Lake Tahoe is an amazing place. The vistas are gorgeous in any direction one looks. Squaw Valley, and this view particularly, has always been one of my favorites. Sometimes, like I did today, I just drive down to see it, hop out, take a photo, wave, and then continue on to my destination. It just makes me happy. The snow here is making everyone in California hopeful for a drought-less summer this year. (We will need a whole lot more than this.) I hope the view brings you some joy as well.
Fall in Mendocino means mushrooms. Mendocino is surrounded by ocean, redwoods, and hills therefore the fall colors do not blaze as brightly here as they do on the drive through the wine country to get there from Sacramento.
Mushroom hunting
My husband and I dream of owning property here one day. But, in the meantime it really does not get any better than camping at MacKerricher State Park. It is $35 per night and one is surrounded by Redwoods, ocean, Cleone Lake, mushrooms, curious seals, deer, wine cork stealing bunnies, and even a Giant Whale Skeleton on display for kids.
She is smart enough to sniff and walk away!
Looking for seals or wayward sailors
After realizing she looks a lot like a seal with legs
MacKerricher is my favorite campsite in California located in one of the prettiest areas of California. MacKerricher sits just north of Fort Bragg. Fort Bragg is a tough old logging town which is finding its footing with breweries, shops, and tourism. Fort Bragg has newly renovated its famed Glass Beach formed from years of waves crashing against an old garbage site. My favorite place to visit in Fort Bragg is the Mendocino Botanical Gardens. It is and will remain my happy place.
Just a hop, skip, and a jump down the road is the village of Mendocino. This iconic village is where Eric and I got married five years ago! (Happy Anniversary to us!) We relived the big day by having dinner at our favorite restaurant 955 Ukiah Street Restaurant. The next day we picked up a baguette from Cafe Beaujolais and picnicked on the ocean.
Just north of MacKericher is a beach near Pacific Star Winery where the tide pooling is stellar. A nice little blue grab game out to assert his domain.
Mr. Blue Crab
Not that you can tell with the iPhone but those are seals out there lounging in the sunshine
Low tide allows for shenanigans like this
The amazing part about the Pacific Ocean is that we left weather in the 40’s and found clear weather in the 60’s on the ocean. The weather is typically the opposite of what is happening in the Sacramento Valley.
Happy Fall everyone. I am trying to hang on to the last bit of it before winter takes hold. Is it cold and wintery where you are already?
Remnants of an old dock at MacKerricher
For further Mendocino and Mushroom adventures click here.
Don’t look down!
My cousins and their Egyptian foreign exchange student came to visit San Francisco for business/pleasure from Phoenix. Deciding not to plan ahead my cousins and I , both San Francisco tourist veterans in our own right, set to decide what important sites their new “daughter” must see. The conversation went like this, “What do you think she should see?” “I don’t know, what do you think she should see? All I know is I am hungry.” “Anything you want to do that you have never done before?” “Ah, no. I feel like I have done everything.” Then my cousin asked me if I had ever walked over the iconic Golden Gate Bridge? Well, heck. I never had. I guess I just never wanted to deal with the wind and the crowds. So we set out…
The parking Gods were with us. Someone pulled out right in front of us. Parking was only $5! Parking is NEVER only $5 in San Francisco.
It turns out there is a lovely gift shop at the bridge. I don’t know why this comes as a surprise to me but it does. Near the gift shop there is a cool representation of what it takes to build this magnificent bridge. Did you know that those gigantic orange cables holding up that thing is made of thousands of of smaller cables? There are a few interactive toys/models to show folks the engineering behind the bridge too.
And then there is the bridge! Just walk on out there. Put earthquakes out of your mind. Put tsunamis from the Rock’s new movie out of your mind. Pay no attention to the police officer yelling at someone doing something they aren’t supposed to over the intercom. Take some fun little selfies. And then behold the beauty that is the Marin Headlands in one direction and the most beautiful city in the United States in the other. (Reference some of my favorite lesser known spots in SF: Botanical gardens, ChinaTown, Japanese Tea Garden, Coit Tower…) You have a birdseye view of Alcatraz and Angel islands. You can see the new span of the Bay Bridge and all its glory connected by Treasure island. You can see Berkeley and Oakland. You can see seals frolicking in the water below. Wait, don’t look down! You can see sailboats at 90 degree angles. You can feel the vibration of the bridge moving by both natural forces and the hundreds of cars zooming by. It is loud, very loud and the wind is whipping up in your ears making it seem even louder. You dodge runners and bicyclists as well as other tourists walking with their cameras up not paying attention to anyone or anything around them. We turn around 3/4 of the way over the bridge because it is a long darn bridge and the loudness and the wind is getting to us all.
It never fails to surprise me that every time I go to the City I have a good time and can experience something new. I know it will be this way for the rest of my life.
Photo doesn’t do this view justice
It’s hard not to stare at this view
Do you think there is anyone out there that doesn’t recognize this bridge?
Such a beautiful city and the Golden Gate only makes her that much prettier
Used to have toll takers now what do you do if you don’t have a fastpass?
Cousins everywhere! I never thought I would have an Egyptian cousin or a cousin from Pacific Grove and look at these two lovely ladies!
Try your hand at how much tension is required to raise a bridge
To read about my other San Francisco exploits click here!
Calistoga, in the beautiful Napa Valley, is a glorious place to visit any time of the year. But I cannot wipe the smile off of my face after travelling through the greater Napa valley again this fall. The grape leaves and tree leaves were vibrant and magnificent this year in their yellow, orange, and red hues. Even Amelia, who puts the Bulldog in Bulldogtravels, enjoyed her fall adventure this year.
The husband and I went leaf peeping in search of fall colors. Our journey took us from Sacramento up highway 50 in to the glorious Lake Tahoe valley. From there we headed on hwy 89 towards Marklieville for lunch at the Wolf Creek Restaurant and Bar and then up over hwy 4 and Ebbett’s Pass. This windy and steep road took us to the Arnold area and then in to the Calavaras region know for its famous jumping frogs and Big Trees. (Reminds me that I need to get to the Jumping Frog Festival one of these years.) The fall colors were really showing off through Calavaras and the hwy 49 gold country towns. Arnold, Murphys, Angel’s Camp, Sutter Creek, San Andreas, Volcano, and more are wonderful stops for food, antiques, and a stroll.
Just before dark we stopped in Plymouth for dinner at Taste and then headed home. This was a long drive taking us through three forests; the El Dorado, Toiyabe, and Stanislaus National Forests.
*Photos were pretty disappointing with the iPhone this time…The photos just don’t do it justice. Boo.
Hwy 89 just outside of Marklieville
Hwy 4 between Marklieville and Ebbett’s Pass
Random Piranha on hwy 4 between Ebbett’s Pass and Arnold.
Creek in Marklieville
I hope my Piranha rock qualifies for Cee’s Odd Ball Photo!
My husband and I have been working opposite shifts now for a while. So, on the weekends we have been trying to take some day trips to spend good quality time together. Last weekend we went leaf peeping through the El Dorado, Alpine, and Calavaras National Forests. (Photos came out lame on the iPhone hence the lack of posting, sorry.) The weekend before we spent more time in the Quincy area west of the Lake Tahoe region. This weekend was his turn to pick the location. So we set off for the Blackhawk Auto Museum in Danville, California in the “East Bay.”
The East Bay holds a special place in my heart because I got my Master’s Degree at quaint Saint Mary’s College in beautiful Moraga, California. It also just happens to be a spectacularly pretty area of the world especially with the leaves turning. (For those of you on the east coast our leaves are just now turning.)
I digress on multiple levels.
My husband is an obsessive “car guy.” Most girls turn up their noses at the thought of going to car museums. I however, really enjoy them. My first car as a kid was a 1965 Mustang and my family growing up has owned an embarrassingly large number of old and interesting cars. (My husband and I bought our current house based on the number of garage spaces…or at least that’s what my husband will tell you.) This love of cars coupled with the opportunity to snap some photos of something interesting situated in museum lighting always makes me happy.
The Blackhawk had a reasonably small collection many being concept cars or highly unusual. If you haven’t already noticed I can’t just take a photo of a car. I have to try and shoot for interesting angles or details. I hope you enjoy them.
* I have had the pleasure of visiting a few awesome car museums and have taken some pretty interesting photos. Click here for posts on LeMans in France, Nascar museum in Charlotte, Hot August Nights in Reno, National Auto Museum in Reno, and the LeMay Car Museum in Seattle.
Pretty round lines on this car
Car built for royalty or so it would seem
Futuristic bubble roof anyone?
Not even sure what is happening with these lines but kudos to the designer to convinced someone to go with it…
An exercise in aerodynamics
The batmobile seems somewhat less interesting all of a sudden
Tell me this car isn’t winking at me? Flirty little thing.
I am often too lazy to remove my closeup lens so this is what I get…
For those Americans reading this…that is a DODGE!
Look at the curves on this beautiful thing
Love the angles
Whoever thought it would be a good idea to start making ornate hood ornaments I thank you. I never grow tired of photographing them even though I must have hundreds of them already…
Woah
Grillage
It’s hard to see this paint scheme and not think of Herbie the love big. Blasphemous, I know.
Ford’s answer to European dominance.
I often think at night these cars come alive and start talking to each other like they are on the Disney cartoon Cars. Tell me this one doesn’t have a face and personality?
Apple Hill is an institution in Northern California. My relatives are from the area so I went to Apple Hill religiously growing up. So, as soon as the weather starts to turn, my mind immediately goes to a visit to Apple Hill for Apple Donuts and Apple Cider.
Situated in the Sierra Foothills near Placerville, California Apple Hill started as a place perfectly situated to grow apples. Well, most apple farms create small bake shops to cater to the people coming up for boxes of apples. Like most things these days it has now blossomed in to more. (Wineries, breweries, fishing holes, xmas trees, pumpkin patches, and more.)
While things keep changing one things remains the same. Folks, may I introduce you to the one the only, Apple Donut. Enjoy warm fresh out of the oven or cool on your day drive to leaf peep. Whatever your preference ensure you stop in for a spell.
Is it just me or is this an insane amount of donuts?
Caramel apple anyone?
Pretty aren’t they?
This cracks me up to think about. But, I actually have two previous posts about donuts. Click here to see posts on Voodoo Donut in Portland and Maui Donuts! I’m going on a diet!
Where’s Quincy? It is well off the beaten path my friends. Weekend before last we went for a drive along the Feather River and wound up in Quincy. It was a lovely drive along a steep river path to a secluded mountain town. It was here I had the most delightful hot chocolate and biscuit from Carey Candy Co. I am so enamored by this treat I felt I must share it.
It is raining in Sacramento for the first time in what feels like years so I am feeling like a nice cup of hot chocolate!
My Huz and I went to San Francisco for a concert recently. Like usual we always take any opportunity to visit the city as a chance to explore some portion of it we haven’t explored before. So this time we parked the car at the concert venue and Uber-ed over to China Town. (Doesn’t that sound hip!?) I have driven through China Town plenty of times. But, we had never taken the opportunity to walk around and explore the shops and people watch before.
A few highlights for me were the street art, the grocers with stores full of unidentifiable food stuffs, the junk shops full of crazy stuff you can’t live without, and the locals gambling publicly in the parks.
The south entrance to China Town
Locals gambling very seriously out in the open air park
Lots of interesting street art around
Old signage still proudly stands
I honestly didn’t know what most of the stuff for sale was but it was still interesting to look at
$268 per pound? Woah.
Chop sticks anyone?
I was fortunate enough to attend a Safari West Photography Expedition Workshop. I am pretty sure you could see the smile plastered on my face from space. I spent last weekend with full access to all of the glorious animals lovingly cared for at the 400 acre Safari West Zoo in Santa Rosa, California.
The program was an instructional workshop on wildlife photography. We were taken out all over the huge property for viewings of all of the animal specimens they have on site. We were provided up close and personal access to the smaller animals and birds even able to enter in to some enclosures.
I spent the night in an awesome tent cabin which enabled me to listen to all sorts of “whoop whoop,” growls, beeps, and bumps in the night. The cabins were incredibly comfortable and can be rented allowing visitors overnight access to the facility.
“Base Camp” provided a wonderful BBQ style dinner and lunch for overnight visitors. And believe it or not they have spectacular collections of wine and craft beers. (They even provide a beer tasting safari tour for groups! Sign up now!)
Visitors can walk amongst the animals while waiting for their scheduled three hour jeep tour. On the tour or on foot one can enjoy Flamingoes, Cheetah, Giraffe, Rhino, Zebra, Ostrich, Antelope, Crane, Guinea Fowl, Hornbill, Ibis, Malayan Great Argus Pheasant, Spoonbill, Tortoise, Hyenas, Blue Duiker, Bongo, Cape Buffalo, Gazelle, Kudu, Impala, Hogs, Watusi Cattle, Wildebeest, Macaw, Colobus Monkey, and Lemurs. (Say that three times fast!) And those are just some of the animals I saw!
I can only hope that you get a fraction of the enjoyment from these photos as I had in taking them. What a spectacular treat it was to be so close to these animals and to observe how magnificent they really are. Kudos to Safari West for taking such fantastic care of the animals and for sharing them with the rest of us in a top notch way.
I mean seriously? Look at this bird?
Is this not the prettiest little face?
Flamingo from a different angle
Giraffe are the sweetest most awkward creatures
The Rhino were running around like they were on a sugar high while I was there. What a treat it was to see them active.
This ostrich was trying to tell me something? What do you think she was trying to say?
Sweet little moment between mama and baby Zebra
Gloriously beautiful Cheetah
This guy just looks smart doesn’t he?
back side of a pheasant showing his colors.
Hyena but he wasn’t laughing
Look at the colors on this guy’s face!
The color on this Ibis is spectacular
Woah. Nice Bill.
This bird looks like the back of a bald old man.
For more information on Safari West please click here.
For more posts on other Zoos or animals I have visited or photographed I would be honored if you would click here…
Bulldog Travels / Photos By Jenny 
