April 24, 2011

RUSSIAN RIVER TO SAN FRANCISCO,  CA

We slept late and had the continental breakfast at Highlands Resort. We left Guerneville about 11:00 a.m. and decided to take Highway 1 south to the Bay Area.

Along the way we stopped at Cowgirl Creamery in Point Reyes Station. I had strawberry ice cream and David bought two cheeses from the Cremery which we sampled on our way home.

Listened to the Giants-Braves game on the radio and arrived in San Francisco about 3:00 p.m.

A fun, short vacation! 

April 23, 2011

RUSSIAN RIVER TO MENDOCINO, CA

We had a continental breakfast at Highlands Resort and drove west on Route 116 to the coast.

Here's a photo taken on the way. David particularly liked this vista and may be painting this scene soon.

At the coast, we drove north on Highway 1 and stopped periodically to hike and view the area around Sea Ranch.

We arrived in Mendocino, CA in the early afternoon, parked on Main Street, and walked around the town.

We had lunch at a wonderful restaurant, Cafe Beaujolais. David had the bouillabaisse and I had the smoked bacon quiche and turkey with farro soup. Dessert was a fantastic coconut cream pie.

This photo of Mendocino in the distance was taken along Highway 1 south of town.

We drove south on Highway 1 to Albion and then Route 128 inland to Route 101 and then west back to Guerneville. Had a light dinner of sandwiches and beer in the cabin and watched Upstairs Downstairs on David's ipad. Fun day!

April 22, 2011

SAN FRANCISCO TO RUSSIAN RIVER

David Beckstein and I drove from San Francisco to the Russian River area today. Stan Dufford rode with us to Santa Rosa, where he is spending the Easter weekend with Sandy and Ken, his brother.

We left San Francisco about 9:30 a.m. and drove up Highway 101; arrived at Ken & Sandy's about 10:30 a.m., visited there for about 1/2 hour and then David and I headed toward the coast. We stopped at Matos Cheese Factory in Santa Rosa. Joe and Mary Matos grew up in the Portuguese Azores on the island of Sao Jorge. They moved to Santa Rosa in the 1970s and brought along the recipe for their native cheese with them. The office on their farm is quite small and they offer only the one cheese. We tasted the cheese and David bought 2 pounds.

We then headed toward the coast, stopped along the way and had a picnic lunch at a winery, then drove to Jenner, and then back on Highway 116  to the Russian River area of Guerneville, CA.

Since it was too early to check into our cabin, we drove to Armstrong Redwoods State Reserve, near Guerneville, and hiked along one of the trails.

We hiked for about an hour and then headed back to Guerneville and checked into our cabin at the Highlands Resort.

Our Cabin

About 7 p.m. we walked into town and had pizza at a local restaurant and watched the first 3 innings of the Giants-Braves game on TV.  Back at our cabin, we played Scrabble.

The resort is comfortable and quiet. Tomorrow a drive up the coast to Mendocino, CA.

March 29, 2011

Las Vegas, NV to San Francisco, CA

I left my hotel room about 9:30 a.m., had a quick breakfast, and headed for the airport. Returned my rental car and waited in the terminal for my flight.

Here is a photo of the Southwest terminal. There are slot machines available for those who need more gambling time before returning home. Notice Mandalay Bay and Luxor casinos visible in the distance.

Southwest Flight #1671 was on time. Arrived in San Francisco at 2:40 p.m. and took SuperShuttle home. It was a fun trip; weather was perfect.

March 28, 2011

Grand Canyon, AZ to Las Vegas, NV

I stayed in the Buckey O'Neill Cabin (part of Bright Angel Lodge), which is the "oldest continuously standing structure on the rim. It was built in the 1890's by William Owen O'Neill. Everyone knew him as "Buckey." He acquired the name by "bucking the odds" in the card game faro. He was elected mayor of Prescott, AZ and volunteered to fight in the Spanish American War. He became one of Teddy Roosevel'ts rough riders."

A photo of the Buckey Cabin

Here is my room at Buckey Lodge

I got up early and hiked westward along the Rim Trail to Bright Angel Trail. The weather was cool and the early morning light was spectacular on the canyon. 

Here's one of the photos taken on that hike.

This is the Grand Canyon train that travels round trip daily from Williams, AZ, to the Grand Canyon. 

I left Grand Canyon about 9:00 a.m. for Las Vegas, traveling south on Route 64 to Williams, AZ and west on Route 40 and Route 93.  Arrived in Las Vegas, NV about 2:30 p.m. and checked into the Travelodge next to Circus Circus on the strip.

I spent the evening walking along the strip and visited as many casinos as possible until midnight. I'm tired!  Tomorrow it's home to San Francisco.

March 27, 2011

Flagstaff to Grand Canyon, AZ

I left my motel about 8:00 a.m. and explored downtown Flagstaff for a short time.

I had breakfast at the Rendezvous Bar in the Monte Vista Hotel, one of the oldest buildings in town which is on Route 66.

Here is another grand hotel in the downtown area.

I left Flagstaff about 9:30 a.m. and drove north on Route 89, through the Coconino National Forest area, with an extended drive to the Sunset Crater Volcano National Monument with an extinct volcano and fields of lava rock.

The loop road continues another 35 miles to Wupatki National Monument.

The main attraction is the Wupoki Pueblo, a 100-room dwelling built in the 12th century by the Sinagua ("a term coined by archeologists for the cultural tradition of this area, reflecting the people's ability to farm and live virtually without water.") "This handsome apartment house was constructed of red sandstone slabs, blocks of pale beige limestone and chunks of brown basalt and cemented together with clay." Much of the original house is still standing. There were also many single-family structures in the area.

 

This is the view from the Wupoki Pueblo

These are the Box Canyon Dwellings, about a mile from the Wukoki Pueblo.

From here I returned to Route 89 north and then Route 64 west to the Eastern Entrance to Grand Canyon.

Some spectacular views are available from many of the scenic overlooks when driving from the park entrance to the main village. This is my first visit to Grand Canyon and these few photos attempt to capture some of the experience; it is magnificent.

I checked into the Bright Angel Lodge in Grand Canyon Village. The lodge sits on the south rim of the canyon.

I walked part of the Rim Trail eastward to the Mather Amphitheater and the Park Headquarters area and then returned by the same route. 

I had dinner (pork loin with cinnamon apples and rice; yum!) at Bright Angel Lodge and was in bed by 10:00 p.m. Slept very well. Warm days (70's) and cold nights (30's)