw no boats on the water. Maybe it is too early in the day for the water skiers.
Soon we were passing the gently humming pylons at the PG&E substation. On the right is an ugly power generating station which is quite a blot on the landscape,
The cycle path is well marked and there are warnings and stop signs when the path crosses several minor roads. There are quite a few fellow cyclists around, mostly our age but there were some dedicated cyclists with all the proper gear and one or two family groups. After crossing a wooden bridge and a road we ride along Coyote Ranch Road for a short distance and pass a field where there were several horses. This is the edge of Coyote Ranch where they hold corporate picnics and employee days out.
We came to a sign which warned to look out for flooding. As we have not had much rain recently I was not expecting to see any water but we had to ride through a shallow ford across the path. I bet it’s much deeper after rain.
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April 07 2008 | Special Places | 1 Comment »
Today is going to be a beautiful sunny day. We are later than usual starting off because we are not going too far - Palo Alto to be exact.
Our mission today is to find an outfit for me to wear to my daughter’s wedding in five weeks time. For several weeks I have been searching for something suitable but without luck. Yesterday I spent several fruitless hours at the Gilroy Outlets but everything was far too young and strappy for me. I even stopped off at a bridal shop on the way home and checked out their outfits for the ‘Mother of the Bride’ but these were not only far too ornate but out of my price range.
So today It will be Stanford Shopping Center where I’ll check out Talbots, Bloomingdales and possibly Nordstrom. Let’s hope I will be successful.
Our first stop though is Stanford University. It’s a lovely campus with many grand Italian Spanish-colonial style buildings (thanks to Dave for pointing out my mistake) but they were not on our itinerary. There were two places we wanted to visit - the Stone River sculpture and the Cactus Garden.
We knew roughly where they were but were not a 100% certain. I knew the Stone River sculpture was near the Cantor Arts Center so when we stumbled on that building we knew we were close. But it is hard to find because a) there are no directions to be seen and b) it can’t be seen from the road as it is below ground level. If you have a desire to see it for yourself here are the directions. The Cantor Arts Center is on Lumita Drive. When you stand on the steps in front of the Cantor, you can see Museum Way in front of you. Walk across the road to Museum Way. There is a car park on your left. Behind the car park look out for two granite blocks and walk towards them. You will then see the Snake River to your left.
It was designed by the British sculpture Andy Goldsworthy. If you have never heard of him or seen any of his work, let me introduce you. He was born in the north of England and his sculpture is unique as he uses basic tools and his works consist of twigs, thorns, stones, ice, leaves, rocks, chalk and literally anything natural in the vicinitiy. Most of them are reclaimed by nature pretty quickly but he takes photographs as a record. For a fascinating documentary of his life and work see if you can lay your hands on the DVD entitled ‘Rivers and Tides’.
The Stone River is a dry stone wall which took eight men, working six days a week, 11 hours a
day, three and a half weeks to construct back in the summer of 2001. Another place to see a permanent piece of work by Andy Goldsworthy - ‘Faultline’ - is outside the entrance of the De Young Museum in Golden Gate Park.
While Tom was taking photos, I walked over to the Cantor Arts Center. Off to the left of the building is the Roden Sculpture Garden where some of Auguste Roden’s sculptures are displayed in a pleasing setting. Roden is famous for his sculpture entitled ‘The Thinker’. Here though you will see his ‘Gates of Hell’, ‘Adam’, ‘Eve’, ‘The Martyr’, ‘The Three Shades’ plus fifteen more.
To the right of the Cantor is a completely different sculpture. This is large and red and built out of stainless steel girders and is called ‘The Sieve of Eratosthenes’ by Mark di Suvero.
In front of the Cantor are some bike racks and what really amused me is that some of the bikes, firmly secured to the racks, must have been there for some considerable time.
Now for the Cactus Garden. Once again it is hard to find as it is not marked in any way. We have been here before and we knew it was near the California Cafe. The exact location is on Quarry Road, just off the car park opposite the Wells Fargo bank. Look out for the wooden posts which mark the start of the a footpath.
The actual name of the garden is Arizona Garden. It was laid out in 1880s for Jane and Leland Stanford (Leland Stanford was the founder of Stanford University). They planned to build their home nearby but it was never constructed. Their son, Leland Stanford, Jr. died of typhoid just before his sixteenth birthday and they used the land to build the Stanford family mausoleum instead.
The time is 8.30 in the morning and it is very peaceful. I wandered around looking at the many different cacti and succulents and then found a bench in the sun to write my journal. It’s a perfect day with hardly a breeze to stir the leaves. Every so often I gaze at the garden, which is showing its age a bit. Up to the 1920’s it was well maintained but then left completely untended until it was restored in 1997. There are some original plants still in existence but not all of them are in good shape. It adds to the charm of the place though.
Time for breakfast and then we will hit the shops.
PS - I did find the perfect outfit at Stanford Shopping Center - mission accomplished.
March 25 2008 | Special Places | 1 Comment »
After eating all those calories in Bucks Cafe, it is time to walk them off.
We arrive at the Old Stage Picnic Area and Trail Head car park on Edgewood Road just after 9 and already it is full. We managed to grab one of the two remaining spaces. As soon as I open the door I hear a woodpecker tapping away but I cannot see it, no matter how hard I try.
Edgewood is managed by San Mateo Parks Department and is a jewel hidden away above Redwood City. It is only 467 acres with five trails, the longest of which is nearly 2 miles long, so it is not a huge park. On one side it is bordered by houses and on another by Highway 280. But it is a great place to for a hike, especially in the Spring when the wildflowers are blooming.
We head off clockwise on the Sylvan Trail, which is a 2.5 mile exercise loop and is only for walkers and joggers. Horses are allowed on some trails but no bikes or dogs are allowed in the park at all. The start of the Sylvan Trail goes alongside houses but they are well hidden by trees. You see the occasional roof, a corner of a deck or you hear the sound of childrens’ voices but they are the only indications that we are that close to them. The predominant sound here is birdsong. Those little critters are busy building nests and raising their young at this time of the year.
The Sylvan Loop is quite narrow and very popular with joggers but there is room for all. Most of this trail is well wooded, mostly oak, but occasionally in the lower part an open vista with await you around a corner. The higher you climb on the zig zag path the better the view becomes. As you approach the Serpentine Loop, the San Francisco Bay, Foster City and the San Mateo Bridge can be seen. Oakland can also be seen.
We start round Serpentine Loop Trail anticlockwise and then anticlockwise round the Ridgeview Loop before joining up with the Sylvan Loop Trail again. Today we see no wildlife but in the past we have been lucky to encounter deer. No two visits here are the same and the place never ceases to amaze me. On one hike several years ago we spotted an orange mushroom about 10 feet off the trail and we speculated what species it might be. I checked with my binoculars to see if I could see more detail and was embarrassed to discover it was a plastic marker of some sort!
There are very few places to sit and admire the view but the very best bench with a marvelous view is on the Sylvan Trail. It has a dedication on it which reads:
IN LOVING MEMORY
OF
GEORGE V. DILLENBURG
1903-1988
DONATED BY HIS DAUGHTER
I guess George loved coming to the park and this was his favorite spot. From here on a clear day, and today is remarkably clear, you can see the AT&T tower in Redwood City, the office building monstrosity in downtown Palo Alto, Moffet Field and San Jose’s skyline.
We did see a few wildflowers but I understand the full show will not be for another couple of weeks. If you plan to visit the end of the month and early April are the best times.
After our hike up the mountain in Pinnacles last week I suffered with aching muscles in my legs for most of the week. This has been a very easy hike so hopefully I will be lucky.
March 20 2008 | Special Places | No Comments »
Last night the clocks ’sprang’ forward so we had an hour less in bed. We were up though soon after 5 and set off at 6. It was still dark and we were expecting less traffic on the road. After all it is Sunday and how many people are as daft as we are? Well, we were surprised at how many cars there were around. Maybe they put their clocks backward and not forward!
We took 101 south towards Gilroy, where we stopped for breakfast at the Black Bear Diner. No blog entry for it this time because we did one just six months ago. We were the only customers though.
It was getting light as we resumed our journey. Approaching Salinas we encountered fog. Now this was not expected. All the forecasts said it was going to be a nice sunny day but we have learnt that we should take nothing for granted and are always prepared for whatever weather is thrown at us.
South of Salinas there was no more fog. The sun was shining brightly on our left hand side as we drove through the fertile Salinas Valley. We passed neat rows of newly planted crops on both sides. Some plants were beginning to show above the soil and we had fun trying to work out what they were. Salinas Valley is called the Salad Bowl of California. They grow a lot of lettuce, celery, tomatoes, asparagus, etc., here. The valley is flat with the Sierra de Salinas range off to the right and the Gabilon Range to our left.
We are headed to the western sided of the Pinnacles National Monument. To get to the eastern side you have to drive through Hollister. No road connects the two sides though there are a couple of trails. Pinnacles is a very unusual place. It is the remains of a volcano. Well, it is only part of a volcano. The other part is 195 miles to the south due to the shifting of tectonic plates.
There are several interesting trails here. Today we will take take the Juniper Canyon trail from the Chaparral car park to where it joins the the High Peaks trail. There are 13 condors flying free over Pinnacles. They have been released here since 2003 and we hope to catch sight of them.
At Soledad we take Route 146 for 11 miles. We drive through the center of Soldad but there were very few people around. Ahead of us now are the mountains and the sun is just hight enough to make driving difficult. Salad crops have given way to grapes and we pass several wineries.
Well folks, it is a beautiful sunny day though the temperature outside is only 45 degrees. I just know it is going to get a whole lot warmer before long., after all it is only 8.30 in the morning.
The road narrows with many twists and turns for the next 9 miles. Route 146 ends and we cross a cattle grid and enter the park. Soon the distinctive, red jagged peaks of Pinnacles hove into view.
The Ranger Station was closed so we filled in the form, part our $5 in the envelope and posted it. There were only three other cars in the car park.
We set off on the Juniper Canyon trail and it was cold, there was frost on the fence posts. Tom did not have a sweat shirt but we will soon get warm when we start to climb. The trail rises gradually and we follow the course of a small stream, crossing and recrossing it several times. The higher we climb, the steeper the trail becomes and the views get better. At one point we look down onto the car park and it looks a long way away.
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March 11 2008 | Special Places | No Comments »
We set out just before 6 while it was still dark. There is just something about being on the road while most people are still fast asleep. To watch the scenery unfold slowly as the sun rises is awesome. First you see the tops of the hills appear as the sky lightens. Then the trees stand out as silhouettes. Finally everything is visible and then the sun appears in all its majesty. It is going to be a beautiful day.
We are headed for a beautiful part of the California coast - Big Sur. When I knew I was coming to California for the first time just over ten years ago, the item on the top of my itinerary was to drive south on Highway 1 from Carmel to Los Angeles. Our first stop today is in Carmel for breakfast - see previous entry.
There is no denying that Carmel is a pretty town. Some of the buildings are unique. Take the Tuck Box on Dolores Street. It looks like something out of a fairy tale. Back in the 60’s, when Tom was stationed at nearby Fort Ord, he would come here for breakfast sometimes. It is still there and they serve not only breakfast but lunch and afternoon tea (very English). Next time we are in Carmel, we will come here for breakfast.
Driving through downtown Carmel at 8 a.m. in the morning is a real pleasure. Admittedly none of the shops are open but you do get to appreciate the layout of the place and how well maintained it is. Later on today it will be swarming with tourists and it will be difficult to find anywhere to park.
We decide to pay a visit to Carmel Beach. I have never been to this part before. Just head on down Ocean Street and there is a small car park at the end. It is a very nice beach, sandy and clean. There were a lot of dogs with their owners, joggers and couples walking hand in hand. This is a very romantic place to be.
Soon we are heading back to Highway 1 and on our journey to Big Sur. Now Big Sur is not one
single destination but a 50 mile stretch of the best views imaginable of the Californian Coast. There are several State Parks dotted along the coast - Point Lobos just south of Carmel, Garrapata a bit further along, then Andrew Molera, Pfeiffer Big Sur and finally Julia Pfeiffer Burns. There are a lot of places to park along the way but they are just dirt pull outs and a couple of vista points. These get really crowded later in the day. If you see cars parked at the side of the road then you can safely assume this is a good spot to pull over and maybe even find a trail down to the sea. For a guide to locations to stop at check out this website - ‘A Guide to California’s Big Sur‘.
The road is a two lane highway which hugs the curves and climbs and ascends like a ride in a theme park. Today the views are spectacular with no fog at all. Just south of Carmel there is a signpost which warns that there are hills and curves for the next 63 miles.
I kept my eyes peeled for whales, watching out for spouts of water far out to sea which look like puffs of smoke. At this time of the year the males are returning to Alaska after spending the winter in the Sea of Cortez down in Baja California. They are closer to shore than on the southerly migration. In a few weeks the females and their calves will be passing and they will be even closer to the shore.
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March 04 2008 | Special Places | 3 Comments »
After descending Mount Tamalpais, we took the Bolinas/Fairfax Road to the north. Now this is one of the best scenic back roads that you will ever find in California. It is magnificent. It is open from 9am to sunset and has wonderful views down to the ocean and the Bolinas Lagoon.
In front of us were a whole host of cyclists. We were going downhill and they were traveling fast. The road is very narrow with double yellow lines and as it was dangerous to overtake them, we traveled at their speed. It was no hardship as there was so much beauty to enjoy and, apart from being hungry, we were not in a hurry.
We came to a junction and the cyclists were congregated there. Now we could overtake but we didn’t know which way to go as there was no signpost. As we were heading for Bolinas, which is on the coast, we turned left. It was the right choice.
Eventually we hit Highway 1 and we crossed it and headed to Bolinas. Now Bolinas is a very special place. You will see no signs to it at all along Highway 1 because the locals remove them as soon as they are put up. This is not a place which the world has forgotten but more a place the locals want the world to forget. It is a truly unique, gentle place with a lot of color.
One of the first buildings you see, as you get close to the town, has a huge peace sign in front, which gives you an idea of what to expect. There are no parking lots around and you just park at the side of the road and walk. Lots of interesting buildings and shops but the local residents are the icing on the cake. There are a lot of places in the Bay Area where hippies of a certain age have made their homes but Bolinas must be the prime location. It is not unusual to see a group of locals gathered together chatting, playing instruments, singing or even dancing.
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February 23 2008 | Special Places | No Comments »
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know what makes this time of the morning so magical. The flowers look bright and fresh; the trees green and even the grass looks golden and not brown. Then we hit Highway 101 and nothing can make that freeway beautiful. Rank weeds and litter decorate the edges; numerous pylons tower within view; power lines are draped everywhere and idiot drivers abound. The state of the pavement is pretty good now, especially between Sunnyvale and San Mateo. There is always something interesting to catch the eye, like a new construction or the solar panels near Palo Alto. At Moffet Field the police stop the traffic for five minutes. When we eventually pass there was no sign of a wreck, just two vehicles pulled over and several police cars. At Millbrae there were flares laid down as they were cleaning the left shoulder.
We sat on a bench looking out over the bay and the ferry terminal while we drank our coffee. Then we were on our way again, exploring each pier along the way.
