Today we meandered on back roads heading north. We had to stay away from the coast because the recent torrential rains caused devastating mudslides. Many of the roads remain closed while crews make repairs. Even inland we saw evidence of both mudslides and forest fires. But the day was beautiful and the wildflowers profuse. There were lupins, Indian paint brush, … Read More
Super Bloom Road Trip – Day 3
Still driving inland because many sections of the coast road remain closed due to the recent flooding, we continued to make our way north. Rather than head quickly on the freeway to the coast and towns we’d both been in, we decided to explore back roads. Jeannie had plotted out a route by looking for the curviest roads she could … Read More
Super Bloom Road Trip – Day 4
As is often the case on the California coast, the morning was overcast and misty—very mysterious looking. We continued our journey north, stopping frequently to admire the view and take short walks. It was so windy, short walks were the most I could manage. At lunch time we arrived at Half Moon Bay, an area I know well because a … Read More
Super Bloom Road Trip – Day 5
Today was our first day of remaining within a small area. We drove to Freestone, a short distance from Bodega Bay. Our first stop was at Wildflour for breakfast. When we arrived the queue to buy loaves of bread, scones, cookies, and coffee was long. The line quickly grew behind us. I understand why. The aroma was exceeded only by … Read More
Super Bloom Road Trip – Day 6
Today was a day trip north from Bodega Bay, up Highway 1 – the Pacific Coast Highway through Sonoma County. It was a perfect day—clear, blue skies with visibility for miles. Because it is early in the season, there wasn’t much traffic. Most of the viewpoints had only a few cars parked at them. We stopped often to admire the … Read More
Super Bloom Road Trip – Day 7
The end of this trip is closing in. Today we headed back to San Francisco, my last chance to savor the gorgeous flowers, epic vistas of coastline and verdant rolling hills as well as more seal sightings. Route 1 heading south from Bodega Bay is not for the faint of heart. Not only are the roads narrow, steep, and winding … Read More