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We are staying at the Coast Guard Training Center in Petaluma. There are only 6 sites, each one generously sized and spaced out around a semi circle. We look out our back window at a lake surrounded by a walking path. We’ve taken several walks, there are walking/running paths all over the place. There is a lot of wildlife here: wild turkeys, deer, hawks, kingfishers, and more, supported by the many fields and unmown areas on the base. They’ve created a wildlife sanctuary intentionally or not.

Here the House Finch is hovering waiting for this leaky faucet to drip.

The area around the lake is thick with vegetation with yellow flowers. We discovered bullfrogs are using it for their habitat.

(We think: our bird identifier app isn’t working right now.)

Vic used the speaker and a bird call app to bring the bluebird in closer.

Can you believe the variety of wildlife here? Also do you love this scenery? The area surrounding the base is farming countryside, so enjoyable to look at cows and horses and fields of hay.

This is a famous drive that follows the Pebble Beach golf course for a while and then follows the rocky coastline, meandering through neighborhoods of multimillion dollar homes. At times you can’t decide whether to look at the stunning homes or look at the stunning scenery.

One of the landmarks is Bird Rock. The sea lions and sea otters are numerous, as well as loads of birds. The fog was thick the day we did this drive so we sat and waited quite a while for the fog to lift so we could get photos of the wildlife.

While we waited Zoe and I walked along the foot path and found stairs down to the beach. The piles of seaweed were enormous. It wasn’t the kind of beach that you would bring a blanket and lay out. It smelled yucky from all the seaweed and the shoreline is rocky with huge boulders. There are signs everywhere warning people to stay off the rocks in case the ocean decides to throw up some giant waves.

This tree is 250 years old and probably the most photographed tree in the world.

Those are the highlights. If we hadn’t been fighting the weather … the fog kept lifting and then getting heavy and did that until late in the afternoon.

We stopped at the ORD Commissary on the way home. The army base is not there anymore, just the commissary. Unexpectedly it was extremely well stocked (even had sushi!) and the prices were incredibly good.

Tomorrow we leave for Petaluma Coast Guard Station. We have had a wonderful time here. There is much to see and do in this area and the weather has been fantastic.

Most days we stop at Moss Landing. The sea otters are a big draw but there is other wildlife. There is a marina so tons of boats. Kayaks are available for rent too. There are giant sand dunes, if you are ambitious you can walk up the path provided and see the ocean on the other side.

The following are from our Friday trip into Monterey Bay

We started the day early with a ride into Monterey Bay. We were so early very little was open haha. We shared a cinnamon bun and a coffee at a little shop. We did a lot of walking around, checking out the shops as they opened up.

Everywhere we looked there were flowers. Pots along the street, little landscaped areas, or just randomly growing everywhere.

Then we went over to Fisherman’s Wharf, browsed the tables of goods and watched the sea lions for a while. We sat and ate clam chowder bread bowls (memorable!).

We took a break at home then went to the Watsonville Farmers Market, held every Friday at 2 pm. You have never seen a market to rival this one. Holy Cow. Food stands, flower stands, fruit stands – the smells were mouth watering. The produce and flowers were so beautiful they could have been photographed for a magazine. This is a big agriculture area so everything was locally grown. the market stalls lined two sides of a city plaza / park. They even had a bouncy house set up for the kids.

Some stuff we’ve seen during the past week.

We haven’t been to Cannery Row yet or gotten clam chowder at the Wharf so that’s on the schedule for tomorrow. The clam chowder comes in a bread bowl, yum!

We spent the day enjoying Monterey starting with the Wharf where Sea Lions sun themselves on the rocks and play in the water.

Then we walked up and down the Wharf and decided to have breakfast overlooking the water.

I looked out the window overlooking the marina and saw this pelican.

Towards the end of our meal a woman was seated at the table behind us. We had seen her before we came in, sleeping on a bench. She had a walker with her with a couple of grocery bags in it. Nothing over the top but she looked obviously homeless. Vic started talking to her. What’s your name, where do you live etc. she was talkative until he asked her where she slept. She did not like that he asked that question.

I wanted to know how she was going to pay for the meal – she ordered the works with a Bloody Mary. Entrees were almost $30.

After breakfast we had a fun walk on a walking/biking path next to the beach. Zoe was so tired from all the visual stimulation and walking I had to carry her to the truck.

It was perfect weather – blue skies and low 70’s.

Diesel is expensive $5.09 but worth it to be here.

We are staying at a city park called Pinto Lake. It’s extremely well maintained and landscaped with a softball field, basketball court, areas for family get togethers (yesterday there was an under 5 yo party with a bouncy house, bubble machine.

There is also a marina and a boat launch. We are in between Moss Landing and Monterey, CA. Great location.

Things I don’t like about this place: geese have taken over the marina area. They are disgusting.

We had to park in a full hook space since there is no area for dry camping. It’s $45 a night which isn’t outrageous especially when other places are much more, up to $200 a night.

The worst feature of this place is the sites are only 15 feet wide. The next camper is so close we can’t put our awning out. We are already plotting our escape. There’s an Elks Lodge nearby that has a big parking lot. We will move there as soon as our paid time here is over.

Yesterday we went to Moss Landing where there are sea otters and sea lions. People go fishing there.

The best part of where we are is the temperature. High today will be 73 and stay like this all week. We plan to hug the coastline all the way up to Oregon/Washington and stay cool.

Happy Father’s Day to all the Dads out there!

This is an Army base. There doesn’t seem to be a lot of personnel here and the ones we’ve seen are mostly doing drills. Many buildings are in disrepair, even saw one where it had a fire and half the roof is caved in. It looks like they have no budget for repairs. Lots of weeds too. There’s a decent laundromat with snack machines and a machine that dispenses coffee and expresso. There is an Exchange about the same size as the laundromat and no Commissary at all. It’s a very strange place.

We planned on staying 3 days, see Hearst Castle, then go on to Monterey.

Vic started coughing on our way here on Friday. By yesterday, Saturday he felt worse. The Covid test showed positive almost as soon as he started the test. I tested too and I’m negative.

We spent the afternoon getting diagnosed and then trying to find a drugstore that had the test in stock.

He’s been taking Paxlovid and benedryl for 18 hours and they are helping a lot. Whew! We can’t figure out where he got Covid from – we are so careful using sanitizer etc.

I’m masking up, keeping my distance and spraying Lysol on everything he touches. 🤞 I don’t get it too. By the way I got the last booster but he did not.

We are out of the heat dome – very happy about that!

Stay well!

We are only here for one night. Tomorrow morning we head to Monterey. Can’t get out of here soon enough!!!

May 31, 2024

There are so many lakes around here. We just found this one yesterday, went back to our site in the Inyo Forest, grabbed our stuff and moved over here 2 hours later. We enjoyed the forest, it was a good location for exploring the area, quiet, and we enjoyed the few people we met. However this place has so much more. We are thrilled to be here, it’s just gorgeous.

The lake is 5 miles x 12 miles (a little bigger than the island of St. John, USVI). There is a marina, bait & tackle shop, boats for rent, cabins for rent, trout fishing is the big thing, also perch. Vic has already gotten a pole and some bait and plans to fish from the shore. The fish are so plentiful you can see them jumping out of the water.

We are excited to stay here for several days maybe a week. We never did get around to making a post about the forest, still working on that. I have read the oldest tree in the world was near us in the Inyo Forest but its location is protected. It is called Methuselah and is 5,000 years old. There are tons of ATV trails and I suspect the only way to get near it is on an ATV – if you can find it that is.

Here’s a couple of phone pics of where we are.

The camp host used to build boats. He lives in this half scale boat – it’s the tiniest space, no idea how he manages.

Yosemite is nearby but Tioga Pass – the access point from this side of the Sierra Nevadas – is still closed due to snow. Last year the road didn’t open until July! Maybe we will get lucky and get to see that.

That’s all for now. Stay safe. XO