Eureka...get your freak on!

Sonoma Valley vines

On Friday, the 25th of May, we drove out of Napa Valley and through Sonoma Valley. Wow. What beautiful scenery. Mile after mile of grapevines stretched out over the hillsides. We saw lots of different wineries, each with their dutiful rows of vines like little green soldiers.

Built in 1889 as a wedding gift
from Mr. Carson to his son

We headed north toward Eureka on the coast and found ourselves driving through increasingly narrower and windier roads along the way. We took US 101 which, though technically a highway, is actually more of a slow and scenic route. We were treated to captivating views of the Russian River near Ukiah and towering trees as we drove through several redwood groves and the Avenue of the Giants (more redwoods).

Once at the coast, we could see across Humboldt Bay...well, most of the way. The fog had rolled in from the ocean beyond and began rapidly covering everything in its path in a thick white billowing blanket of mist. It was beautiful, but hard to capture in pictures. The temperature also dropped from a balmy high of mid-70s/low of mid-50s in Napa, to a nippy high of mid-50s/low of mid-30s and rainy in Eureka. Yikes.

The Samoa Cookhouse

We found our campground nestled between a gas station, a Harley dealership and the highway. Sweet. At least it was clean and the manager was very helpful. She gave us a wonderful suggestion for dinner...The Samoa Cookhouse. This restaurant is the last surviving original lumber-camp style cookhouse in the west, built in 1890. Originally a restaurant run by and for the logging company employees, this place continues to serve breakfast, lunch and dinner to hungry diners family style every day. We noshed on roast beef, fried pork chops with gravy, peas (Ken's least favorite veggie), salad, baked potatoes, beef and barley soup, yellow cake with chocolate icing, and the best homemade white bread I've had in a while. Yum. It was all pretty mediocre, but there was a lot of it.

Carson Mansion in Eureka,
ca. 1885, built by William Carson

After dinner, we drove around Eureka and found the Carson Mansion, built in 1885 and now used as a private and very exclusive club known as the Ingomar Club. Across the street is a big pink Victorian home built as a wedding gift by Mr. William Carson to his son in 1889. Afterward, we retired to the RV for happy hour and more Frasier re-runs.

Arcata Farmers' Market

In the morning, we drove up to Arcata at the suggestion of the campground manager to visit the extensive farmers' market and to see the running of the bulls. No. Wait...not bulls. It was much freakier than mere animals.

We witnessed the beginning of the Kinetic Sculpture Race, a local tradition made absolutely fun and ridiculous by the hordes of people dressed in their craziest outfits. We were sorely under-dressed for the occasion. To compensate, we took pictures of everyone else. The contestants in the race build a craft that will cross "land, sand, mud and water" in 3 days' time, according to the race website.

"Roadkill"

Firefighters surrounded this Fire Ant when
fire came shooting out of its butt

The race started at the plaza in Arcata where the contestants show off their elaborate art vehicles by cruising around the square 4 or 5 times before racing off for the Manila dunes (through lots of sand) and then to the gazebo in Eureka. Evidently, the second day is spent sailing (or hopefully at least floating) across Humboldt Bay and then up and down a 7% incline. Day Three is through a swamp and then onto dry land before the racers finish in Ferndale...some 42 miles from the starting line.

To our amateur eyes, many of these crafts looked barely able to complete the tour around the plaza, let alone the entire race. We saw a great many different approaches to solving the difficulties of the race's course...some vehicles had water noodles duct-taped around the wheels, others had giant blocks of painted foam attached here and there. Still others had balloon tires, and one even had plastic barrels. They all had a mixture of guts, glory and unchecked creativity. The crowd was awash in piercings, fishnet stockings, feather boas, tattoos and mohawks all to support the racers...though we suspect many of them probably look like that everyday. What an event.

Carter House Inn, Eureka, CA

After the racers were off to their next destination, we wandered around the streets of Arcata looking for our car, who was playing hide and seek from us. Up one street and down several others, eventually we found it hiding between some SUVs on a street we were sure we hadn't left it on (sneaky little devil). In any case, we headed to lunch at a little Indian buffet. In the afternoon, we visited Old Town Eureka, a tiny little section of the town where many of the houses and most of the businesses are in beautiful old Victorian homes and buildings right on the waterfront.

For the Snugs!

We walked around and took pictures (me in my ski jacket!) of the pretty structures on the old brick streets. We wandered in and out of the aisles of the used bookstore on one corner, and found a little street named Snug Alley (for the Snugs!).

We settled in for our last night in California and watched more Frasier re-runs...which has, sadly, taken the place of the roasted marshmallows of last year's trip, but there's a lot of restrictions on campfires in this state, what with its penchant for wildfires.

Speaking of states, it would seem no other state in the Union does springtime quite like California. For all the traffic, congestion and outrageously high gas prices, we have not found another state with more flowers in bloom than this one has been this May.

From the desert with its yellow flowers of the prickly pear cactus and saguaro trees to the mountains covered in rhododendrons in every shade, white and purple lilacs (the size of small houses!), Queen Anne's lace, orange California poppies, giant dogwoods, and the rest of the state swimming in purple lupine, star jasmine, Calla lilies, white and pink oleanders, southern magnolias, daisies, more than a hundred different varieties of roses and a profusion of literally thousands of other flowers and trees whose names I don't know blooming in a kaleidoscope of colors, they have all provided a dazzling array of beauty.