Fall Hikes

Hiking the Central Coast in October is warm afternoons, dazzling sun, jean shorts and sunglasses, trails to yourself, sweaty climbs, dusty paths, leaves underfoot, intervals of cool shade, dogs with long tongues, occasional yellow trees, blue skied vistas, fog rolling in, parkas on the drive home and a sound night's sleep.  This October we visited Loch Lomond Recreation Area in Felton (the day before it closed for the winter) and the Cruikshank Trail south of Big Sur.

Below are some photos from our fall hikes:

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I think the hiking is one of my favorite parts about living here. The weather is almost always perfectly suited for it. And there are hundreds of beautiful places to explore.  I only wish more places allowed pups . . . But I'll happily take what we can get because there's not a lot of things in life that beat a long, hard hike with your very best dog. 

Summer Camping Trip #3: VanDamme State Park, Mendecino

The last weekend of July, we drove up the coast to Mendicno for our third camping trip of the summer.  Although it felt a little like we were camping in the fall . . . We wore hats and jackets and built big, roaring fires.  In the mornings we savored coffee and in the evening we roasted pork sausages and sweet corn over leaping flames.

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We drove into Mendocino in the mist and the dark . . . After miles and miles of rolling hills and hairpin turns, the road finally emerged from the trees and suddenly we were hugging the coast.  We could smell the ocean air and see its blackness spread out to the driver's side.  Sometimes we were plunged into white belts of low hanging mist and for a couple moments it felt like we were under water . . . And then we'd come out and see beach and cliffs and ocean through the vagueness of night. 

It was a relief to arrive at the campground.  We arrived well after 10pm.  The camp host was jolly and sold us two bundles of wood.  We setup camp in the dark (for the second time this summer) and built a fire and poured glasses of wine.  Buckwheat scared a raccoon up a tree and then nervously paced around and tangled his leash.  We went to bed late and woke slowly the next morning.

The morning was gray (as was the afternoon and the next morning).  After coffee and cereal we ventured into the town of Mendocino, and then went a little further up the coast to Glass Beach in Fort Bragg.  Mendicino looked right out of Murder She Wrote (because it is).  In the grocery store our checker informed us that she had recently moved from Hawaii and was still waiting for the summer.  Someone in line chuckled and explained that if we wanted to see some sunshine, we should come back in October.

Over in Fort Bragg things were a bit sunnier but still cool.  We ate sandwhiches on logs and I gazed at the little bits of glass scattered in the sand.  Then we hiked along a winding path and stood on rocks and looked out at the blue ocean and felt small.

On our way back towards Mendicino, the boys were attracted by a sign promising a very large amount of firewood.   They bought all of it--filled the whole trunk of the car with it.  Back at camp we played Blongo Ball and listened to music and talked.  Mostly we hung around the fire.  And that trunk full of fire wood?  It all got burned.  And we were warm. 

  Below are some photos from our weekend in Mendicino:

On the Edge of the World (or Glass Beach)

(Speak Softly But) Carry a Big Stick

Looking Up the Coast, Fort Bragg, CA

Earth, Air and Water

California Coast, You're Really Something

Flowers and Coastlines

Views from the Trails Around Glass Beach

Coastal Living

Rooftops

A Trunk Full of Wood

And They Burned It All

Someday, I'd like to go back to Mendicino and stay in a cozy Bed & Breakfast.  And see the town and beaches in some sunshine.  Maybe next October . . .

Holga Roll 12: Yuba River Part 3

Photos from my 12th roll of film taken on my Holga:

Frame 2 - Wet Dog

Frame 3 - South Yuba River Activities

Frame 4 - BW Coolin' Off

Frame 5 - A Girl and Her Dog

Frame 6 - Dexter Reflects on the Yuba River

Frame 7 - Looking Up River on the South Yuba

Frame 8 - More South Yuba River Activities (Yes, That's C Waving His Arms)

Frame 9 - People on Rocks

Frame 11 - Hiking Back to the Winding Dirt Road

Frame 12 - Dogs and Gold Panning O.K.

More photos from the Yuba River here and here.

Summer Camping Trip #2: Rocky Rest, North Yuba River

Towards the middle of July we went on our second camping trip of the summer.  Once again, we drove east.  This time to the Yuba River, and while it was another triple digit weekend in Central California, we made it without any car related incidents.   

There were 11 of us on the trip—eight people and three dogs.  The campsites were shaded and the North Yuba River was just through some trees and down a path.  Upon arriving, we immediately changed into our suits and made a beeline to the river.  We unfolded chairs on the water’s edge and slipped our feet beneath its surface.  Some of us waded out and submerged ourselves in its waters.  Others wandered down river to search out its fish. 

The water was cool and clear.  It contained tadpoles and frogs and snakes(!) and bugs and little fish (and presumably, also, some larger fish who were just not fooled by the casts and flies of our fly fishermen). The bottom of the Yuba was covered in smooth rocks and silty sands worn down by the flow of the river's waters.  Parts of the river ran fast and made you spin around and laugh in your inner tube.  Other parts ran slow and pooled in swimming holes that were perfect for reclining back, closing your eyes and just drifting ...

The camping trip was passed with hiking, swimming, fly fishing, gold panning, shade sitting, trail running, shore talking, chair lounging, rock hopping, doggy paddling and inner tube floating.  Our first full day, we carried our inflatables and chairs and towels to a little swimming hole and spent most of our day around there: exploring its shores, paddling across its width in various floaties and plunging beneath its waters to escape the day's heat.   

On our second day we headed to the South Yuba River.  To get there, we drove down a dusty, narrow road that kept winding and going down and winding and going down and winding until . . . it reached a dead end lined on both sides with parked cars. From there, we hiked (I did a little falling) down a shady path and then scrambled over rocks and rocks until we found another swimming hole suitable for passing an entire afternoon.  

After a couple hours on the South Fork, C and I had to head home (I had to work the next day) . . . but  I think we probably both left a little part of our hearts on the Yuba.  

Some photos our trip:

Up River.

Rapids and Rocks.

Lil Froggie Friend.

Straight Down.

River Gradients.

Friends Floating the River.

Spinning By.

Buckwheat and C on Float the Yuba.

Buckwheat Would Rather Brave the River than be Separated from C.

Back to the Swimming Hole.

In the Sun.

Lounging.

And Drifting . . .

Crossing the Swimming Hole.

Shore Exploration.

Darwin in the Shade.

Views from the Shade.

Dexter in the Shade.

Camouflage.

Back at Camp.

The Bird's Nest.

Buckwheat at Camp.

Evening Light.

Camping is Tuckering.

But it Also Makes You Smile.

Buckwheat Dons Crown.

Views of the South Yuba River.

River Activities.

Departing Views. 

It took me awhile to get this up--mostly because I feel my photos and words don't do it justice.  It was an amazing camping trip with some really good friends.  But I have a feeling will be back ... Until next time, Yuba!