Stupid Travel (Driving) question - LA to Monterey

[Not Afraid]

God! I want to get in my car a drive the hell away from here! My Sister used to live in Gualala, CA (which is on the coast at the southern end of Mendicino County). We used to do the 10 hour drive from LB to Gualala in a day but the end result was worth it. Once we got off the 101 in Petaluma (Hi SL), drove through lamb country to Bodega Bay life became incredibly good.

One trip we stopped in Berkely, then Gualala then continued along the coast to Trinidad to stay in some lovely little cottages. That was a GREAT trip!

I've always been fascinated by the Lost Coast of California. One day, I will go exploring there.

[MouseWife]

Originally Posted by Not Afraid

God! I want to get in my car a drive the hell away from here!...Once we got off the 101 in Petaluma (Hi SL), drove through lamb country to Bodega Bay life became incredibly good.

I've always been fascinated by the Lost Coast of California. One day, I will go exploring there.

Okay, what can you tell me about Bodega Bay? We only stopped for gas there and I couldn't figure out what to do in the brief time we had except look around as we drove away.

Ah, there was so much that we passed. That is why I'd love to take even more time, next time. To stop at the darn Bigfoot store {I will buy one of those wooden statues}, do all of those funky little side of the road museums, etc. We did a little but there was so much more.

http://i149.photobucket.com/albums/s...e/P9260143.jpg

This was cute. The big Paul Bunyun spoke. He talked to me as I was leaving and even winked at me. That cracked me the heck up.

[Alex]

Many times in the area but I don't think I've ever actually stopped in Bodega Bay (setting for Hitchcock's The Birds). However, the nearby miniscule burg of Bodega has a biker bar (easy to find as it is one of only about four buildings "downtown") that on Saturdays served grilled oysters out on the patio. I don't eat bivalves but Lani assures me that are wonderful.

In honor of another random mention. My photo of our magnet from the Bigfoot store.

[MouseWife]

Hey! Yes, we drove right past that. For some reason, time wise, we couldn't stop. But, we did take time a short way past that to stop and look at some {gak!} I can't remember darn it, deer looking creatures.

Ah, I'll skip the bar. We usually have a minor with us.

But, I did want to stop there. I do remember it from 'The Birds'. I thought you could visit the school and that maybe there is a B&B? Just from the road I couldn't see anything {except the backside of everything or the bay and boats}.

[Alex]

The patio is kid accessible.

If the deer-like animal was down by the Bigfoot store then I think it was probably just a deer. But if you were farther north, say around Redwoods National Park (north of Eureka) they may have been Roosevelt elk. They have a couple good sized herds up there and they're frequently right off the road.

[MouseWife]

Originally Posted by Alex Stroup

The patio is kid accessible.

If the deer-like animal was down by the Bigfoot store then I think it was probably just a deer. But if you were farther north, say around Redwoods National Park (north of Eureka) they may have been Roosevelt elk. They have a couple good sized herds up there and they're frequently right off the road.

Um...yes, it was elk. Thank you. I swear, how I forget such simple things....

There were a bunch of them in what I took for a dry creek/river bed. Two males were going at it, ramming one another. AND lovely were the raspberries growing wild along the highway.

Snowflake, the description of the artists' cottage is lovely.

[Snowflake]

Originally Posted by Not Afraid

God! I want to get in my car a drive the hell away from here! My Sister used to live in Gualala, CA (which is on the coast at the southern end of Mendicino County). We used to do the 10 hour drive from LB to Gualala in a day but the end result was worth it. Once we got off the 101 in Petaluma (Hi SL), drove through lamb country to Bodega Bay life became incredibly good.

One trip we stopped in Berkely, then Gualala then continued along the coast to Trinidad to stay in some lovely little cottages. That was a GREAT trip!

I've always been fascinated by the Lost Coast of California. One day, I will go exploring there.

I'm with you, I had a painter friend from the East Coast who used to come out every spring to paint and would stay for months. She rented a cottage and it was foggy, mysterious, beautiful and untocuhed, I've not been up there in far too many years. Alas, she has since passed on and I don't know what happened to her art, she always promised me one.