The Hoosier Diaspora

Longshoreman Cobb

Originally uploaded by khob

Dani reserved us a spot on Wrights Beach near Bodega bay so we could camp at least one night while we were on vacation. The area is my kind of climate: harsh weather and a chill in the air in the middle of summer. Listening to the sound of the crashing waves while we slept was something special.

The beach and waves were really something to see: powerful waves crashing on the rocks among seals and whales coming up for air further out. We were warned not to go in the water (120 people have died there) and after getting close to the water and seeing how powerful it was I don’t feel a strong desire to disobey.

Canopy

Originally uploaded by khob

One of the nice things about living in the bay area is the redwood groves scattered around the area. It’s a special experience to wander around the temperate rainforest where redwoods grow. Armstrong Redwoods state reserve is one of the best parks I’ve been to, especially for just hiking around on the well-maintained paths. The giant redwoods are really something to see.

The ruins of Wolf House

Originally uploaded by khob

I remember reading Jack London’s books as a kid and being enthralled by them. I’ve seen references to him scattered around the bay area here and about his life. It’s a bit of an understatement to say he had an interesting life indeed. It turns out his gravesite and the ruins of his dream home are (along with a museum) part of a state park near Sonoma. Danielle and I wandered around there one day, which was a pretty amazing experience for me.
The ruins of Wolf House are nice to see; A hike of about a mile takes you to a small clearing in a forest where the stone remains of the 4 story dream home he and his wife built still stand. It’s been about a hundred years since the house burned down, and in that time the surrounding forest has swallowed up most of the site. The materials scattered around the museum and on the site indicate that the spot used to have a lovely view of Sonoma valley, and it’s a powerful reminder of the march of time that the forest has come to cover it all up. You could walk by it 50 yards away and never see it.

There are, as always, more pictures in the Flickr gallery.

Dani and me at Gundlach Bundschu

Originally uploaded by khob

Dani and I took a trip to Sonoma to check out some of the wineries there. I had a great time wandering around the beautiful area and tasting some good wines. It was a pretty pricy place and not somewhere that I felt entirely comfortable, but it was a great trip.
I was surprised how fast the town shuts down after dark though; things seem to close up shop around 9, which is odd for a touristy place.

Pretty scenery

Originally uploaded by khob

Dani and I rented Kayaks and wandered around Lake Tahoe for a few hours. I had been looking forward to this quite a bit and thought it was a blast. I think I need to live somewhere that I can buy a Kayak and take it out on the weekends. Some of the most fun I’ve ever had. I can’t wait to do it again.

I’ve been out in California for a couple of months now, and I’ve been missing Danielle and my life back in Colorado. Fortunately, Danielle came out for a little over a week recently, and we had a great time wandering around Northern California. We stayed pretty busy, including:

• Alameda county fair
• San Francisco day trips (mission district, etc)
• Union square and Pier 39 for the 4th of July fireworks
• Murphys California (a cute little town)
• Kayaking on Lake Tahoe
• Casinos in South Lake Tahoe
• Armstrong Redwoods state reserve
• Jack London state historic park (where the author is buried)
• Camping on Wrights Beach near Bodega Bay
• Sonoma spa and wine tastings
• Wandering around the Pleasanton / Livermore area

We had a great time and I missed her quite a bit so it was good to see each other again. There should be some pictures in the Flickr gallery.