Exploring around Northern California–snapshots from my adventures.
Friday, September 3, 2010
Posted by Karen on 08-May-2010
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Springtime in the valley. Tersha and I took her mom, Marie and niece, Brianna, to “Bring-a-Friend” day at Bonfante Gilroy Gardens. After a nice lunch in Gilroy, we went to the park and enjoyed all the beautiful flowers on this lovely spring day. We had a fun afternoon and a crazy hat show to boot. :D
Posted by Karen on 23-Apr-2010
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This weekend took me back to the Castles & Kites Celebration in Bodega Bay. I met up with Tersha, Vic and Brianna at the campsites on the beach at Doran Regional Park. Funny it was at this festival last year that Tersha debuted her new popup trailer and this year she’s debuting an even better new one and I’ve now got a trailer now too… my how things change in a year. Friday was a lazy day spent hanging around camp, chatting, playing games and watching wind surfers learn to windsurf in the harbor (where the water is only a foot or so deep at low tide). Saturday morning before the festival, we took a walk along the beach and I enjoyed photographing some sand textures. It was much windier this year than last, and it didn’t seem that as many kites were being flown as last year, but it was still a nice and relaxing weekend. At the end of the afternoon, while the wind may have been a bit much for kites, it was just right for a guy kite surfing in the bay. Definitely coming back again, I really do enjoy this weekend.
Posted by Karen on 13-Mar-2010
(Click photo for all 19 photos)
This afternoon, I took a drive out to Rancho Seco to visit with Tersha and Vic and to see their new trailer in their favorite camping spot. This was my first visit to the decommissioned nuclear power plant and the recreation area they’ve converted it to. While the towers still stand, and probably will for many more years, they’ve not been active since we voted the plant closed in 1989. Sacramento Municipal Utility District (SMUD) operates a large solar farm and a natural gas plant out there now. The park area is very nice, there is a large lake where people were wind surfing and enjoying a fishing contest. There is also a trail through a wetland area that should be full of flowers here soon, but not yet.
Posted by Karen on 24-Dec-2009
(Click photo for all 170 photos)
I had a wonderful and relaxing Christmas weekend at Bodega Bay with Tersha and Vic. They invited me the spend it with them at the beach in their trailer and I’ve decided that is a great way to camp! Christmas Eve, we arrived at the Bodega Bay RV Park and set up house for the weekend. Next door to the RV park is the Bell Memorial, which commemorates the generosity Nicholas Green‘s family for donating his organs in Italy during an untimely tragedy. In 1994, while vacationing in Italy, Nicholas was shot and killed by highway robbers. His family donated his organs to seven Italian recipients and it helped spur the virtually non-existent organ donation program in Italy and is known as the Nicholas Effect. The memorial contains bells from all over Italy and one large bell which was blessed by the Pope. Donna, a coworker from EDS, and her husband Gary, arrived at the RV park and parked next door, so more friends to visit with. Christmas morning, we walked a couple miles through Sonoma Coast State Park to the beach and enjoyed the solitude of a beach shared only with birds (and one state ranger). After a nice day spent relaxing and talking and getting to know the other RVers, we drove to one of the many lookout spots and enjoyed the sunset over the ocean. On Boxing Day, we took a ride over to the Armstrong Redwoods State Natural Reserve for Tersha’s big tree fix. After a few stops at beaches, we turned inland and followed the Russian River to the tall trees near Guerneville. Walking through old growth forest is always relaxing and peaceful, even if you’re being slightly rained upon. After a nice dinner at the Sandpiper Restaurant, it sure was nice to have a dry and warm trailer to retire to! Can you tell how much I liked camping in a trailer? After packing up Sunday morning, we had a leisurely breakfast at the Tides Wharf Restaurant and then headed back home.
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