The Magic of Redwoods

About 200 miles north of San Franciso is the small town of Garberville, CA. It was founded around the late 1800's as South Fork but was changed to Garberville in 1874, being named after the postmaster. Garberville is the gateway to the Eel River, Shelter Cove and the Lost Coast, and the 31-mile long Avenue of the Giants that winds through stands of ancient redwoods.

The Avenue of the Giants offers more than just the majesty of towering redwoods. It also passes thru several small towns that give a glimpse into the history of the timber industry. Several of these towns have been completely devastated by the Floods of 1955 and 1964 and if rebuilt, were placed on higher ground.

When we arrived in Garberville, it was foggy and drizzling rain, which we understand is pretty typical for the Spring here. Across from the RV park on Highway 101 stands the "One-Log House" which was hollowed in 1946 from a single redwood more than 2100 years old. The comfortable living quarters were made from a 40 ton tree, taking two men eight months to finish. The living, sleeping, and dining areas are completely furnished (it reminded us of the old RV's without slides). Amazingly, enough wood chips were produced from the hollowing to build a five-bedroom home.

Upon waking to a bright and sunny day, we decided to take the 31 mile drive down the Avenue of the Giants and it was certainly spectacular to look several hundred feet into the air and be in awe of the majestic beauty portrayed by these trees. The road was quiet and tranquil and built as a stagecoach and wagon road in the 1880's. It parallels Highway 101 and the Eel River. Fossil records show that redwoods grew naturally in many places across the Northern Hemisphere. Due to climatic changes and other factors, Coast Redwoods now only grow naturally in a narrow 40 mile wide and 450 mile long coastal strip from southern Oregon to southern Monterey county in California. Redwoods are taller than any other living thing. They can live over 2,000 years and withstand most fires, floods and insects. Only the greatest fires can kill mature redwoods because of their thick fire resistant bark and lack of resin. They also contain a great amount of tannin, a material that insects find particularly distasteful. Redwoods are so immense that they live in three climatic zones at once. The base of each tree is in one set of climatic conditions, the stem in another, and the crown in yet another. Redwoods need great amounts of moisture. The 65 inches/year average rainfall plus the summer fog moderate the climate. Redwoods help create their own microclimate through the transpiration of moisture from the leaves to the atmosphere. A very large redwood can release up to 500 gallons of water into the air per day.

When towns were originally built along the Avenue, it was because of farming and logging. Now they rely on the tourists. Humboldt Redwoods State Park covers over 52,000 acres, 17,000 of which are old growth coast redwood forests with trees whose average ages are 400 - 600 years.

We followed the auto tour, stopping and taking the half mile hikes back into the forest. Sunlight peeks from the clouds and foggy treetops, streaming down onto the needle packed paths. The silence is unbelievable as you hear only your steps crunching along and an occasional bird voicing its melodic chant. Founder's Grove, dedicated to the founders of the Save-the-Redwoods League, contains the 346 foot tall Founders Tree and the Dyerville Giant. The Dyerville Giant was recognized as the "Champion" Coast Redwood as certified by the American Forestry Association until it fell on March 24, 1991. Before it fell, it was at least 362 feet tall. That is 200 feet taller than Niagara Falls or comparable to a 30-story building. It is also 17 feet in diameter and 52 feet in circumference. It probably weighs over 1,000,000 pounds. The events that caused the Giant to fall are common in ancient redwood forests. During the rainy season the soil became saturated with water. Another large tree fell one week earlier, hitting a second tree causing it to lean. A week later the leaning tree fell, striking the Dyerville Giant, causing it to fall. No one actually saw the Giant fall, but a park neighbor, who lives a mile away, reported hearing a large crash and thought it was a train wreck! A tree over 50 feet away had mud splattered 15 feet up its trunk from the impact of the Giant hitting the ground. Unless fire consumes it, the Dyerville Giant will continue to lie on the forest floor for many hundreds of years, fulfilling an important role in the healthy life of an ancient forest. As the decay process gains a hold on the Giant, it will become the host, home and food source to over 4,000 kinds of plants and animals that will live on or in it. Even in repose, however, the tree is an impressive sight.

Among one of our stops was the Humboldt Redwoods State Park Visitor's Center. Inside were exhibits that offered a "hands-on" experience for children, historical and cultural videos and realistic displays of the fish and animals in their forest environment. Inside the center resides a curious vehicle which may just have been the original RV! In 1917, Charles Kellogg, an American naturalist and lecturer, hoisted a six ton hollowed-out giant redwood log onto the chassis of a Nash Quad, a large truck the Nash Company built for the military in World War I, one of the very first 4 x 4 vehicles. Kellogg used an axe and an adz to hollow out the log, and fashion it into a cabin on wheels. Inside the log, he built a complete home, with a kitchenette, lockers, beds, dining table, dresser, electric lights, running water and a guest room. And this was over 90 years ago! The log is completely solid; the walls, ceiling and floors are all one piece. To help preserve it, Kellog hand-rubbed 12 pounds of beeswax into the wood. Kellogg first toured the United States in his Travel-Log to sell liberty bonds for the war effort. After the war, Kellogg, also known for his surreal ability to imitate bird calls, traveled the states to promote preserving California's giant trees. He crossed the country four times in his lumbering motorhome!

A final stop was the Immortal Tree, one of the most durable trees in history. The Immortal Tree is over 950 years old and has experienced more trials and tribulations than any single tree should. It has been a victim of lightning strikes, fires, floods and the logger's ax. Yet it still stands and continues to grow heartily. Looking up, you can see a wooden fish attached to the trunk where the color of the bark changes. This indicates the high water mark when the area flooded in 1964. There's also part of an ax stuck in the tree where loggers tried to cut it down, but eventually gave up when the tree would not give way. Several times, the Immortal tree has been hit by lightning. The evidence of these strikes is on its scarred trunk. During its lifetime, through many forest fires, somehow this magical tree never burned down! The Immortal Tree is considered a truly exceptional specimen.

While sitting in the forest, surrounded by these huge awe-inspiring giants, we are reminded of the magical qualities imparted. Burls on the trees become faces, rabbits, Roman soldiers, or other imaginations of our minds. The more we study these forests, the more we realize we are just beginning to understand a small part of their dynamics. The simple act of walking thru an undisturbed area will change it and we need to make sure that we preserve all this beauty for our children and grandchildren so they are provided a glimpse into the past and a look into one of the greatest forests on earth!

Santa Rosa, California

After washing the trailer, we headed up Route 1, leaving behind the San Francisco RV Resort and heading toward Santa Rosa. We were a bit concerned with driving the truck and trailer thru the General Douglas McArthur Tunnel but made it just fine. The view of the San Francisco Bay as we drove across the Golden Gate Bridge was spectacular.

About 70 miles up the road we stopped at a lovely city by the name of Santa Rosa. which is centrally located in Sonoma Country. We were close to wineries, the coast and the Russian River.
The California Welcome Center is located in the historic Railroad Square train station. When you walk into the station, you will find yourself transported back in time. Rebuilt quickly after the devastating 1906 San Francisco earthquake (which did more damage in Santa Rosa than San Francisco) Railroad Square now is made up of specialty shops and restaurants.

One of the most interesting things we did while in Santa Rosa, was to visit the Charles M. Schulz Museum and Research Center. As you may remember, Mr. Schulz was the illustrator who drew the Peanuts cartoons for the papers. Schulz, who was nicknamed "Sparky"at an early age by an uncle, picked this spot for his museum because his life was centered around this area. He built a small restaurant named the "Warm Puppy", where he had breakfast every morning and lunch every afternoon. A table was reserved for his use alone and today still stands there as a tribute.

In 1969, he built the Redwood Empire Ice Arena so children could skate all year long.

For those of us who grew up with Charlie Brown, Snoopy, Woodstock, Peppermint Patti, Schroeder, Linus, Lucy and Pig Pen, just to name a few of the more renown characters, every day was a new adventure. Here's a chronology of the Peanuts comic strip.

On October 2, the Peanuts comic strip was first published in 7 U.S. newspapers, introducing Charlie Brown, Patty and Shermy. During the same year, a little dog named Snoopy appears. Snoopy was actually created as a beagle because Schulz had a beagle named Spike. In 1951, Shroeder was introduced and in 1952 Lucy and Linus made their debut. The first Sunday comic strip was published in this year also. In 1954, Pigpen is introduced and in 1958, Snoopy abandons his four-pawed pose and begins walking on two feet. Sally debuts in the strip in 1959 and in 1969, Woodstock flutters in while Snoopy first appears as the "Flying Ace" , flying in his Sopwith Camel plane in the first Red Baron episode.

Peppermint Patty was introduced in 1966 and in 1969, Franklin was first intoduced into the strip. 1971 dawns with two new characters, Joe Cool and Marcie and in 1973 "A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving" wins an Emmy Award. "You're a Good Sport Charlie Brown" earns an Emmy Award in 1975 while "Life is a Circus, Charlie Brown" earns one in 1980. In 1984, the Guinness Book of Records names Peanuts the world's most popular comic strip.

George Schulz warmed up with pencil sketches on notebook paper before he inked a comic strip. Once he had his sketches perfected, he would wad the pencil sketches up and throw them in his wastebasket and then begin the finalized comic strip. His secretary pulled the penciled sketches out of the wastebasket each evening, took them home and ironed them flat - holding them for posterity. It usually took Schulz one hour to create a daily strip. Many examples of the final strips as well as the sketches can be seen in the museum. As you walk into the museum, on the left side you will see an original three-dimensional sculpture constructed with 43 layers of maple veneer which measures 25 feet long, 9.5 feet high , 10.5 inches deep and weighs 7,000 pounds. The title of the work is "Morphing Snoopy" and it emphasizes Snoopy's evolution from the 1950's when the inspiration for Snoopy came from Schulz's childhood pet, Spike, to the 1990's.

Another unusual piece is a mural on the back wall which is composed of 3,588 ceramic tiles,or about ten years worth of daily comic strips. The artist, Otani, hand selected each strip to compose a secondary scene of Lucy holding a football for Charlie Brown.

In 1981, Schulz had a quadruple heart bypass and in 1998 began planning for this museum. He announced his retirement due to health reasons on December 14, 1999 and his last daily comic strip was on January 1, 2000 with the final Sunday comic strip being shown on February 13, 2000. Schulz died on February 17, 2000.

Many of us remember avidly reading these comic strips and laughing at the antics that Schulz created for us. It helps us to remember a more gentler and easy going time and a time when simple things made us laugh. Schulz was truly brilliant and we miss him greatly.

We Left our Hearts in San Francisco ?

Saturday we headed to San Francisco and stayed in an RV Resort on a bluff over the Pacific Ocean. After we got set up, we headed into San Francisco, driving the truck! Yes, I did say, driving the big truck!!!! We made our way to the Embarcadero (the road which weaves its way past Pier 39 and the Fisherman's Wharf area.) The roads were small, crowded with cars and pedestrians and provided very limited spaces for a vehicle as large as we were to park. Of course, if we were willing to pay $30.00, they would find a place for us. We decided to just continue driving around the city. I don't think George got to do much looking as he was maneuvering that big white behomoth through those tiny, very hilly streets and I was frantically trying to read the map and figure out where the GPS was leading us. I know we must have been a site because everyone kept staring at us!!!

Up and down the hills we went! We drove thru Russian Hill, Nob Hill, Chinatown, the Financial District, and the Mission District. Unfortunately by the time I identified where we were, we were already past the places. Eventually Chatty Cathy (our GPS) quit "recalculating" and she finally put us on a street I could identify on the map. Kudos to George for not throwing me and the map both out the window!!! As we drove back into the RV park, we both agreed that there had to be a better way to see this city or we would literally leave our hearts (along with various other body parts ) in San Francisco. We made a trip into the office and told the assistant manager what we had done and asked for her suggestions. After she closed her mouth and quit staring at us like we were nitwits, she suggested we drive the truck 2 miles to the BART station and take the train into the city. Once we arrived in the city, we could buy an all day pass that would allow us to ride the public transportation and cable cars all over. Well, yeah!!! That sounded like a plan. So, the next morning, we did just that!

The cable car was introduced to San Francisco on August 2, 1873. Wire-cable manufacturer, Andrew Hallidie conceived the idea after witnessing an accident in which a horse-drawn carriage faltered and rolled backward downhill dragging the horses behind it. The first cable car to descend down Clay Street on Nob Hill was an immediate success. Besides creating a vital link in San Francisco's public transportation system, the cable car opened the door for building on steep hills which until this time was thought to be impossible.

Throughout the 1890's, eight transit companies operated 600 cars which covered 21 cable car routes and a total of 52.8 miles. Cable cars remained the primary mode of transportation until the 1906 earthquake. The quake and the fires that followed, destroyed most of the cable car system, and as the City rebuilt, few lines were restored. A municipal railway replaced most lines. Today there are 40 cable cars in the system. On an average day, 26 are in operation. The cars can only move by gripping onto moving cables. Winding machinery in the cable barn keeps the cable moving at 9.5 miles per hour all day long. There are four separate cables - each a continuous loop - that moves in channels under the streets supported by hundreds of small pulleys. The cable used in the present system measures 1 1/4 inches in diameter, is made of steel with a hemp center to increase flexibility and varies in length. The cable itself is composed of six steel strands of 19 wires each that are wrapped around the sisal rope center. It has an average life of 6 to 8 months. San Francisco's beloved cable cars are the only vehicles of their kind still in operation and are designated National Landmarks.

After riding the cable car to Fisherman's Wharf, the home of San Francisco's colorful fishing fleet, we walked to Pier 39 and watched the sea lions play "King of the Hill" on the floating docks. Grown males can weigh 800 pounds and be 7 feet in length and females up to 300 pounds and 6 feet in length. The Sea Lions return to Pier 39 because it is a comfortable place to sleep, there is an abundant natural food supply (fish) nearby, and there are no predators like great white sharks and killer whales. You can tell a sea lion from a seal because the sea lions have external ear flaps. The sea lions at Pier 39 arrived shortly after the 1989 San Francisco earthquake. At first they numbered from 10-50 but eventually the population grew to more than 300, sometimes as high as 900. They are boisterous and love to show off.

Looking out across the Bay, you can see a jutting rock island which is Alcatraz (Spanish for pelican which were originally the island's only inhabitants). the island served as a military fortification in the 1850's and an incarceration facility for war prisoners during the Spanish-American War. In 1934, Alcatraz became the infamous maximum security prison for members of organized crime and high-risk convicts. Although the island is only a mile from shore, there is no evidence of any successful escapes across the icy bay. The prison was the only one in the Federal system that touted hot showers - a luxury designed to keep prisoners from acclimating to cold water. Alcatraz was closed in 1963.

After all this walking, the food started to look really tempting. Anything and everything was available. The Dungeness crab looked especially appealing.

We finally decided on splitting a sour dough bread bowl, loaded with steaming clam chowder and a Dungeness crab sandwich. It really hit the spot!!

After such a hardy meal, we decided we needed to walk some more, so we headed over to Chinatown. As we passed through the adorned Pagoda Gates on Grant Avenue, we immediately saw the bright neon chinese signs, smelled the ethnic cuisine, and heard the sound of foreign languages and dialects.

We looked in many of the shops and exhausted ourselves walking up and down the streets.

Back on the cable car, we stopped briefly to take a picture of Lombard Street. Located in the Russian Hill District (say, we were here yesterday with the big truck - thank goodness we didn't get on this street), Lombard Street is known as "the crookedest street in the world" because of its eight sharp turns on a 40 degree slope. The turns, known as switchbacks, were built in the 1920's to allow traffic to descend the steep incline (a 27 per cent grade). The street zigzags around beautiful flowers and shrubs and has a nice view of the bay.

After spending six hours roaming around, we decided it was time to catch the next cable car and head back to Pacifica to our own little home for some much needed rest and foot-soaking. Tomorrow will be a more gentle, less rushed day as we once again tackle driving the truck down to the Presidio, Golden Gate Bridge and Golden Gate Park.

Monday, McKenzie decided it was time for her to get to go see some of the sites - so, we all jumped in the truck, plugged in Chatty Cathy and took off. In case you are wondering, yes I did take all the maps with us. Our first stop was at Fort Funston which was built as a defense area. A battery was built to mount two 5-inch rapid fire guns. During World War II, temporary barracks and other structures were built. After the war, the batteries became obsolete and it was demolished. The last military use of Fort Funston was as a Nike missile battery location which is also, now obsolete. Presently the area is used by hang gliders and also as a dog park. McKenzie enjoyed showing off her new halter to the other dogs.

Further down the highway, we stopped at the Cliff House which is a restaurant perched on the bluffs of the cliffs just north of Ocean Beach. There have been five incarnations of the Cliff House since its original was built in 1858. The Cliff House and Sutro Baths survived the 1906 earthquake with little damage but burned to the ground on the evening of September 7, 1907. Rebuilding of the restaurant was completed within two years with additions and modern restorations. It was a favorite haunt of the elite and rich residents of San Francisco. The site overlooks Seal Rock where more than 30 ships have been pounded to pieces. Our next stop was The Presidio National Historical Park. There were some breathtaking views and we had to stop to take a picture of the Golden Gate Bridge.
And speaking of the Golden Gate Bridge - it was the longest span in the world until the Verrazano Narrows Bridge was built in New York in 1964, Today it is still the seventh longest main span in the world. It is 1.7 miles in length and 90 feet wide. One of the most interesting facts is that only eleven workers died during construction, a new safety record for the time. In the 1930's bridge builders expected 1 fatality per $1 million in construction costs, and builders expected 35 people to die while building the bridge. One of the bridge's safety innovations was a net suspended under the floor. This net saved the lives of 19 men during construction and they are often called the members of the "Half Way to Hell Club". The average number of crossings is about 40 million per year, both northbound and southbound. The bridge's paint color is orange vermillion, also called international orange. The bridge was fully painted when it was first built and then touched up for the next 27 years. In 1965, the original paint was removed because of corrosion and replaced with a primer and top coat, a project which took 30 years. Today the painters touch up the paint continuously. The bridge sways 27 feet to withstand winds of up to 100 miles per hour. The concrete poured into its piers and anchorages would pave a five foot wide sidewalk from New York to San Francisco.

The last stop for the day was a picnic at Golden Gate Park. McKenzie and George found a few minutes to rest on the grass and enjoy the flowers. Golden Gate park is among one of the world's greatest urban parks. approximately three miles long and a half mile wide, it is covered with grassy meadows, wooded bike trails, secluded lakes, open groves and gardens. The Conservatory of Flowers, built in 1879 and beautifully restored in 2003 is modeled after London's Kew Gardens, a glass Victorian displaying a paradise of flowers.
McKenzie definitely enjoyed the yellow California poppies. After a full day of riding and enjoying the sites, we couldn't think of a better way to end the day than to sit down with a nice glass of wine and watch the sun set over the Pacific Ocean. McKenzie got a greenie as a treat for being such a good trooper all day as well. Tomorrow we will leave the city and head to the Sonoma area to see what we can find there. Hope you are enjoying all the sites just as we have and that you will continue on our journey with us. Until then, be kind to one another and take time to smell the flowers. Life is a gift.

California!!! Here We Come!!!!

The last week at Coyote Ridge was filled with last minute events! We tried to get in as much golfing as we could as several of us would be leaving in the next week or two. Our usual group got together and played several times. The weather had warmed and we enjoyed getting out and walking around the desert, looking at the beautiful flowers that had sprung up as a result of the rain. We also went one more time to pick oranges so we could take a good supply with us on the trip. Of course, we had to make another trip into town to get groceries, do laundry and make one more run to the Arizona Market, just in case we needed one more thing before leaving! McKenzie had to make her usual trip to Petsmart for food and treats and just happened to find a real bargain on a new shirt. We had trimmed her down and she now needs to wear shirts for a few weeks until her hair grows a little, so she doesn't get sunburned. At least she chose something that was on sale!!! We had a couple of campfires and a Leap Year day that consisted of games, starting in the afternoon at the activity center and then ending up with a hot dog roast. We played washers and a game named "golf". (How it got that name, I will never know, but you try to throw a ball on a string around a platform made of pvc pipe. It's fun and neither George nor I had ever played, so we had to try it out. ) You are now hearing from the Grand Winners of the water balloon toss! That's right, George and I were the lone couple standing after everyone else had managed to drop or bust their water balloons!!(Wet T-shirts on senior citizens - hmmmm!)

Jack decided to check out the buffet table but decided there just wasn't enough ruffage to suit him. He did reappear for the hot dog cookout though.

After spending a couple of days in Quartzite, we headed toward California with our first stop being at the Elks Club at San Luis Obispo. From this spot, we left the trailer and drove the truck on Route 1 up to see the Hearst Castle. William Randolph Hearst, the man behind Hearst Castle, was an important figure from the twentieth century whose influence extended to publishing, politics, Hollywood, the art world, and everyday American life. His power and vision allowed him to pursue one of the most ambitious architectural endeavors in American history, the result of which can be seen in the magnificent grounds and structures of Hearst Castle. Before we go much further, here's a little background history.


In 1865, George Hearst, a wealthy miner, purchased 40,000 acres of ranchland that included the Mexican Ranchos of Peidras Blancas, San Simeon, and Santa Rosa. In 1919, his only son, William Randolph Hearst inherited this land from his mother. By then, the ranch had grown to encompass 250,000 acres. Originally known as "Camp Hill", its wilderness offered a place for family members and friends to "rough it" on camping trips. Despite elaborate arrangements with separate sleeping and dining tents, Hearst envisioned more comfortable accomodations and dreamed of building a dwelling similar to those he had seen on his European tour as a boy. Hearst amassed a vast and impressive art collection that included classical paintings, tapestries, religious textiles, oriental rugs, antiquities, sculptures, silver, furniture and antique ceilings. His mother introduced him to Julia Morgan, an architect that she had used. Hearst Castle was to become the realization of his dream as he and Julia collaborated for 28 years to construct a castle worthy of those he saw in Europe.

As they were planning and constructing his dream home, Hearst renamed the rocky perch from which it rose "LaCuesta Encantada" - the Enchanted Hill. During construction, Hearst used the Castle as his primary residence, continually entertaining the elite of Hollywood, politics and sports. By 1947, Hearst and Morgan had created an estate of 165 rooms and 127 acres of gardens, terraces, pools and walkways. The estate's magnificent main house, "Casa Grande", and three guest houses are of Mediterranean Revivial style, while the imposing towers of Casa Grande were inspired by a Spanish cathedral.

Construction of the Neptune pool spanned 1924 - 1936. Three swimming pools were built on this site, each successively larger. The final version of the pool as it stands at the Castle today is 104 feet long, 58 feet wide and 95 feet wide at the alcove. It is 3.5 feet deep at the west end, 10 feet at drains, and holds 345,000 gallons of water. The Roman Pool is a tiled indoor pool decorated with eight statues of Roman gods, goddesses and heroes. The pool appears to be styled after an ancient Roman bath. The Roman Pool is decorated from ceiling to floor with 1" square mosaic tiles. These tiles are either colored (mainly blue or orange) or are clear with fused gold inside. The intense colors and shimmering gold of the tiles combine to create a breathtaking effect.
Hearst left his San Simeon estate in 1947 to seek medical care unavailable in the remote location. While the Castle was never completely finished, it stands as the remarkable achievement of one man's dream. William Randloph Hearst died on August 14, 1951, at the age of 88. He was interred in the Hearst family mausoleum at the Cypress Lawn Cemetery in Colma, California.

After spending the day pretending to be visitors of William Randolph Hearst - staking out our bedroom, gathering to socialize in the Assembly Room, and then having dinner in the Refectory - we boarded the bus and headed back down the curvy road to the museum area. It's hard to fathom how a person could put all this together to create such an impressive site!


After leaving the Hearst Castle, we drove about 4 miles to the Piedras Blancas rookery on Highway 1 to view the Elephant Seals, aptly named because of their large long nose. The Northern Elephant Seal is an extraordinary marine mammal. It spends eight to ten months a year in the open ocean, diving 1,000 to 5,000 feet deep for periods of 15 minutes to two hours, migrating thousands of miles, twice a year, to its land based rookery for birthing, breeding, molting and rest. This particular area is home to about 15,000 animals. The time we were here was the breeding and birthing season, so we were able to see everything from babies who are 3 to 4 feet long and weigh 60 to 80 pounds at birth, adult females which are 9 to 12 feet in length and weigh between 900 to 1,800 pounds, and large males which are 14 to 16 feet in length and weight between 3,000 and 5,000 pounds. It is estimated that they swim at speeds of 10 to 15 mph. En route to the feeding grounds, they cover around 60 miles a day foraging as they go. Females, who eat in the deep ocean, eat primarily squid. Males who forage over the continental shelf eat bottom dwelling species such as ratfish, hagfish, rays, and small sharks. They swallow their prey whole and digest it in about six hours.

People often think the seals are dead because they are not moving or breathing. They will often stop breathing and dramatically lower their heart rate - as they do routinely at sea - for periods of a few minutes to half an hour. That apnea and their general inactivity are ways of conserving energy. During the time they are on shore, they are fasting and relying on their stored fat to meet their water and energy needs.


We spent quite a while watching the antics of these mammals and enjoying the beauty of their life and then headed back to San Luis Obispo.


San Luis Obispo boasts that they have the largest street Farmer's Market in California. Every Thursday evening, they close off the main street in town for about 12 blocks and the Farmer's Market opens, selling everything from fresh fruit and veggies to rib dinners. We enjoyed participating in it and bought some excellent strawberries. They were as big as the palm of our hands and sweet as could be. I have to admit that I am not a big fan of the state of California, but there is no place greater for fresh fruits, vegetables and gorgeous flowers! We're heading out tomorrow and will spend the night at Salinas and then drive the next day into San Francisco. We were there on our honeymoon and decided that we needed to go back to experience the city once again. So stay tuned and we'll see what we can find to share with you in San Francisco.