May 11, 2014 Redcrest, California (Avenue of the Redwood Giants)

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We reluctantly left the beauty of tiny Westport-Union State Beach Park and our magnificent ocean views (one interesting fact the host of this beach park told us is that this area is known as the “Blood Triangle” because more shark attacks happen in this part of CA than anywhere else in the world except Australia) and headed up California Highway 1. I have talked in previous posts about what a difficult road this is to drive on, but the drive from here to Redcrest was the last twenty-five miles of CA 1 and the worst of the worst with 10 MPH horseshoe curves and narrow roads with no shoulders or guardrails and sheer drop-offs. We turned away from the coast and the road became more mountainous and curvy. We finally reached the end of CA 1 and began driving on U.S. Highway 101. We drove almost the entire CA 1 north from San Diego which had been on our bucket list. We are glad we did because the beauty of the California coastline is unlike anything anywhere else. I think I will see those curves and drop-offs in my sleep for awhile.

At the junction of CA 1 and 101 we saw a sign for a drive-thru tree and since it was only a quarter mile away we decided to check it out. For the admission of $5.00 you get to drive your car through a redwood tree. These large and tall trees are the “Coastal Redwoods”. What a tourist trap and we didn’t even waste time in the gift shop. One of those glad we did it but once is enough experiences. There are two more such trees in this area but we will skip those. As we drove into Redcrest on 101 we saw many little gift shops and tourist attractions all taking advantage of the popularity of the beautiful redwoods in this area of California. We have traded the beauty of the Pacific coast for the magnificence of the redwoods. Away from the coast the temperature has gone up about fifteen to twenty degrees and everywhere we saw forests and redwoods. Beautiful!

We arrived in our campground in Redcrest on the Avenue of the Giants. Redcrest is another small town with a population of 112 and relies heavily on tourism. We had good cell phone service in the main area of Redcrest but not in the campground.

Our first full day there we drove to Shelter Cove which was about a ninety minute drive from our campground. It had been recommended by a campground neighbor and some tourist brochures. I guess we have been spoiled by the beauty of the Pacific coastline because a long drive over very winding and curvy roads which climbed and then descended over 2,200 feet, we arrived at Shelter Cove and were disappointed by the lack of views and beach there. It certainly did not begin to compare to what we had seen in our previous travels up CA 1. We did see a lighthouse there which at one time was further up the coast at Cape Mendocino. The lighthouse was built in 1868 and lighthouse keepers had to take a small tender boat out to the lighthouse. Due to the isolation this lighthouse was not a favorite of lighthouse keepers and it seems that men who did not follow orders or needed to be disciplined were sent to this lighthouse. In 1948 the lighthouse was dismantled and moved into storage. In 1999 it was moved and restored to Shelter Cove.

Before leaving Shelter Cove we did manage to find one geocache and saw some deer up close.

The weather certainly warmed up with temperatures in the upper eighties and low nineties for several days. This was quite a shock after the cool temperatures we experienced along the coast! Avenue of the Giants is a thirty-mile 2-lane scenic drive on what was once U.S. 101 surrounding by 51,222 acres of magnificent redwood groves. It is said to be the greatest display of Coastal Redwoods in the 500 mile redwood belt.

While in Redcrest we spent several days driving along the scenic Avenue of the Giants which is parallel to U.S. 101 and is surrounded by Humboldt Redwoods State Park. The state park, established in 1921 to protect these magnificent trees, is the third largest California state park and includes the Rockefeller Forest which is largest remaining old growth redwood forest in the world. With 53,000 acres, it has many trails to hike and we also found several geocaches.

One trail we walked was the Gould Grove Nature Trail which has the third largest known redwood tree in circumference. We also tried to find a geocache which included a rare albino redwood tree which is one of only a couple dozen known to exist. We didn’t really know what an albino redwood was supposed to look like and couldn’t find anything that we thought resembled one. We stopped by the Visitors Center and asked one of the rangers. He gave us a paper with directions and it seems they rarely give the directions out because people have been known to touch the tree and pull off leaves so they stopped publicizing its existence. We quickly found the tree and it was not what we expected. The needles/leaves of the tree are white instead of green.

The same day we hiked to the Women’s Federation Grove which was founded in the 1930’s by members of the California Federation of Women’s Clubs. Here there are picnic tables made from thirty to forty foot long redwood logs. Today the area can be used for picnics since there are also grills and restrooms. The focal point of the grove is a covered four-sided fireplace

Along the top of each fireplace is an inspirational message. Here are a couple favorites:

On this day we were the only ones there and it was truly peaceful and tranquil with a river flowing alongside.

Later in the day we took another trail which led us first to the “Tall Tree”.

Later we walked to the “Giant Tree”.

This area was also used in the filming of the Stars War movie “Return of the Jedi”. Since the seasonal bridge had not yet been placed for the summer, we had to cross a 20 foot wide stream with water up over our ankles. When we got back to the car we had to wring water out of our socks! But it was well worth it to see the Giant Tree and this beautiful area.

The next day we drove along the Avenue of the Giants to Founders Grove Nature Trail where we saw many amazing redwoods including the Founders Tree and

the Dyerville Giant which fell in 1991. They think it had been standing for as long as 1,600 years and was taller, larger and older than any tree around it. It was 370 feet tall which is two feet taller than Niagara Falls, was seventeen feet in diameter and fifty-two feet in circumference, and weighed over one million pounds. When it fell it registered on the seismograph and the locals said it sounded like a train wreck. What an amazing week we had!

May 8, 2014 Manchester and Fort Bragg, California

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Our three day stay at Manchester was quiet and relaxing. We spent some time working on the blog because it takes time for Bill to sort through all the pictures and decide which ones to include in each posting. He then edits them and all this takes time. I usually do most of the writing of the blog posts and rely on his pictures to refresh my memory. In Manchester our cell phone and internet reception was very poor so we were not able to do much planning or research for future travels.

Manchester, with a population of 462, was similar to Bodega Bay in that it also did not have any franchise restaurants or large stores. We did stop in at the local small country market which did include a tiny Ace Hardware in the back corner.

We spent our last afternoon in Manchester doing some geocaching and continued to find beautiful panoramic views and the Point Arena Lighthouse.

After Manchester our next stop was thirty-five miles north to Fort Bragg. As you can tell we try not to travel far on move days and we are taking our time heading north to give Mother Nature plenty of time to warm up. Our travel day was overcast with just enough rain to keep on the windshield wipers. One thing I have noticed in our travels is so many states have cities with the same name, and Fort Bragg is another example. Fort Bragg, CA was established in the 1850’s as a military outpost to maintain order for the Mendocino Indian Reservation. Today Fort Bragg is no longer a military fort and has a population of around 7,000. One exciting thing about reaching Fort Bragg was there was a Safeway where I did some much needed grocery shopping. Not since our last days in Mexico has the pantry and freezer been so empty!

We dry camped at MacKerricher State Park which is a beautiful park but we had no cell phone service or satellite TV due to heavy tree cover. We quickly set up camp and grab the umbrellas and rain jackets and headed down to the beach to a small cove where the ranger told us some seals had recently given birth. We were expecting to see many seals and we were a little disappointed to see just a few mother seals and pups on the rocks. Since the weather

was cold and windy with showers, we didn’t stay long. I am always in awe of the great shots like these that Bill gets. The camera makes it look like we were much closer to the seals than we really were. The rangers warn people not to go near the seals because they are easily frightened and will desert their pups if frightened away.

The highlight of our stay in Fort Bragg was biking on the paved Ten Mile Coastal Trail. We were able to bike to the trail from our campsite and ride along the coast.

It isn’t often that we get to bike that close to the beautiful Pacific Ocean! This trail was formerly a railroad track which was turned into a logging road and is now a walking/biking trail.

Our last day in Fort Bragg we walked on the beautiful boardwalk in MacKerricher

and came upon a mother seal and her pup just as they climbed out of the water and onto a rock to rest.

We left MacKerricher State Park and drove about twenty miles up the coast to a very small state park, Westport-Union Landing State Beach Park, where we dry camped about two hundred feet from the ocean atop a forty foot cliff. This is basically just a pull off the side of the road and camp where you want, and on this day there were two other campers in the park. It was very windy when we first arrived and a gorgeous day. We had spectacular views of the coastline and beach. On one side we saw the magnificent Pacific and on the other side we saw cattle grazing on the steep hillside. The park did have a campground host and he showed us some nests made by swallows. He said the swallows built this in less than two weeks and they had to do it one mouthful of mud at a time. Isn’t nature amazing!

May 5, 2014 Manchester, CA

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We left lovely Bodega Bay and headed north up California Highway 1. This road gives breathtaking views of the Pacific coastline that is unlike any other, but the drive itself is mean with many curves that include several horseshoe turns. I think those crazy Mexican roads helped prepare Bill for driving an RV on CA 1, and I am thankful we are traveling north instead of south since the southern route is against the coastline with rugged cliffs and steep drop offs. An RV heading south passed us and I swear the driver had a look of sheer terror on his face!

We stopped at Fort Ross State Historic Park which is one of the oldest parks in the California State Park System. This 3,386 preserve was North America’s southern most Russian settlement. Members of the Russian-American Company founded the Fort Ross Colony in 1812. The nearby Metini natives have lived in this area for centuries and did not seem to mind the Russian building their fort. Earlier history shows that in 1784 the first permanent Russian settlement was built in what is now Alaska.

In 1812 twenty-five Russians and eighty Alaskan Alutiiq natives built houses and a stockade with the purposes of growing wheat and other crops for Russians living in Alaska, hunting marine animals and trading with the Spanish. The fort was dedicated in August 1812 and named Fort Ross in honor of Imperial Russia, also called Rossilia.

Fort Ross also has a chapel with a beautiful redwood vaulted ceiling

as well as a windmill that was the first windmill in California. The fort also has the first glass windows in California. The grounds also contain a Russian cemetery. In December 1841 Fort Ross was sold to John Sutter and then in 1873 to George Call who established the Call Ranch. In 1903 the California Historical Landmarks Committee purchased the Fort Ross area from the Call family and the State of California acquired it in 1906.

Bill and I found this area very interesting since we never knew there was a Russian settlement this far south. We enjoyed touring the Visitor Center, seeing a movie about the history of the fort, and walking around the grounds. We also learned that a special Cultural Heritage Day is held in July where they hold religious ceremonies in the chapel.

I have mentioned in other posts that this coastal region can be extremely windy. We came across this tree while walking on the grounds. It is not unusual to see this trees along the coast. Fort Ross is certainly located in a beautiful setting!

In the parking lot Bill spotted an RV with Florida tags so we walked over to chat with them. We are always happy to meet fellow RVers and this couple are also full timers. They too find CA 1 very difficult to drive on which included their dog getting very carsick. We learned they are following the same route as us for several months so hopefully we will meet up with them again.

While we were at Fort Ross we kept hearing the barking of seal in the distance. We drove a little farther up the coast and stopped at one of the many turnouts. Bill always scares me when he gets too close to a cliff in his quest for that perfect picture. It is hard to tell from this picture I took from a safe distance away, but he was standing at the top of a huge cliff looking over the side at some seals and their babies resting on some rocks.

He got some great pictures of the seals and their babies using his 50X zoom.

We also came across some seals lying on the beach where the Russian River meets the Pacific Ocean

and discovered a beautiful arch rock.

The seventy-mile drive from Bodega Bay to Manchester took almost three hours of driving time not including stops which tells you something about the difficulty of driving an RV on this road with many 20 MPH curves. We did enjoy the ocean views on one side and pasture land with cattle on the other. At one point we saw a field of sheep with lambs running after their mamas. Thankfully we arrived safely at our next stop in Manchester where we will stay for three days.

May 1, 2014 Bodega Bay, California

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We left Santa Rosa and headed west and within a short time noticed the temperature dropping as we neared the coast. After a short drive we arrived at a nice county regional park in Bodega Bay where we would be staying for four days. Bodega Bay is a very small harbor village with beautiful views of the bay. We have found this area of Northern California has no Walmart or franchise restaurants that we are used to seeing. You will most definitely not find a McDonalds in this area of the state! While we were in Southern California we noticed that due to city/county ordinances, some Walmarts and grocery stores have done away with plastic bags and we have become accustomed to taking our own bags with us instead of paying ten cents for each paper bag. This is most definitely true for ALL of Northern California. We went in a McDonalds in San Francisco and there was a sign saying they charge ten cents for each paper bag they put your food in. Now that is taking “going green” a little to the extreme!!

We loved our campsite in Bodega Bay where we had a great view of the channel with boats passing by and plenty of waterfowl to observe. For the first time we noticed the beautiful wildflowers everywhere.

Our first day we drove up to the Bodega Bay Visitor Center and found out in 1963 the Hitchcock movie “The Birds” was filmed in Bodega Bay. We were told that last year they had a big 50^th Anniversary celebration and Tippi Hedren, now 84 years old, visits Bodega Bay every year. The guide at the Visitor Center told us that around 8,000 people come here every year just because it is where the movie was filmed. We picked up a map with several locations to visit where they did filming for the movie. While in the area we rode past the schoolhouse shown in the movie, which is now a private home. We also took a scenic drive along Bay Hill Road which is the same route that Tippi Hedren drove in the beginning of the movie and we were rewarded with some very picturesque scenery with the Pacific Ocean on one side and pastures with cattle grazing and calves running after their mothers. The road was narrow and very curvy and one we would have never taken without the map. We were very glad we did!

We also rode up to tip of the peninsular Bodega Bay Head where they have magnificent views of the Pacific coastline. When we pulled up the parking lot was almost full and we noticed people with cameras standing and sitting on top of the cliff. Thinking something exciting was happening we hurried up there only to find that people spend hours here waiting for a whale or two to make an appearance. We are not quite that patient but we did enjoy the view!

The highlight of our visit to Bodega Bay was a visit to Point Reyes National Seashore Park that was only about 40 miles from Bodega Bay but took about an hour and a half due to the narrow and curvy roads both on California Highway 1 and inside the park. Our first stop was the Visitor Center where we read informational displays about the Coast Miwok Indians who were the first inhabitants of the area. We watched an interesting and informative movie on the history of the park that included English (Sir Francis Drake in 1579), Spanish and Mexican inhabitants in addition to the Indians. There have been generations of dairy farmers who have farmed the land and there are currently thirteen active ranches in the park. Throughout our drive around the park we saw cattle and crossed many cattle guards. President Kennedy signed legislation in 1962 making it a National Seashore Park and in 1966 Mrs. Lyndon Johnson formally dedicated the park to the American people.

The first thing we did after touring the Visitor Center was take a short walk on “The Earthquake Trail”.

They had blue stakes showing the location of the San Andreas Fault and at one point on the trail a twenty-foot movement had split a fence during the 1906 San Francisco earthquake.

Next on our list was to drive to the Tule Elk Reserve. Before 1860 thousands of tule elk roamed the Point Reyes peninsula. Due to hunting they died out and in 1999 a herd was returned to the land. Today approximately 750 roam the land. We really wanted to see some elk and we had the mistaken impression all we had to do was drive to the edge of the reserve. Turns out it wasn’t nearly that easy. We came to the realization that if we wanted to see elk we would have to do some hiking so we found a popular trail and started out. The weather was sunny and fairly warm at the Visitor Center, but by the time we had driven ten miles to the reserve the weather was chilly, windy and foggy. We started down the trail and came upon a man who was carrying a huge elk antler on his back. He said they carry them out and grind them up and bring them back and spread them on the ground because the minerals are good for insects. Since we had seen a sign warning us not to collect antlers, we had to take his word for it. We really wished we had thought to get his picture because it was really quite a sight to see!

After walking for a while along the narrow hilly trail we saw some elk far in the distance. Definitely too far away to get a decent picture. We decided to hike a little further and came across two groups of hikers on their way back. Once group told us there were elk about 150 yards away. After walking what seemed to be much further than fifty yards we came to some more hikers who told us we would see them after about a five-minute walk. We continued on and walked much longer than five minutes. Either these hikers have a poor concept of time and distance or the elk were really on the move! When we reached the two-mile mark we decided to give up and head back.

Just at that point Bill looked to the left and saw a small herd lying down in the grass. They all turned their heads and looked right at him. The view was not perfect with the fog, but at least they were close enough to see them but Bill was able to enhance the pictures on his computer. We left the trail and walked toward them to get a better look but stopped when one of them stood up in alarm. We didn’t want to scare them off. We took some pictures and congratulated ourselves on finding them and not giving up. We headed back down the trail and Bill stopped suddenly and pointed ahead. There on the hillside happily grazing on grass and wildflowers was another group of twelve. They were close to the trail and did not seem alarmed at all by our presence, but we moved slowly and quietly so as not to alarm them.

During our elk hike we not only enjoyed seeing the elk but we saw beautiful fields of wildflowers and lovely views of the Pacific coast that would have been even more spectacular if it hadn’t been for the fog.

Even though it was foggy we decided to take a chance and drive up to the Point Reyes Lighthouse that is supposed to have breathtaking views of the area. Along the way we crossed more cattle guards and continued to see many cattle and calves nursing. One highlight for Bill was seeing the RCA Ranch and historic Radio Station KPH that was once at the forefront of communication technology. There was once here a wireless telegraph station where operators tapped out Morse code messages across the Pacific as far away as Hawaii. During World War II military and coast guard personnel used the property. The Radio Corporation of America (RCA) owned it and the park service acquired the property from RCA in 1999.

Today park personnel use the building as offices.

You may recognize the arched driveway of cypress trees leading to the house because it has been used in numerous car commercials.

We reached the lighthouse but just as we expected it was fogged in with heavy fog and we couldn’t see a thing. We drove the ninety minutes back to the campground marveling at all we had seen today!

We are finding that Northern California is simply enchanting!!

April 25, 2014 Santa Rosa, California

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We awoke to the sound of rain which normally wouldn’t have been a big deal but since today is a move day for us, it wasn’t a welcome sound. Luckily by the time we headed outside to do our outdoor departure preparations, the rain had stopped. We made the short drive through fairly heavy traffic across the Golden Gate Bridge towards Santa Rosa and once again the rain started up making for poor visibility with the fog. The trip to Santa Rosa took about an an hour and a half and when we pulled into the campground the clouds were dark and threatening and we did get more wind and rain later in the day. Our time so far in Northern California has certainly included some chilly days. As Mark Twain said, “The coldest winter I ever saw was the summer I spent in San Francisco.”

Our main reason for stopping in this area was so Bill could attend the taping of several audio shows at the TWIT (“This Week in Tech”) studio in Petaluma, about a twenty minute drive from our campground. The web site for TWIT is here http://twit.tv if you are interested in their technology based discussions. Bill has listened to the owner and host of TWIT, Leo Laporte, since 1999. Leo and his team tape these free shows every week such as “The Tech Guy” and “This Week in Google”. They can be watched live or downloaded later to your listening device. Bill downloads the TWIT audio programs (called netcasts) on his phone. While we were in the area Bill was able to attend five tapings which included a call-in help radio show, the weekly summary TWIT show, a show on android phones, “This Week In Windows” and “This Week in Google”. Three of the taping were recorded in Leo’s office and Bill was allowed to sit by his desk.

Sunday’s TWIT – two co-hosts were skyped in

There were tourists in the audience from Australia and Canada watching the Sunday taping.

TWIT has adopted fez hats

Monday our plans including visiting Muir Woods and Sausalito. It was actually easier to drive there from Santa Rosa than from our campground outside of San Francisco.

The drive to Muir Woods National Monument was easy until the last 10 miles which then turned into narrow, steep, and curvy roads. Parking is at a premium at Muir Woods and since the parking lot is small and is it a popular place, it is not unusual to have to park a mile or so away from the entrance. Luck was on our side this day and we secured a parking spot in the closest lot as someone was pulling out and we drove in.

Muir Woods is a coastal redwoods forest with towering redwoods which can be seen as you walk along a boardwalk or take hikes through the forest. The coastal redwoods only grow on a 500 mile strip of Pacific Coast from southern Oregon to Big Sur CA because they need moisture from fog to flourish. Most ancient coastal redwoods have been cut, but some are protected in national and state parks. Redwoods can reach a height of 379 feet and be 2,000 years old. In Muir Woods the tallest tree is 252 feet tall and some are at least 1,000 years old. Most are between 500 and 800 years old. We listened to an informative ranger talk on the history of the park. In 1905 William Kent purchased the 611 acres of land for $45,000 with the idea of preserving it for the enjoyment of his family and friends because he was alarmed at the amount of forest being destroyed by logging companies. After the devastating 1906 earthquake, the need for redwood to rebuild was at a premium and logging companies began to take even more redwood forest land. They wanted Kent’s land and filed an injunction to acquire the land due to need for the wood. The courts agreed with the logging companies and ordered the land turned over. Kent contacted President Theodore Roosevelt and offered to donate 295 acres of the land to the federal government if it would be protected. Roosevelt agreed and it became a national monument. Kent asked that it be named after john Muir, a wilderness advocate. Muir was also responsible for convincing Roosevelt to set aside land which became Yosemite, the Grand Canyon, and Mt Rainier national parks.

“In every walk with nature, one receives far more than one seeks.” John Muir

We walked along the boardwalk and took a mile trail which led us further up into the trees which was very serene and we could see the people walking on the boardwalk below us.

In 1945 delegates from all over the world met in San Francisco to establish the United Nations. On May 19 they traveled to Muir Woods to honor the memory of President Franklin Roosevelt who had died a month earlier. President Roosevelt believed in the value of national parks as a source of inspiration, and it was hoped that the beauty and serenity of Muir Woods would inspire the delegates to pursue world peace as they met to establish the United Nations. A plaque quoted the thoughts of one of the delegates, “Persons who love nature find a common basis for understanding people of other countries, since the love of nature is universal among man of all nations.”

We would strongly agree with John Muir since it has been while hiking and exploring nature that we have met many people from other countries.

After our time at Muir Woods which included a picnic lunch, we drove to Sausalito. It is a picturesque little town, but a bit too much of a tourist trap for us. If you like to shop, this is the place to be. We enjoyed walking downtown and took in the views of San Francisco across the bay, but we were eager to move on.

Next we drove to Hawks Hill which included a steep climb and more winding roads after which we were rewarded with a gorgeous panoramic view of the San Francisco area, including Alcatraz, the Golden Gate Bridge and the San Francisco skyline. We thought the view from Twin Peaks our first day in San Francisco was amazing, but this view definitely blew us away. We continued driving which including going down an 18% grade, and came to a former missile site. We drove by the Nike Missile Site SF-88 which is a former Nike Missile launch site at Fort Barry. It opened in 1954 and was intended to protect the population and military installations in the San Francisco area during the Cold War. It closed in 1974 and is now part of the Golden Gate National Recreation Area. The visitors center there is open Thursday thru Saturday. Unfortunately for us today was a Monday. We then rode down to Rodeo Beach where just like everywhere in this area, there were surfers out catching waves. The sand in this part of California is brown and coarse and not the soft white sand we are more familiar with in Florida and southern California.

April 24, 2014 Alcatraz, San Francisco, California

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We really looked forward to touring Alcatraz Island. Luckily we went online ahead of time and bought our tickets which included the ferry ride over and back because tickets usually sell out a week or more in advance. For example when we went on Thursday there was a sign at the ticket office that the next available tour was Sunday.

Once again we rode BART into the city and our first goal of the day was to ride a cable car. When we went into the city the first time, the line to ride the cable car near the BART station was very long and we didn’t want to take the time to wait. Luckily today the line was shorter and we only had to wait about 10 minutes. As the cable car fills up you have to wait for the next one to come by. We wanted to catch it at the BART station and ride it to Fisherman’s Wharf. At $6.00 one way, we wanted to get our monies worth! Once the cable car arrived it was very interesting to see how the conductors get out and turn the car around. The ride was really cool as we sat sideways while the car climbed up and down hills. Once we got off at the end of the line, Fisherman’s Wharf, we walked down to Pier 33 which is where we caught the Alcatraz ferry. The ride over was quick and it wasn’t too cold to sit on top and see the beauty of the area.

The island is owned by the National Park Service and they had a very interesting and informative tour which included a self guiding tour using an audiotape with former Alcatraz inmates, correctional officers and residents reminiscing about their time there. The tape was very well done and it was nice to be able to pause the audio if we wanted to spend longer in an area. It was both fascinating and very sad to spend time there. Fascinating to hear about the history of the island and prison, but very sad to see how the men lived there and spend their last days. As we pulled up to “The Rock”, I imagined what must have gone through the mind’s of the men as they arrived here and saw the desolate island and large guard tower and lighthouse.. Several times the audiotape mentioned how the men could look out the windows at San Francisco just across the bay and see what they were missing. On New Year’s Eve, if the wind was blowing just right, they could hear the party goers celebrating the New Year. Yes, these were hardened criminals, including Al Capone, but it still struck me as very very sad.

The island has an interesting history including being an army fortress and a military prison. It became a famous maximum security federal penitentiary in 1934, many people who worked at the prison also resided on the island, including the children of the workers who would ride a ferry each day to and from school. One such child, now grown, talked about growing up on the island and how it was a really a nice childhood in which children of the workers all played and went to school together. They did not see or come in contact with the prisoners, though occasionally they would hear them if they caused a ruckus. There is a theater area on the island with a 17 minute film detailing the history of Alcatraz.

The prison closed on March 21, 1963 due to deteriorating buildings including a lack of a sewage system and high operating costs. One interesting fact was that several Native Americans from 1969-1971 took over and occupied the island in an attempt to take back some federal land.

The main area to explore was the Cell House and we had to walk up four rather steep hills from the dock to get there.

One prisoner per cell

In the 29 years that Alcatraz was open, 36 prisoners tried to escape. All but 5 were recaptured or otherwise accounted for. Three who were never found were immortalized in the Clint Eastwood movie “Escape From Alcatraz” in 1962. The two main reasons why escape was practically impossible was the strong currents and very cold water which surrounded the island. An interesting and rather humorous tidbit is that in 1974 at the age of 60, fitness guru Jack LaLanne swam from just outside the perimeters of Alcatraz to the Fisherman’s Wharf handcuffed, shacked and towing a 1,000 pound boat! He wanted to leave directly from the Alcatraz pier but the prison refused to allow him to come onto the island for security reasons.

After taking the ferry back to shore we caught a streetcar back to BART and rode home, grateful for such a fascinating experience.

April 23, 2014 Walking the Golden Gate Bridge, San Francisco, California

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One thing we wanted to do while in San Francisco was walk across the Golden Gate Bridge. I did some research and found out where we could park. Even though the day was beautiful and sunny, knowing how the weather in San Francisco is windy and the fog rolls in quickly and the temperature drops in a matter of minutes, we bundled up in layers including hats and scarfs and headed to the bridge. There was a very nice visitors center and paid parking lot at the south end of the bridge. Many people walk or ride their bikes across and there is a nice wide walkway which walkers and bikers share. As it turned out it really wasn’t that cold and the views were beautiful including a view of Alcatraz. We saw surfers in the water below and watched a helicopter fly under the bridge. Another dream marked off the bucket list!

April 20, 2014 Computer Museum, Mountain View, California

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Sunday we drove from Pacifica over to the Mountain View to tour the Computer Museum. Bill’s college friend Tom and his daughter toured the museum will Bill. The museum opened in 1996 with the goal of preserving and presenting artifacts and information about the information age, the computing revolution, and its impact on society through the years. It has the largest and most significant collection of computing artifacts in the world, including many rare and one of a kind objects.

One of the first methods of memory for computers – little magnets

This is a mechanical hand cranked calculator, about the size of a soup can

In 1977 Radio Shack came out with the TRS 80 computer

The 1977 Apple II computer

This is the IBM Personal Computer, which came available in 1981.

There is a 25,000 foot square exhibition called “Revolution: The First 2,000 Years of Computing” which opened in 2011 and covers the history of computing through twenty galleries of displays with everything from the abacus to the internet. The galleries included “Calculators”, “The Birth of the Computer”, “Early Computer Companies”, “Analog Computers”, “Networking and the Web”, “Personal Computers”, “Computer Games”, “Mobile Computing”, “Computer Graphics, Music and Art”, and “Artificial Intelligence and Robotics”. One highlight is a working Difference Engine designed by Charles Babbage in the 1840’s.

This engine was designed by Babbage in 1849 but not built and verified until 2008.

April 18, 2014 San Francisco, California

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After a short drive from Lodi which included waiting in a long line of cars and paying a toll, we crossed the Bay Bridge and saw the San Francisco skyline come into view!

We arrived at our next destination which was the San Francisco RV Resort in Pacifica, about 40 miles from downtown San Francisco. Our camping spot had a great view of the Pacific but the spots are

View looking North from our campsite

very close together. They manage to crowd a lot of people into a relatively small area. But this is the San Francisco area, and if you look at the high density housing everywhere in this area, it is not surprising that the campground would be the same way. Immediately we notice a change in temperature to chilly and windy. The day ended with a beautiful sunset over the Pacific.

Saturday we decided to do a scenic drive around San Francisco. We debated whether or not to pay the high price to take the sightseeing Hop On, Hop Off bus around San Francisco, but the campground office gave us a map of a self guided 49 mile scenic drive which highlighted famous San Francisco sights and we decided to give it a try. If the drive didn’t give us a good overview of the area, we could always do the bus later. The first stop on the map was Twin Peaks, which provided us with a gorgeous view of the entire San Francisco area. I kept hearing the sound of Tony Bennett singing “I Left My Heart in San Francisco” in my head. It was extremely windy up there and we felt as if we were going to be blown away! We drove through the streets of San Francisco and went to Nob Hill and drove down Lombard Street which is the most crooked street in the world. We actually had to wait in a line of cars to drive down the street. We loved driving through Chinatown, Golden Gate Park and across the Golden Gate Bridge.

Monday we took the BART into downtown San Francisco and rode a streetcar to Fisherman’s Wharf and walked around Pier 39 where we came across a sea lions viewing area with sea lions barking and sunning themselves. We ate lunch at the Hard Rock Cafe where Bill picked up a shirt to add to his Hard Rock collection. By the time we headed back to the BART station the streetcars were jammed full and we were sandwiched in like sardines. Just as it seemed as if another person couldn’t possibly fit in the door, one or two squeezed themselves in at each stop and we bumped and jerked our way down to BART. Since traffic is heavy and parking in San Francisco is at least $6.00 an hour, not to mention the price of gas it turned out well for us to ride BART from our campground and take public transportation in the city. Plus, riding the streetcars is fun, even when jam packed!

April 12, 2014 Lodi, California

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We belong to an RV group called Escapees. There are several great reasons to be a member of Escapees including discounts on many campgrounds around the country and RV information and resources, but most of all is the opportunity to have fellowship with wonderful RVers around the world. When we went to Mexico in February we went with an Escapees group called Mexican Connection. Escapees has national events, state events and even local chapter events. Bill noticed that the western region of Escapees was having their regional rally in Lodi, California at just the time we would be passing near the area on our way north. So we decided to add four day stop in Lodi and join the rally.

It was a little far to drive from Santa Cruz to Lodi in one day, and we always like to take our time, so we decided to make a one night stop on the way. We strongly considered doing what many RVers do and stay in a Walmart parking lot overnight. We have done that a few times and have always found it a safe place to stay with night security and it allows us a chance to resupply. Usually that is not a problem, however most city ordinances in California have decided to forbid any overnight parking. So Bill found a place at San Luis Reservoir State Recreation Area where we could stay for only $18 a night. It would be dry camping, but that is what we had planned on anyway. We arrived late afternoon and pulled up to a nice spot overlooking the water. Now I ask you….if you could choose this setting or a Walmart parking lot, which would you choose?

We loved this camping area and will return if ever in this area again. Our concern was a very windy area with signs on the road warning of gusty winds. The wind seems to whip down the mountains and across this valley. The reservoir is a popular area for boaters and they have a revolving light which warns boaters of danger with red meaning winds of 30 MPH or stronger and therefore no boating allowed. When we arrived the light was flashing red, and it certainly felt like the wind was at least 30 MPH. We kept the slides on the RV in to minimize feeling the wind and we did feel the wind buffeting us through the night, but nothing scary or alarming.

We arrived in Lodi the next day where the WARE (Western Area Rally of Escapees) was being held at the Lodi Grape Festival Grounds. Lodi is a sweet little town surrounded by vineyards and wineries. We were warmly welcomed by the parking crew and parked in a nice grassy spot with electric and water. This rally was smaller than other rallies we have attended, with fewer people, vendors and seminars, but by the end of the rally we agreed it has been our favorite. I think the small size had something to do with it since it gave us a chance to meet and get to know many people. Larger rallies are often busier and with so many people it is hard to really get to know anyone well. Escapees are known for their 4:00 Happy Hours and the tradition continued here! Each evening they had games in the pavilion and every night we played cards. There was always someone new coming in to play and you can really get to know someone over a game of cards. One lady we played cards with every night was a true inspiration to us. She is ninety years old and her husband is ninety-two. He stopped driving two years ago as macular degeneration began to take his sight. So Minnie drives everywhere from the California freeways to the narrow roads on the Pacific Coast Highway in their 30 foot RV while also towing a car. Over the years they have traveled across the country and I believe she said they have visited every state. She taught us a new card game and her mind is as sharp as a tack. It was clear to see how much she is loved by everyone as people often came up to hug her and speak with her. We also met an Australian couple who spend six months of the year in the United States and six months back home in Australia. They bought a small RV here in the U.S and they use it to travel around the country. They then store it for six months and when they get back to Australia they have a home and another small RV so they are able to travel around Australia as well. They have been going back and forth now for three years. This year they are traveling to Alaska and will leave their RV stored in Vancouver since they are traveling back to Australia on a repositioning cruise. What a life! We played cards with her each evening and got to know her husband during Happy Hours. They have invited us to visit them in Australia and we hope to do that in the next few years. We met many other people who exchanged contact info with us and since they all live on the west coast, they encouraged us to contact them should we have any problems during our travels. Though it is always exciting to get back on the road and travel to our next destination, we were really sorry to say goodbye to all our new friends. Amazing what wonderful new friends we gained on such a short rally!

Another exciting thing happened during our time in Lodi. I was able to visit my friend Leslie who I hadn’t seen in 42 years! Back in the early 1970’s Leslie’s mother and my mother worked together at the County of Albemarle in Virginia and were the best of friends. When Leslie and her family moved to Buffalo, NY, my mother and I visited them there and then later in Toms River, New Jersey. In the 1980’s they moved to California and we lost touch except for our yearly exchange of Christmas cards. Leslie and her husband Jim live in Elk Grove which is thirty minutes north of Lodi, so on Wednesday Bill and I drove up to visit Leslie. We had a wonderful visit and lunch with her in her lovely home and it was as if all those years just melted away. It was so good to catch up with her and hear what is going on with her family. We took a selfie before leaving. As I have said before, being able to see old friends and meet new friends is one of the best things about this lifestyle. Some of you have commented that we are on a perpetual vacation. This is not a vacation, it is a lifestyle. We still have things to repair and laundry and dishes and bills to pay. We just do it all while moving around the country. Is it a wonderful lifestyle? YES! Is it a perpetual vacation? NO!

Through the Eyes of the Selphs

Bill and Diane's travel notes and pictures

May 11, 2014 Redcrest, California (Avenue of the Redwood Giants)

May 8, 2014 Manchester and Fort Bragg, California

May 5, 2014 Manchester, CA

May 1, 2014 Bodega Bay, California

April 25, 2014 Santa Rosa, California

April 24, 2014 Alcatraz, San Francisco, California

April 23, 2014 Walking the Golden Gate Bridge, San Francisco, California

April 20, 2014 Computer Museum, Mountain View, California

April 18, 2014 San Francisco, California

April 12, 2014 Lodi, California