Monthly Archives: July 2016
Ferndale
Cows always make me feel at home. At least, they smell like home. Aside from the lovely farmland, Ferndale is quaint. There are lots of Victorian buildings and even a homey post office. (As well as other public services.) The food is passable, and comes with “old time camaraderie”, at least according …
Ukiah; or, The loss of public spaces.
“Next door to Willits, two towns that sound like diseases you don’t want.” Where the community mostly preserved its downtown, but lost its post office. I’m not sure what happened to its mural. But the once-public building sits vacant and for sale, mostly hidden behind a cheap green fence. Replaced by …
Fort Bragg
Point Cabrillo Lighthouse, from a field full of poison oak. Complete with Fresnel lens. The Mendocino Coast Botanical Gardens. A bit like a fairy tale … that extends to the coast. And has trees that fight stubbornly against the wind. Probably my best meal on the trip was mostly grown here, and consumed here. Caspar …
Calistoga
At the start of the solo portion of my journey, I made a friend. (At least, I think we were friends.) He rode with me to the artsy cafe, where I had my last decent coffee, and pondered some ceiling poetry.
Wine country; or, The mysterious case of the scentless wine
Laird winery, with pretty scenery. And where if you know to avoid the standard drunkard’s Independence Day tasting, you’ll enjoy the wine. Make sure to request the Red Hen Chardonnay and Mast Ranch cab. The latter is especially useful for expensive good cheer. Martinelli winery is worth a visit if you want delicious, albeit expensive, wine. You …
Continue reading “Wine country; or, The mysterious case of the scentless wine”
Airstream aside; or, One-man shops
Every good road trip involves unplanned destinations, I’m told. After arriving at a trailer repair place in Willits that stopped working on trailers 8 years ago, a rather apologetic fellow provided me with an ordered set of two business cards. As it happens, the ordering was correct, given that Phil of Parshey’s worked me into his …
Goodbye Davis.
Graffiti Bridge. The Arb. Where you can mistake three birds for two. (Here. Try again.) And where someone is always grumpier than you are. Moller Skycars. Full of futuristic thinking … or maybe circa 1980s futuristic thinking. Lonely Bicycle Parts. The place in Winters that is perfect for an Airstream cafe. It …