A Drive to Remember

     Maybe it is because I was born, raised, and continue to live in Indiana (not known for its rugged varying terrain or coastlines), or maybe it is just an internal "in awe"' factor I have for the magnificent mountains, oceans, and vast skies other states boast.  Whatever it is, I am always thrilled for an opportunity to visit these other places.  This was the case last week as we landed in Eugene, Oregon, jumped in a rental car and headed west to experience all the scenic wonders the Pacific Coastline Highway has to offer all the way to San Francisco, our final destination before returning home.

Salt Lake City

Three Sisters

Cougar Dam and Reservoir

                         I always choose a window seat so if the weather allows, I can see our great nation from a birds eye view.  Geography may not have been my fifth grade strength, but I love picking out land marks from the air.  Salt Lake City and the great Salt Lake spanning the background was the first shot of the day. Then as we got closer to Eugene, the Oregon Cascade's Three Sisters peaks were right below, with Mt. Washington, Jack, and Jefferson seen peaking through the clouds to the north.  Magnificent mountains.  My heart soars.

Our first stop was the Bandon Dune Golf Resort located on the coast.  What a spectacular location.  While not making a tee time mystified the staff, our plans included enjoying their property and hiking their wonderful trails out to the dunes and the ocean.  This was the first sunset of many along the coast that I felt mandated to photograph (with my iPhone, not my Nikon this trip) due to the sheer beauty they provided.

Soaking in the vast beauty of the dunes against eh clear blue skies

A peak through the trees to the coast

     After enjoying the dynamic sand dunes, our scenic drive continued through forested coastlines with magnificent redwood trees towering hundreds of feet above us.  The photos can not begin the capture the breadth of these great trees.
     As we continued our drive, we stayed in Eureka, California (the only "sore" spot of the trip according to Kevie), then continued south zooming in and out of the State Parks and National Forests along the Shoreline Highway of northern California.  We did have to make several obligatory stops at "Roadside America" type places such as Paul Bunyan's "Trees of Mystery," and the famous "Chandler Drive Through Tree."  While probably over-rated compared to the sheer beauty of the scenic drive, they did offer a place to stretch our legs and to interact with some of our fellow tourists...always good for a few laughs (for both them and us!)

Not a bad place to make a few work calls.

Lady Bird Johnson Redwood Grove

 Just south of Fort Bragg, we made our next stop over in Mendocino, California.  We were fortunate to find The Brewery Gulch Inn

which provided us not only lovely accommodations close to town and spectacular views, but scrumptious eats as well.  The quaint town of Mendocino has a rugged coastline with sea stacks and rock shelves making a perfect backdrop to the artsy shops, charming architecture, and gorgeous flowers found around every corner.

We made our way to the Mendocino Hedlands State Park to watch the sunset.  With the waves crashing against the massive rocks far below where we were standing, Kevin got a bit nervous, while I was energized by the magnitude of the ocean's forces at work against the coast.  It truly is awe inspiring!

The Point Cabrillo Light Station was on a point just north of town, and we enjoyed the hike out to it.  Again, the magnificence of what I was experiencing can not begin to be conveyed through my iPhone camera lens. But I sure tried to capture it for all of our viewing pleasure.

Point Cabrillo Light Station

 The next day we left the coast for additional Redwood Forests and winding mountaintop roads leading to the dry and vast Sonoma wine country.  We continued south, had lunch in the bright and happening bay front town of Sausalito, drove across the always grand Golden Gate Bridge, and on into San Francisco, where once again, I happily photographed the sunset.

I couldn't resist one more shot from my window seat during take-off as we passed over the bay bridge and the peninsula just after sun rise.  A fitting end to our picturesque adventure!