The twelfth annual Sister Trip (and second Sister Trip + 1) happened this year at The Sea Ranch, an idyllic location on the Pacific Coast about 2 ½ to 3 hours north of San Francisco. It’s a super place to kick back, relax, and enjoy the breathtaking beaches, spectacularly rugged coastline, birds, critters and great sunsets. It is a tiny, environmentally-planned private community stretching for 10 miles along Highway 1 at the northern end of the Sonoma County coast.Our house was located under tall trees that made it look dark. But it really wasn’t. Please click on a photo if you wish to enlarge it. The back side of the house opened up to face the 5th green of the TSR (The Sea Ranch) golf course.We visited Fort Ross, a Russian settlement established in 1812 by Russian explorers, Alaskan Aleut and traders. The last time Jerri and I visited it was when Hwy. 1 went right through the fort. Today, the highway passes by it, thus making it a more authentic place to visit and learn about this segment of California history.California’s first windmill that ground wheat and barley into flour. Docents were tuning it up so they could demonstrate its workings.The little bay at Fort Ross. I think Jerri and Jolee are looking for otters and/or seals.We did find a Pacific harbor seal in another inlet. He was quite far away and that is why he is a bit blurry.Our lunch spot after visiting Ft. Ross. Originally part of a ranch in the mid-1800s, the community became an important part of California’s timber industry, shipping ports, railroads, lumber mills, and railroad tie camps operated out of the settlement.Jolee and Jerri “on the rocks” at TSR Shell BeachA very unique design for TSR non-denominational chapel. It’s small but very serene inside.One of several unique stained-glass windows in the chapel.Of course, TSR has California seagulls. They love to strut on the sand pretending they are just moseying along, when in reality, they’re always on the lookout for a tasty morsel to swipe from another bird or critter.We had never seen sea palms, a type of kelp, before. Here they are on the TSR coast.The deer love TSR. They politely pose for you and then go about their business. They don’t seem at all afraid of humans.A tree tunnel on the Bluff Trail at Sea Ranch. It’s quite fun to walk in.A pretty sunset in Gualala (pronounced Wa-la-la, but becomes Guadelajara on spellcheck). Point Arena lighthouse, the nearest place on the west coast to Hawaii. It was a welcome guide for safe navigation along the rugged Mendocino Coast. It was built in 1870 but destroyed in the 1906 earthquake. It was rebuilt two years later.Pelicans were abundant right next to the lighthouse. I love to watch them fly…especially gliding over wave tops.Arena Mina, Point Arena lighthouse catJolee and Jerri fooling around after trying to play with the cat.Buzzards (technically vultures) were everywhere. It seemed like everywhere we looked, we’d see them gliding and soaring in the wind (also sitting on a fence).Manchester State Beach, a few miles north of the lighthouse. We loved the clouds, but a very strong wind was heralding a rapid change in the weather. It was pouring rain when we visited Fort Bragg, just a few miles up the road. What a difference a day makes in terms of weather and color. This was taken one day later than the lighthouse pictureQueenie at Queenie’s Roadhouse in Elk, CA, a few miles north of the lighthouseIce cream at The Cowlick in Ft. Bragg.Mendocino (aka Cabot Cove, Maine)Mendocino sports many water towers that I found intriguing. Apparently, some are still in use and others have been turned into tourist spots.A sea cave at Mendocino.The Gleesome Threesome with a normal pose.The weather turned very rainy (picture atmospheric river). But wouldn’t you know it? Two intrepid golfers were playing through the rain. A storm doesn’t daunt dedicated golfers.We, on the other hand, stayed in our cozy casa and built a fire…which, of course, Jerri hogged because that’s been her M.O. since she was little. LOL
TSR buzzard in flightThe iguana rockOffshore winds used to be so fun to boogie board in because the spray would blow in your face and sometimes that helped to make the ride better.Since the storm was going to move eastward toward the Sierra Nevada, we elected to go home a day early because of possible problems getting over the mountains and home safely. We spotted this rainbow about an hour south of TSR. It turned out that we did the right thing as the storm hit the Sierra Nevada just about when we would have been going over the mountains.on the way home, we stopped by an old school near Bodega Bay that was the house where the movie, “The Birds” was filmed. We checked it out but couldn’t go inside as it is now a person’s residence.The trip was really fun and we were glad we visited TSR and would like to visit it again some day.
buzzardnotes 