West Coast Eclipse Adventure - Day 2 on the California Coast

Klamath River at Dusk

The second leg of our West Coast eclipse adventure started with a walk along the Mendocino bluffs, breakfast in the Mendocino Hotel, and enjoying the view from the hotel balcony.

Then it was time to hit the road.

The next destination - a yurt outside of Orick, California. Some pics along the way...

Once we got to Orick we had another hour or so driving back roads to find the "Otter Space" and the yurt on the Klamath that is our lodging for the night.

Our Yurt...

Outside

Inside

The yurt is clearly based on Time Lord "Tardis-based" technology, as the inside is much larger than the outside.  So far, so good...

Eclipse Adventure Begins

Photo by Sigrid - July 11, 1991

In July 1991 Sigrid and I embarked on one of our first great travel adventures together with a trip to Costa Rica. We rented a car in San Jose, drove to the Monteverde cloud forest for a weeklong stay, and then on to the El Ocatel Hotel for another week on the Pacific Coast.

There we were certified as scuba divers by Mario Vargas on our final checkout dive, and dove the Costa Rica coast with bull sharks.

Then and there - on July 11, we hung out by the hotel and watched our first total eclipse of the sun on the bluff overlooking the Gulf De Papagayos.

 

Yesterday Harlan, Rachel and Jonah arrived from LA on their West Coast college tour and enjoyed a dinner in North Beach.


Today we continue the road trip North with intent of getting in the way of the total eclipse on August 21 in Oregon, where we hope to share the experience with a plethora of relations.

For our first eclipse in Costa Rica, we worried about clouds obscuring the celestial event. We did see clouds as the eclipse began, but they cleared out in time for totality and the picture at the top of the page.

Oregon has a reputation for clouds and fog. We're hoping for the best.

First leg - Mendocino:

First Leg

We had a bit of a late start, but finally hit the road:

Road Trip

Dinner at Trink's in Gualala

First night at the Mendocino Hotel

May the eclipse be with us. Stay tuned...

Mendonoma Coast - Views, Food, Beer, Teslas

I spent a few days trimming trees, clearing underbrush, and cutting a new path into some of the wilder and more neglected corners of our Mendocino property.  Some get nervous when I have a chainsaw in my hands, but no harm, no foul.

I didn't think the ocean swell forecast looked good enough for abalone diving, but there were some pretty good windows of opportunity over the 4 days I was there. Didn't get in the water, but if the forecast holds, will get back north next week. This trip I just enjoyed the views and explored the local environs.

Hummingbird turf war over blooming Century Plant
(I have some video clips of these guys which I hope to get around to posting someday)

 Sunset off the point

Clearing the old spring box cistern

Sea Ranch was my base of operations for the trip. Since T-Mobile no longer lets me roam at Sea Ranch or anywhere in the Mendonoma area, I had to seek out WiFi hot spots to communicate. The Sea Ranch Lodge and several of the local eateries permitted me a maintenance-level dose of social media access and helped me to avoid a cold-turkey withdrawal from my obsessive on-line addiction.

 Grilled oysters at the Gualala Hotel, Angus Burger at the Lodge, Kielbasa at Bones Roadhouse

Prawn Tacos at Carbajal Bar & Grill ( was Cove Azul)

Sign of the Times - A matching pair of white Teslas charging at Sea Ranch Lodge

It is an even better day to dive

Dive Day Two - Again we went in early, shortly after low tide. The swells picked up as the tide came in but good (not perfect) visibility and good (not perfect) conditions. 

Both Zach and I limit out with three apiece. 

Tagging the catch

A couple of nines, a couple of sevens, & a couple in between.

After the traditional Apres Dive beers, it was back to the Ab Shack for lunch....

... and the BLAAT (Bacon, Lettuce, Avacado, Abalone, Tomato)  The finest sandwich know to man. Accompanied by abalone ceviche' and a French Rose'.

Zach has business to attend to, so after lunch he found a faster way home from Sea Ranch.

Checking my calendar, I found it to be clear for the next 30 years or so. Decided to stay the night, rest, recover, and reflect on two fine dives after finally getting back in the water for the first time in 2015.

I'll be back.