Friday, September 11, 2009

NO PARTICULAR PLACE TO GO

Remember that old Chuck Berry song?  No Particular Place to Go? 

Eureka Marina as the fog clears. Ridin' along in my automobile
My baby beside me at the wheel
I stole a kiss at the turn of a mile
My curiosity runnin' wild.

Cruisin' and playin' the radio
With no particular place to go.

I love that feeling… “no particular place to go” (well, the “curiosity runnin’ wild” part, too).  That is our current “plan”… go when we want to go, stay as long (or short) as we want to stay, let the weather or events or whim set our course.  It is quite a change from the summer vacation agenda, when the surge of vacationing families dictates planning and reservations.  As vacations wind down post-Labor Day, only the most popular campgrounds require weekend reservations and weekdays are wide open just about everywhere.  So relaxing!

Agate beach looked cold in 2006; sparkled with sunshine today.For our hike today, we DID have a particular place to go: Patrick’s Point State Park, 25 miles north of Eureka, the hike to be followed by lunch at Seascape Restaurant in Trinidad.  With memories of a lovely, sunny day in Trinidad in July of 2006 dancing in our heads, off we went.

Highway 101 followed the ”fog line” today – fog to the west, sunshine to the east, with foggy fingers wafting back and forth overhead.  When we arrived at Patrick’s Point, the fog backed out to sea ever so slightly, so we hiked in cool sunshine with spectacular ocean views – a contrast to the same hike in July of 2006!  We even managed to work up a sweat… and an appetite.

We hopped into the car and headed south to Trinidad, following friends’ recommendations to visit Seascape Restaurant at the Trinidad pier.  Here, it was the opposite story. 

Trinidad in sunshine in 2006; in heavy fog today.When we visited Trinidad three years ago, it sparkled in the sunshine.  Boats bobbed in the harbor and brilliant flowers glowed.  It made an everlasting impression.

Today the town and harbor were completely shrouded in mist, dampened, subdued.  I’m glad we had seen the view in sunshine (and have lots of photos!), but fog has it’s own special ambience – especially since one week ago we couldn’t stop grumbling about the HEAT we were experiencing in Napa!

The Seascape is a funky little diner/cafe at the end of the road at the Trinidad pier.  Two or three overworked waitresses served lunch cheerfully, and the food was good – though I ordered the wrong thing, a grilled cream cheese and smoked salmon (local salmon) sandwich that was way, way too rich for me (until I scraped out half of the cream cheese filling).  Overly salty clam chowder, excellent cole slaw, good fries, and Odel enjoyed his open-faced sole sandwich.  We sat near a window, with views of the action on the pier, the seabirds soaring, and a little harbor seal bobbing and diving.  We left feeling contented, and cruised on home.

4 comments:

  1. What an interesting post today! Loved the contrast of photos from 06 to 09. Great text also. Bobbie

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  2. This is why we chose this lifestyle too.... We love it and the gypsy way of life... You look like your having so much fun. We will be there next fall and I will probably be asking some questions from you then... You are so familiar with it there. Your photos are just wonderful... Have Fun & Travel Safe
    Donna

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  3. Trinidad is one of our all-time favorite spots on the northern California coast.

    After several years of trying this and trying that, and I agree, the restaurants in the town are not much to write home about, here's our formula.

    We park at the Azalea Glen RV Park which is across the road from Patrick's Point State Park. FHU, owned by a super lady who's name is Jeanne and Managed by a super guy who's name is Ken. www.azaleaglen.com

    In town is Murphy's Market. If you want excellent wine, French-style bread from a somewhat local baker, fresh cream, potatoes, onions, bacon and canned clams to make your own clam chowder in the campground while over looking a myriad of flowers, a pond with a couple of fresh water otters at play, well, this is one of the longest sentences I've written but I had to get every word in edgewise lest I forget something. Their wine selection mirrors that you will find at that Joes place in the big cities.

    Chuck

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  4. Chuck, thanks for that great advice. We saw Azalea Glen RV Park when we came out of Patrick's Point SP and turned south to go to Trinidad. It looked lovely from the road. I think the key to seeing Trinidad in the sunshine is to stay there for several days!

    Murphy's Market: we'll look for it next time we are there (assuming the memory cells are still intact). Your long list of yummy ingredients has my mouth watering.

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