We've been in Mendocino about six weeks now and are still loving it. Both the work and play parts. We continue to learn more about the light station's history on our off time and have begun exploring some of the state parks in the area.
Russian Gulch State Park
A week after arriving, we decided to check out Russian Gulch State Park. The park is only 1.5 miles south of our RV campsite, so it took us not more than 10 minutes to ride our bikes there. The first trail we took, Headlands Trail, was a short walk to a blow hole/sinkhole called the Devil’s Punch Bowl. It wasn't high tide so we didn't see much wave action. We'll have to go back during a high tide. Walking around the blow hole, we continued on a flat, easy trail on the grassy headlands, passed by a bridge towering over a protected beach, and headed back to our bikes.
We then continued down a hill further into the park through the campground to the Fern Canyon Trail. We opted to bike the trail as far as we could to reach the waterfall. Who knew it would be so dangerous? As Anne Marie tore it up on the trail (read: was going too fast), a branch leaped out in front of her. She swerved to avoid getting a stick up her nose and crashed into a bush. She didn't hear a rib crack, but that could be because the sound was drowned out by her scream. Cliff had to lift Anne Marie's bike off of her and help her to her feet or she'd still be laying there.
Being the good soldier, Anne Marie opted to continue on because we had a waterfall to see. The final part of the trail didn't allow bikes, so we parked and hiked the remainder of the way to a gorgeous 35-foot waterfall nestled in among the redwoods.
Five weeks later, the rib is still healing but is not nearly as painful as it was the first few weeks when bending over, getting out of bed, and walking the dogs was groan inducing.
Our First Lens Tour
The first weekend of each month, Point Cabrillo Light Station offers Lens Tours. For a small fee, visitors can climb all three flights of ladders to the top of the light house where the Fresnel lens rotates and shines its light out to sea. Anne Marie was stationed on the second floor and Cliff on the third. Anne Marie's spiel was all about the lighthouse keepers' dusk to dawn duties. Hefting up kerosene up the ladders, lighting the wicks in the lens, and trimming the wicks so the light shined bright and didn't smoke up the glass. Cliff talked about the mechanical and electrical side of things: A 1909 clockwork mechanism outfitted with a cable and weight that the lighthouse keepers wound up every couple of hours to keep the lens turning, and the 1940's electro-mechanical gizmos that made the lighthouse keepers' jobs easier.
The Farmhouse and East House
The Farmhouse
In addition to working at the lighthouse gift shop, we also are docents at the Farmhouse and the East House.
The Farmhouse is located at the entrance of the park and serves as the Visitor Center. There, we greet newly arrived visitors and orient the to the park and walking trails.
The East House
The East house was the 2nd Assistant Light Keeper's House back in the day. We serve as docents in the bottom portion of the house, which is set up as it was in 1934 when electricity was brought into the light station. We talk about what life was like for the lighthouse keepers and their families.
Jug Handle Natural State Preserve
This week, we visited Jug Handle Natural State Preserve and hiked the Jug Handle Ecological Staircase Trail. The 776-acre park is located about three miles north of our RV site in the town of Caspar.
The 2.5-mile trail moves upward through three of the five distinct terraces that make up the Coast Range, each terrace representing roughly 100,000 years of
geologic time. We hiked from the bottom terrace, which is primarily grasses and shrubs to the next terrace, which is dominated by pines and redwood, and finally into some of the oldest soil to a pygmy forest, where trees are dwarfed into miniature versions of their larger selves due to the acidic nature of the soil.
Thankfully for us and future generations, both the Point Cabrillo Light Station and this park were saved in the 1970s from residential and commercial development by concerned citizens. If residents, naturalists, and the California Coastal Conservancy hadn't stepped in, the light station would have been torn down to build a residential neighborhood and Jug Handle state park would have been home to the Jug Handle Inn.
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That’s crash #2. After#3 you have to buy a 3 wheeler.
Glad you both are having fun on the coast.
Ouch!! I hope Anne Marie's rib continues to improve. What a trooper!! I love the pictures, it indeed looks lush and fabulous. As always, I'm excited about your continued learning, exploring, and travels. Have fun!!
God knows how many beautiful parts of the earth have been covered by homes. At least someone objected in this part of the world.
Wow! I’m impressed that you keep getting back on that bike! I’m glad you’re healing nicely, ribs can be tough. Beautiful photos.!
Sorry for the crash Anne Marie! Hope the pain goes away soon. Tell Cliff to take the lead next time.
Love these updates. It’s looks like you’re having a blast, as usual.
Anne Marie, you are one tough mudder. Let’s be careful out there.
Delayed hugs to you both