CALIFORNIA DREAMIN', Day 8, July 31

Another gorgeous day, and as we dressed and got ready for the day, we noticed that there was no fog, and the visibility was fantastic. We went to the hotel office, toasted a bagel and got some coffee, then took all our loot back to our outside patio and had breakfast facing the Pacific. Wonderful morning, very cool, with a brisk wind and gulls on the wing. We decided to take a walk on the long boardwalk, and then went down to the cliffs overlooking the ocean, taking in the sea stacks, the beautiful sandy beaches below, the cliffs to the right of us, and all the fog that was hanging like a spell over the distant cliffs. After our walk, we checked out and went to the Mendocino Coast Botanical Gardens, which encompass 47 acres of gardens featuring numerous varieties of camellias, dahlias, lilies, hydrangeas, fuchsias, heathers, Pacifica irises, roses, and rhododendrons. Some of the rhododendrons reach a height of 20 feet. Two large creeks wind through a lush native forest filled with ferns and pines, and perennials and succulents are planted in beds along grass trails. Paths lead from a nursery to scenic ocean bluffs adorned with wildflowers. Three miles of trails meander through the gardens, leading to the ocean. A vegetable garden, a meadow and picnic areas flank the trails. Since we had already walked along the seashore at the hotel, we skipped the coastal bluffs at the Botanical Gardens. We walked all the rest of the paths, however. What a beautiful place! By the time we had finished seeing the Botanical Gardens, it was time to take care of a few personal items. We went to get some gas, and then had lunch at Headlands Coffee House in Fort Bragg. All of us had variations on a light meal of soup and salad. it was interesting to watch the hiker and biker types that gathered in front of the door to this restaurant, setting off in the early afternoon to what looked like great adventures, given the superb weather. After lunch, we set off for points inland, taking Hwy. 20 to Willits, settled by a group of pioneer ranchers in the 1850s, and then took Route 101 south to the towns of Ukiah, center of a flourishing wine region (while between the towns of Willits and Ukiah we searched out Ridgewood Ranch, home of the great racehorse Seabiscuit--however, the place was closed); Hopland, Geyserville, and finally Healdsburg, our stop for the evening. It is in the center of the wine industry, and serves as an excellent springboard for the exploration of the various wineries of the area. We checked into our Best Western, noting how the theme of a Roman villa had been re-created even in such a spot. our room is very good, and we have been to a Mexican restaurant tonight--Agave. Now we are back in our room, planning the winery route we would like to take tomorrow as we wend our way back to SF and finally to Mountain View. By the way, for dessert we shall have some strawberries and blackberries we bought this afternoon at a roadside stand south of Ukiah. Those fruits, picked a day ago, are among the finest, sweetest fruits I have ever put in my mouth. Great day today, but I am sorry to leave the cool breezes of the ocean. What a stupendous marvel it is! The words of Wordsworth came to me as I watched it this morning: "...and see the children playing on the shore; and hear the mighty waters rolling evermore...". SV