Florence here I come

Monday 8 June

Newport is bustling when I finally get started, I still need to find a store that will sell me a cord for my camera battery charger so I set out looking for a computer shop. Just by luck I spot a secondhand computer junkyard in a side street and finally get the resident geek to put down his spliff and float over to the door to open up. He crawls through his pile of cords to no avail until I suggest to him that is is most likely to be printer power cord. Light appears from behind his slightly ajar eyelids and he agrees. In no time at all I am the proud owner of a charger cord with an American plug. I tuck into a short stack of buckwheat pancakes with maple syrup and pecans for breakfast (note to self, eat better). These are very, very good pancakes which makes up for the 'coffee'.

All fuelled up I set out for Florence, at last I am heading south towards my intended final destination, wherever that may be. My first task is to negotiate the long Yequina Bay Bridge. This is no mean feat. Typical of Oregon's regard for cyclists there is a push button at the beginning of the bridge which sets a swag of flashing lights ablaze to warn motorists that there is a cyclist on the bridge. All the way across I wonder if the lights are still flashing but I survive and after leaving the bridge I wave merrily at the long line of traffic I have collected and get several waves and 'Hi's' as they pass me.

There are a couple of steep climbs today but the first part of the day to Yachats is a bit of a doddle. I cycle mostly in sight of the coast and the scenery is spectacular, huge rugged cliffs and sea stacks way out to sea but mostly along the coast. Yaquina Bay was the first landfall in this neck of the woods for our very own Captian James Cook who called the place Cape Foulweather. He was obviously not happy with the weather or the place so didn't stay long enough to find the Bay.

Seal Rocks is spectacular and remarkable for the fact that there are no seals here nor are there very often, if ever. The birds, however, love the spot and return en masse every year to nest and raise their young as do the Oregon RV's. The coast is starting to get rugged again after many miles of long beaches and flat dunes. Waldport and Alsea Bay appear just in time for lunch. The Alsea Bay bridge is incredible and just one of many wonderful bridges I will cross over. There are so many bays and ravines on the coast that the bridge makers were kept at it full time.

This bridge was long and a bit scary because there was no edge to ride on. The traffic was, again, very patient and stayed behind me at a lesurely 25 kph whih probably doesn't even register on a mph speedo. Yachats is next and the chance for a breather before the first big hill of the coastal run. Well it looks big on the map profile but it was not bad so perhaps I shouldn't have had that extra doughnut.

Heceta Head is famous for its lighthouse and is truly a beautiful spot. I rode the 300 metres down to the beach but the walk was a bit too far and I was running out of time again. I think I worry too much about leaving the bike out of sight.

Today's little bit of excitement is a tunnel through a massive headland that seems to go up forever into the ever present ceiling of fog. The approach to the tunnel is over a bridge just after Heceta Head. The bridge is an engineering marvel and the tunnel, although short is very narrow. There is a push button at the beginning of the tunnel that, when pushed, sets flashing lights going that warn motorists that there is a cyclist in the tunnel. This is comforting and to my surprise the cars and RVs behind me stay there patiently until I emerge from the other side. I wave thanks and usually get a wave in return. This is a major highway but nobody seems to be in a major hurry to get anywhere, even the mullets in their huge utes (pek urps. I actually saw one with a double gun rack in the rear of the cabin - I smiled but kept my head down).

Next stop Florence after a very pleasant day in the saddle. Florence is a a fairly big town but the camp grounds are all about RVs so my tent stays packed up for another night but I find a motel with a huge room and a very hot shower. The Silver Sands Motel has a huge king sized bed and a massive bathroom at less than a third of the price of the Best Western just up the road. All the moteliers along the way are happy for me to put my bike in the room so this is a relief.

I take a long walk around the town and eventually settle in for dinner at a hamburger joint near the motel. I have long learned that one doesn't just order a hamburger with the lot. For a start, nobody does pineapple on a hamburger. So it goes like this:

'I will have a cheeseburger with bacon please.'

'(stunned look) Um, what sort of bun, whole-meal, rye, play dough, wheat ... ?'

'Rye please'

'Rare or well done?'

'(I assume that we have moved on to the meat) Rare please'

'What dressing would you like with that?'

'What are my options?'

'Italianmustardmayochiliketchup ...?'

'The first one (whatever it was)?'

'Cheese?'

'Yes please (isn't that normal with a cheeseburger)'

'(rolls eyes) What kand o cheese sirrrrr?'

'What have you got?'

'American Pepperjack, American Blue, American, American Brie, American ...'

'Blue oh wow, definitely blue'

'You want fraas (I stifle a chortle remembering one of those irreverent blond jokes)'

'No thanks'

'etc ... '

By the time I have finished my order I realise that I should have ordered a beer first to help with the ordering process and also it is now almost time for breakfast.

Anyway the beer was great and the well done hamburger excellent even the chips that I didn't want were an unexpected treat. I left the 25 different little sachets of sauces on side of the table though.

Well it is time for bed. Bye.

Bikely route map for the day - http://www.bikely.com/maps/bike-path/318424

Corvallis to Newport.

Sunday 7 June

Well yesterday was a nice easy one and I arrived refreshed - sort of. Corvallis is a beautiful town so I spent a bit of time looking around - ok so I got lost going to find breakfast. My saviour was a fellow being taken for a walk by a couple of big dogs he was interested in the bike but I think the dogs wanted to pee on it. When I finally found a place for breakfast I had a cup of coffee and and a bagel to prepare me for the ride to Blogdett where I planned to stop for lunch. As I left the shop a bloke dressed like Cat Weasel came over and started to chat, he then started to look solemn and said, 'I am going to ask you something, and I usually get what I ask for', (another solemn look), 'I am gong to ask you to pray with me'. OMG why do I attract these weirdos? To cut is short I explained that I had done most of my praying when I was a kid and the only time I spend on my knees now is when I have a puncture. I explained the 6 years as an altar boy bit and the going to mass 6 days a week thing, patted him on the shoulder and bade him fare well. I was out of there likety split.

There is a covered bridge just out of town at Irish Bend so I head out that way for a look because I have never seen a covered bridge before. Why do they cover them? Perhaps to keep the rain off the river. Anyway the route to the bridge is through the University of Oregon campus which is very spectacular with many old trees and beautiful buldings. 

The bridge is no longer a bridge in as much as it no longer spans water; it did once but it has been moved to dry land and has been restored. It is quite wonderful so it was worth the side trip. I ride off through pasture three feet high in which only the tops of the cows are visible. I am sure there are sheep in there somewhere unless cows now speak sheep. Occasionally squirrels scamper across the road and I have seen my first live raccoon.

I reach the Corvallis-Philomath Road and head West to the sea. This is still strange because all my life the coast has been to the East, still this is America and all things are different. Some of you Sand Gropers will disagree but ... . I am lulled into believing that this is going to be an easy day because the first 30 k's is nice and flat but there is a fair bit of traffic. Philomath quickly disappears into my mirror and then I am confronted by THE MOUNTAIN. This climb is a shock to both me and the bike but we soldier on for nearly 5 k's of grinding the lower gears and finally, reality restored I reach the top - is that snow over there - nope. Suffering from thigh failure and oxygen deprivation I collapse to the road and drink a gallon of water.

At Philomath there is a road tributary and we have picked up more traffic. Most of this is RV's For those not familiar with an RV it is the result of someone jacking up their house, putting 60 pairs of wheels under it, a tow bar and finally adding a mack truck to the front to haul this lot along the road. There is a never-ending procession of these behemoths and the noise is frightful, makes me wish that I was deaf. When I reach Blogdett after three of these hills and half of the houses in San Francisco on wheels, I am ready for some food and a bottle of valium.

The food comes in the form of some really good home made, southern fried, chicken strips and the valium in the guise of a bottle of Dr Pepper (I think I am getting to like this stuff). As I sit outside on a lovely soft log and think about what time the bus arrives. My bike is a bit of a curiosity and people are constantly stopping to chat. As I sit on my soft log a fellow comes over to talk about the bike and my trip. He is a cyclist, a local and familiar with the roads around her so he is both impressed and astounded that I am riding the highway. He points at a  T-junction over the road and tells me that the road is a great cycling route (pronounced raute in these parts). The sign post directs me to a town called Summit so I am not convinced but the Dr Pepper has kicked in and I head off (after sneaking inside and asking the storeowner if I should take the Summit Road) doubting Thomas that I am, still I head up to Summit.

Great choice, the road is a long but gentle slope with a disused railway line snaking in and out of the woods beside me. The surface of the road is like the top of a billiard table and I get up to nearly 70kph till I woos out.

Trees everywhere including ovehead, I am in a tunnel of oak, elm and ash trees. The road is winding and narrow but that is fine I only saw two vehicles in nearly ten miles. Soon I am on a long curvy downhill run hitting 60 kph and a bit slower on the curves. Woo hoooooo! The trailer follows faithfully; I hardly know it is there. Soon I level out for another ten miles or so through gently undulating pasture land dotted with contented cows, many  hued sheep and storybook farm houses.

Oops! The bitumen has suddenly disappeared and I am on a very rough gravel road that seems to be pointing more towards the sky at each turn of the pedal. I think I can, I think I can etc until suddenly I cant. The road is just not navigable the back wheel spins in the one spot so I decide that my pride wont be hurt if I get off, actually I had no choice in the end, we simply weren't going anywhere. What Have I got myself into? Shortly, the only way I could push the bike was - heave - apply breaks - step forward - heave - apply brakes, well I guess you get the picture. This went on for about a mile (that's 1.6k's in the new money) until I come to the top. I stop and rest, consume half my daily ration of M&M's and a bottle of water. I am in deep 'raccoon doo' here, if this continues I am going to have to find a flat spot and pitch my tent because the shadows begin to noticeably lengthen.

The road improves on the down side and to my great relief the sealed road reappears, I am on a roll. My reward for struggling up the gravel strewn precipice (expletives deleted) is 42 ks of gentle downhill with the occasional rise to keep the boilers steaming. The three k downhill levels out to a beautiful verdant landscape with massive hills either side and I meander beside a the Siletz River for many miles. The scenery is just so beautiful and I get to talk to the cows and sheep with the occasional short chat with a squirrel. Those little buggers move so fast.

Anvil Farm is a real treat, the farmer is also a steel sculptor and blacksmith of some note and his fences, buildings and yards are works of art. I start to notice how many flowers there are in bloom including Azaleas and Rhododendrons. The Azalea is apparently a member of the Rhodie family and the ones that I see here are native to this part of the US. Watever - there are many shades ranging from bright magenta to white and a hundred different variegated varieties. Perhaps it is a variation of cabin fever but I am now talking to myself here perhaps it is time to head for home.

Silenz is remarkable unremarkable with shabby buildings most without windows but there is a store there, the first since Blodgett many miles ago so I scoff down someting that looks like a chiko roll and tastes even worse but it is fuel. At Toledo I am sucked into the never-ending stream of RV's and massive utes (pick ups) that I left 4 hours ago on route 20. Whoa, there is yet another hill to climb before I get to Newport so down the gears till I can go no further and I grind my way to the top; I swear that someone has put some bricks into the trailer while I was chatting to myself way back along the road. Just before I enter the Stratospere the road levels out and before me is Newport and the Pacific Ocean, my first view of it since coming to the US.

The town is long bustling like any costal town during a holiday period. It also seems to have ingested a majority of the RV's that passed me during the day. These things nest in various places and bristle TV and Satellite antennae. The residents sit inside in fully upholstered splendour watching their 60 inch plasma tellies. Ah camping - it must be so good to be close to nature.

After settling in to my motel room I spend two fruitless hours and 6ks of walking looking for a cord for my camera charger until I finally give up and search for food. The time is 11pm and I really don't hold out much hope but I find a diner just next to the motel and it is still nearly full of happy diners so I claim a seat at the bar. At dinner I begin my affair with clam chowder. This is a totally delicious way to start a meal and just about every place, so I was to discover, has it on the menu at around $3 a cup with crackers or bread. There are a million different hamburgers on the menu but a burger with lashings of Danish Blue cheese is my choice. My choice of sauces is - ketchup, mustard or (would you believe) maple syrup. I pass on the sauce but I do have a Sierra Nevada pale ale and a glass of local Zinfandel to wash the lot down.

106ks and 14oo metres of climbing today so I guess I am a ready for bed. Night!

http://www.bikely.com/maps/bike-path/Day-3-Corvallis-to-Newport316572

Eugene to Corvallis on my brand spanking new Air Glide

Saturday 6 June

The first of a string of late starts as I linger over an excellent motel breakfast and several cups of excellent coffee. I secret away two bananas and a muffin for later and sneak back to my room where I pack up and head out to the bike shop - I forgot to buy a tool bag.

The weather is dark and heavy, there is no rain but that is not for want of trying. The clouds are dark and forbidding. The weather holds out though and Huey only guides a small misty fall my way durning the whole day.

Getting out of Eugene is a challenge because north is still south and west is not where it should be but I finally get out the instructions, aka map, and turn it around the right way. I reach the Willamette River and onto a superb bike path through green parkland with huge Oak and Ash trees. I startle several squirrels and a chipmunk and get attacked by a mothering duck with her brood. After several kilometres of this I am back on the road out of town and headed towards the town of Century City. It seems that any collection of two or more habitable buildings is called a city in the US. There are no towns and every town has a sign beginning with The biggest.... the tallest ... , the smallest ... in the world etc etc.

I see a sign advertising a pest control business where the bug of the month is the flea. Just up the road there is a cafe where the milkshake of the month is the peanut butter and maple syrup shake (truly), followed by the phone of the month at a mobile phone shop. Not far along I came across Mister Rooter ... ! Apparently Mr Rooter is a mobile service for removing subterranean vegetable matter from ones plumbing and I can tell you that I am relieved that he has no monthly special. 

Soon I exit the industrial area and hit the open road to and into a rural landscape straight out of a children's story book. Row upon row of strawberry plants placed in mathematical array. Corn, nut trees, wheat, barley and oats. All a million shades of green. Huge irrigation plants give me a water show like no other. Speaking of which the clouds are getting darker, heavier and more menacing but the rain is holding out. There is little wind so riding is a breeze, so to speak.

Junction City arrives in time for lunch so I strike out for a decent restaurant and come across Arby's. Arby's is Fonz Chic. Chrome, old car seats and plenty of checked laminex with aluminium edging. The food is cheap and surprisingly good. The young fellow that served me was on his L's, very shy and was giggling at my funny accent. We had a bit a chat and parted the best of friends. Perhaps the $5 tip helped. Century city is a bit like Yass on a bad hair day so there is not much to look at but Trailers in various stages of decay. 

Fortified by food and my very first, draught Dr Pepper I hit the road for Harrisburg where I turn north again on a lovely quiet country road that could be designated as a bicycle path, the traffic was almost zilch.  The Willamette River sidles up to me and we ride together for about 20ks past Peoria where the Gents could only be described as rustic. The river bids goodbye and heads off to the west as I pedal happily on to Corvallis.

Corvallis is a direct contrast to Century City, it is stunningly beautiful, laid out in a grid with alternating one way streets and very little traffic. The town nestles beside the Willamette River which dominates the eastern side of the town. Buildings are many and varied but mostly date from the 19th Century and early 20th Century. There are bicycles everywhere and from within 200 metres of the place that I had dinner, there are no less than 7 good sized bicycle shops. This is also a university town so is quiet at this time of the year due to Summer holidays.

My Odometer shows that I have done 84.5ks but the distance from Eugene is only 65 (42miles) so there was some deviating from the course and some touring in Corvallis and a bit of touring in Eugene (read getting lost). The bike is a dream to ride but I feel as if I will have to surgically remove the bicycle interface if I ride it the way the seat is currently set up.

Bikeley Map for today's route - http://www.bikely.com/maps/bike-path/315748

I'm Back!

Hello folks, well here I am at last back from my two week adventure on my new Bike Friday Air Glide. It will take a while to catch up with my blogging so be patient and don't wast too much time at work reading about my adventures.

Friday 5 June

Its 2:00am and all sensible people are still in bed. I am many things but sensible is not one of them so I am up, bright eyed and bushy tailed. My Air Alaska flight leaves from San Francisco airport, an hour and half in a bus from Petaluma, at 7:30am, and in these days of security, security, security I have to be at the airport and checked in 90 minutes before the flight is due to leave SFO.

The bus is 15 mins late and the plane is 20 mins late but we arrive in Portland Oregon on time where I have to cool my heels over a cup of coffee and something they call a cookie in these parts for a couple of hours till my flight to Eugene leaves.

Now, I am not the greatest advocate for air travel so when I do I like to think that the plane that I am traveling in is fairly new and reliable. This is a small plane, therefore not getting many points on my aeroplane approval scale. As I settled into my seat and did all those things you do when you get into an aeroplane, you know; check the pockets for goodies, play with the little light and air nozzle, try to extract the end of the seat belt from under the obese chap sitting next to (and partially on top of) you. Suddenly I am overcome with white knuckle fear when I notice that the seat arm has an ash tray in it. How old is this rust bucket. I don't think I opened my eyes or took another breath till we were on the ground in Eugene. So brave!

Finally at 11:30 I arrive in Eugene and for a small fee I am dropped right at the front door of the Bike Friday factory where my lovely new, bright orange, Air Glide awaits me. I am in love!

The mechanics quickly install my pedals, seat and mirror while I assemble the trailer and pack all my worldly belongings in it. All this accomplished I head out to find digs for the night in Downtown Eugene.

This is a university town and as a result there are almost as many bikes as there are cars so the cycling is superb. The town is a web of high quality bike paths which quickly deliver me to the City Centre and a superb lunch and local ale.

The next job is to find a bike shop to get some of the must have stuff like a universal tool, tail-light, puncture kit and some long tights because even though it is summer the temp is very cool. All set and I head off to find a motel which I did. The Downtown Motel on 7th and Lawrence is my pick. The bed is huge, big enough for me and my bike. Dinner and a glass of wine and it is time for bed although at 10:00pm it is still quite light but I have been up since 2:00am so - good night all.

Captions.

Top Portland appears out of the clouds. This is as close to Canada as I will get on this trip.

Centre left - the Bike Friday mechanic fits all the bits that I brought along.

Centre right - who says boys cant pack a suitcase?

Bottom left - my bike.

Bottom right - my bike and me.

Huge Trees, American League Baseball and Food.

Friday 29 May

Another blank day, well sort of blank. Today we had another slow start and I caught up on some more of my jet lag. Will it ever go away?

We went into Petaluma where Deb had to do some work while I strolled around agian. I love this little town, every time I go there I see something else. Later in the day we went to watch Chance, Deb’s grandson play his last game of Baseball for the year. The kids had a ball again and were presented with their pennants, badges and trophies. Kid sport being what is is now, they all got the same stuff. Mediocrity rules! The photo is the Pub that will be my watering hole while I am here.

Saturday 30 May

With and early start to the day Deb and I (sans coffee and breakfast) drove south along the Redwood Highway (Route 101) to Mill Valley (http://www.cityofmillvalley.org) where we righted the breakfast wrong and had a great cup of coffee and some rather excellent pastries. Mill Valley is a collection of wonderful houses that cling to the edge of the precipitous slopes of the surrounding mountains and hills. Mt Tamalpais is to the West and the Muir Woods National Monument is in between. Muir Woods is our destination for today where we will do Deb’s favorite walk (and now mine) through the last remaining stand of old redwood forest in the San Francisco area.

Have a look at the Web Site at (http://www.nps.gov/muwo/). I have never seen trees that equal the ones that we were walking under and between. The walk took us about four hours and at every turn there was just something else to take the breath away. Nearing the top of our walk the trees reached up into the fog and the moisture collected on the leave fell down on us as if it was raining.

I took a million photographs of the trees and the general area including some of the very tame wild life. I saw my first chipmunk and the little fella was so tame that when I stood still he came up and had a good look at my boots. Shortly after we came across two very small deer grazing happily about two metres from the trail. Their mum was nowhere around so she must be happy for her babes to go off on their own.

I could wax lyrical about the walk today and still not 

do it justice. This is undoubtably one of the best experiences in the US to date.

We had to rush off home early because I was due to meet Deb’s daughter Heather along with TJ and their son Chance for a trip to the Baseball.  For some reason I had wanted to go to the baseball when I came here and this was the only opportunity to do so for some time.

We took a special ‘baseball ferry’ from San Rafael Ferry terminal, a trip that took us right to the AT&T Ball Park which is the home of the San Francisco Giants. The Giants have won the last three of their games so we were all pretty happy about seeing them tonight but alas they went down to the Saint Louis Orioles.

What a spectacle! The best way I can explain it is that the Baseball Game is probably the main event. The stadium itself it three or four levels of food hall and sundry other shops that sell everything SF Giants related. You can buy just about any kind of food that takes your fancy and ... wait for this. Each seat has a menu on it from which you can order food from a number of the food stalls. A person will come to your seat, fill out your order, swipe and deduct the cost from your credit card and then deliver the fare right  back to your seat in the twinkling of an eye. You can also order from people walking around (or in the case of the fairy floss sales man - running) and you can get (apart from fairy floss in bags of five flavours) corn dogs (don’t ask) chips and nuts, ice cream, hot pretzels, hot chocolate and coffee, soft drinks and of course pop corn.

Did I also mention that there was a baseball game to watch?

What an incredible experience which I wouldn’t have missed for quids.

Sunday 31 May

Today Deb has invited some friends over for brunch. Lili is a very old friend of Deb’s and her partner Greg is a building contractor and long time resident of the area. They have both done a fair bit of touring around the area and Greg was able to give me some tips on what to do and what to see on my bicycle shakedown tour that begins next Friday. He also knows all the good local restaurants which will come in handy.

We had rather a lazy afternoon and I spent it updating my blogs and photos while Deb had a much needed sleep. As I write this it is 4pm and the sun has not long burned through the heavy layer of fog that hovers overhead from very early morning. The sea fog is a feature of the area and sometimes will last well into Summer.  I am told that I will encounter in on my ride so some warm cycling pants may be on the shopping list.

I am still trying to get myself a tent for the trip. I have found a good one but it seems that the company doesn’t like international credit cards so I may have to find another one or find another way of paying for the one I want. I am sure it will sort itself out.

Monday 25 May

Memorial Day Holiday

Pt Reyes Station is a wonderful little town at the head of a long bay called Tomales Bay. The bay is directly over the San Andreas fault and the seaward side is moving northward at a fairly reasonable geological rate. You wont notice it if you sit watching with a cup of coffee and a piece of apple pie but I have it on good advice that it is actually happening. The bay is lined with a series of small villages and farming communities and OYSTER BARS. Some of these places offer oysters straight out of the bay and they are not bad. Lunch, albeit being a bit late, was a dozen barbequed oysters (six each) a cup of excellent chowder and a dozen fresh oysters. If this isn’t heaven, please tell me what is.

We did ‘sing for our supper’ though. Deb and I did a great walk from the top of Drakes View Rd into the park through some beautiful forests and windswept scrubland. The pinnacle of the walk, Pt Reyes Hill, would have given us a superb view of Creamery Bay, Schooner Bay and Home Bay then on to the Ocean but there was a fairly thick and low sea fog that precluded this but the view was nevertheless excellent. We met a fellow hiker who went out of his way to show us some of the local landmarks and we had a good long chat with him about the park and walking in general. I have to say that people here are very friendly and extremely helpful.

This was the second of our walks and every bit as good and different as the previous one. 

Tuesday 26 May

Deb works from 10 till 6 todays so I have decided to go into Petaluma with her and spend the day looking around. Petaluma  is  a fairly big commercial area with a number of great eateries, some incredible antique shops and a good few clothing shops. I cant get used to the mix of shops here. In a large centre like this there are no newsagents, nor the normal assortment of Mobile Phone retailers, department stores, supermarkets etc. All of these are in the myriad of shopping plazas that spring up around the place in what seems to be random order. I have been to one large shopping Plaza so far and that is in Santa Rosa but apart from that they seem to be missing in action. Newsagents don’t exist, one buys ones papers from coin operated boxes that defy my ability to extract a newspaper from them even though I appear to put the correct amount of change in the little slot.

All the other paraphernalia that one buys at newsagents one gets from Drug Stores (these places even sell cigarettes), stationers, supermarkets (magazines) etc. I suppose I would get used to the changes but it is sometimes frustrating not to be able to get all you need in the one area, you have to do a fair bit of driving from one plaza to the next.

Lunch today was beside the Petaluma River and I had an excellent steak sandwich with some equally excellent coffee followed up by a biscotti. I also celebrated my visit to town by having a haircut (yes I do need to do this occasionally). The chairs in the barber shop were straight out of a 30’s movie and there was even a brass spittoon in the corner. I resisted testing my skill in the spittoon but it was difficult. Al, that was the name of the barber, gave me an excellent cut and I didn’t have to mortgage the ranch to pay for it so that was good as well.

Speaking of ranches and 30’s movies, toward the end of the day aI spotted a Saloon and Dance Hall that happened to be open and trading so I topped off an interesting day in Petaluma with a Sierra Neveda (beer) and half an hour with a newspaper that was left behind by someone who obviously has more skill with the box thingys that sell papers.

Wednesday 27 May

Today Deb and I did a bit of work on her business logo, cards and advertising material. We have come up with a pretty good logo and some business stationery that Deb likes. They need a bit of tweaking but I think generally she is happy with the result.

Deb is out for most of today so I get to spend some time reading and doing some computer work and really exciting stuff like washing.

Thursday 28 May

Another Yoga day today and we had three in the class this morning. Deb is a great Yogi and I find the classes very relaxing. The Yoga has done wonders for my crook back (from carting two suitcases around) and I can fully recommend Dru Yoga to anyone. You don’t need to be able to turn your self inside out or touch your toes with the tip of your nose. Just good gentle body work and relaxation.

Of course, after Yoga we had to have breakfast so today’s offering was a blueberry waffle and an excellent Latte (they don’t do flat white here). We had a bit of a walk around then headed back to the car for home.

We decided to go to the movies tonight to see Angels and Demons. Great movie and of course the pop corn etc were also excellent. What you do here is order your pop corn (popped in butter) then you go to a counter and add extra liquid butter and various flavours. There are no Choc Tops so that is a minus.

Friday 22 May

Today is a bit cool in the morning but I am off on a hike on my own. Deb has some work stuff to do and is probably sick of having me around so I am off to Cotati which is about 3.2 k’s down the road. Cotati is one of those, ‘don’t blink or you will miss it’ villages but the walk there is great with lots of different types of farms and some really lovely looking houses. The houses here are great; mostly build from timber they are generally two story with turrets, Dutch Gable roofs, dormer windows and verandahs out the front or side. There are some really lovely older ones in Petaluma and I am going to do a house photo walk before I go.

The walk to Cotati (named after a local Indian Chief) boasts about a half a dozen places that do all day breakfast, a couple of bars (one is the local rough nut bikie hang out), a good bicycle shop, some antique/knick-nack shops and an excellent ice cream 'parlour' that is straight out of the 50’s.

I have decided that my trip to the US is going to be a discovery of the most decadent things that one can possibly have for breakfast. Today’s fare was blueberry hot cakes, aka blueberry buttermilk pancakes. Now these were just about the best pancakes I have ever had and I got to was them down with a bottomless cup of coffee that the waitress kept filling up every 5 minutes. Tonight I will sleep sitting up with my eyes open. Wandered around for a few hours and headed off back to Penngrove because tonight we are going over to watch Chance, Deb’s grandson, play baseball. It’s such a blast watching little kids play sport because they generally don’t take it too seriously and if there is anything better going on at the time their concentration shifts. This is the first time I get to meet Heather and her husband TJ. They are great people and Chance is a real little boy.

We went out to Applebee’s for dinner. Applebee’s is a family restaurant and it is packed to the rafters so we have to wait for about 20 minutes for a seat. Well worth the wait I can tell you. I opted for a Surf’n’turf Burger, rare of course. The menu says it is swimming in shrimp. Well there were no shrimp but there was a trawler load of prawns in the thing and it was out of this world. It was also totally unblemished by anything green. I shared with Heather, an ice cream cake with the Cadbury gross national output in it and staggered out the door.

Note: I speak of eating to excess but have actually dropped two pounds (whatever that means) since arriving so worry not folks.

Saturday 23 May

This weekend is Memorial Day Holiday Weekend. Memorial Day is the equivalent of our Anzac Day and is fairly low key from what I can see although every second house is flying the Stars and Stripes from poles and fences. There is a fair bit of Red White and Blue bunting and many garlands as well. Unfortunately there was no two up.

Today is pretty low key for Deb and me, we are going to the shops again looking for outdoor furniture and later today we are heading off to Deb’s daughter Heather’s house for dinner. We did go for a long drive to a place called Sebastapol for a bit of a look around and stopped in at a place called Emerald Valley (wildlife and human sanctuary) which is in the Redwood Forest near Sebastapol. This is where Deb lived back in the early 70’s and where her youngest was born. It is a steep sided valley (almost a gully) surrounded by huge Redwoods. The place is now the California School of Herbal Studies and they have a biggish garden with some really ‘interesting herbs’ growing in it. I include in this list opium poppies but strangely enough no experimental hemp (for fibre purposes of course). 

On the way home we spotted a shop with hundreds of lead lit Tiffany Lamps and light shades so we had to have a bo peep. Some of them were quite spectacular. There were a few that were made from Jade and cost a bomb. The guy in the shop had a no teeth and a beard so can you imagine how well we communicated. He was a fascinating bloke though and so laid back. He never got out of second gear the whole time we were with him. Definitely one of the ‘characters’ I have met so far.

Sunday May 24

Seems to not exist in my memory. I do know that we didn't do all that much because we were both a bit tired from the tourist thing. We did take a drive to Petaluma and went out for some groceries and a look around but that seems to be all the memory bank has retained.

I will be back later for Monday etc.