CALIFORNIA DREAMING', Day 7, July 30

Here we are, looking at the Pacific tonight and hearing the crashing of the surf. Amazing place, but let me get us there. This morning, we left Mill Valley after breakfast and started for the Muir National Monument, 12 miles north of the Golden Gate Bridge on the SW slope of Mount Tamalpais. It is named after Scottish-born American conservationist and Sierra Club founder John Muir. The monument preserves a stand of Sequoia or coast redwoods, trees that once blanketed coastal valleys in much of N California. Besides redwoods, there are also Douglas firs, maples, oaks, and bay laurels. We not only went through Muir Woods, but also hiked parts of three other trails as well: Fern Creek Trail, Lost Trail, and Ocean View Trail. The total was 2.6 miles in length, and the experience was like going through an extensive cathedral of redwoods and ferns, all gleaming in the sunlight and dappled when in shade. Totally awesome, and we were astounded by the sheer sublimity of the venue's beauty. Once we left, we had lunch in a charming cafe in the town of Olema, as we made our way north. Both Maureen and I had a sandwich of pulled pork, with sides of fries and coke slaw--very fine. Alexandra had a veggie burger with fries. We ate outside in the cafe's garden, with a cool breeze and 75-degree temperatures creating a magical afternoon. From Olema we continued along the NW coast on the Big Sur Hwy., Route 1, a scenic route of major proportions, passing through Point Reyes National Seashore, Bodega Bay (where Hitchcock's "The Birds" was filmed), Jenner, Stewart's Point and the Sea Ranch (they had strange houses which all looked alike); Gualala, Point Arena (where we took pictures of the lighthouse and numerous sea stacks there); Elk, Mendocino (the entire town is on the National Register of Historic Places due to its great concentration of Victorian houses); and Fort Bragg, the northernmost town on the Mendocino coast. We are spending the night in the Beachcomber Hotel, and our sliding glass doors face the Pacific Ocean. We hear the surf--Maureen has chosen well. We have had a pizza from a very good pizza place--a 12-incher with Canadian ham, tomato, mushrooms, mozzarella cheese and basil--one of the best I have had. We are now following the Olympics, and I am going to be retiring soon. Marvelous day of stunning beauty, topped with incredible travel partners. As ever, SV