New Year's Eve Panic Driving!!
Trip Start
May 07, 2008
1
80
90
Trip End
Jan 06, 2009
Loading Map
Olema,
California,
United States
Sunday, December 28, 2008
Well, we got into the car after we did a bit of bird in Alcatraz, and zoomed off to Highway 1. A supposedly beautifully scenic drive which would eventually lead us up to Portland and then Seattle where we would meet up with relatives.
After a drive over Golden Gate Bridge which was quite spectacularly stunning, we soon got to the long, twisting, turning mountain road seated deep within acres of forest on the precipice of the ocean and sky-reaching trees edging the narrow road. The drive was not something you would want to undertake if you a) had a hangover or b) suffered from vertigo. This road whipped up a severe case of nausea as you zoomed round and round and round the mountain like a tightly-sprung coil. Fantastic stuff. The scenery was just breathtaking, especially since the sun was starting to set so the light on the water was stunning, making the sea look like an expanse of diamonds, twinkling up to the sky. Beautiful
It started to get dark and we still had nowhere to stay for the night. We were still driving along the coast road and passing through very small villages that only had 1 store that served as a post office/food store/café/liquor store/local hangout!! We didn't particularly fancy the idea of driving in the pitch black along this lonely, forested area with not a soul in sight. We kept our eyes peeled for any sign of a B & B anywhere....at any time.....anyone........there was always the car to sleep in though.....
All of a sudden, from black loneliness to life and light, we drove into a small 'one-street' village called Olema.
Driving over Golden Gate Bridge
No sooner had we driven into the village then on our left, off the road, was a tiny Hotel to which we swerved right into the car park and got out to enquire about vacancies. It looked lovely from the outside. Inside, there was a queue of guests checking in which was a good sign. Everything was natural wood, Persian rugs, large lamps and a generally cosy, warm atmosphere. The place was fully booked!! Apart from one room left which we took, after viewing it. How lucky were we?! The room was under the main building, so was sort of underground tucked away but it was off the back garden and had a massive Jacuzzi bath so was lovely. The only window out was the glass doors to the garden but this was great because once the curtains were closed and the lamps switched on, it was so cosy and secretive!!!For dinner, we went to the restaurant next door which was obviously the local village hang-out. The bar staff were really friendly and one drunk local old man turned round and just started talking to me about his new glasses as if I was an old friend! The food was really good and after 2 G & T's I was anyone's! well, mainly my husbands, thankfully! (David: MAINLY!?!) (Lois: you know what I mean, monkey!) After dinner, we sat in the small games/tv room and played Catan card game while helping ourselves to the free tea and coffee and upstairs in the other room where the log fire crackled away, a family and another couple played games too. It was a nice atmosphere.
The next day, we got 'back on the road again'.
Scenic drive along coast
Our goal? Drive until it get dark. Ooook. So we did, along more stunning coastline with isolated boulders in the sea peeping out from above frothing waves; by rolling hills with lonely farm cottages perched facing the sea; through small pretty villages.Soon, the snaking road, led us to Bodega Bay. Bodega Bay is famous. For one thing. Hitchcock's The Birds, where parts of it was filmed. However, blink and you'll miss Bodega. After 3 mins we were driving out the other side of it. Admittedly, the vista was breath-taking but that was it. God knows where any filming took place.
Eventually, sunset came and we were driving along another isolated road lined with sky-reaching trees - Redwood trees perhaps? All of a sudden, we came to a brown sign on the road which intrigued us. It wasn't quite the twilight zone yet, so we swerved off quickly just to have a peek. Along the lonely, forested track we came to a small wooden hut where a woman was taking entrance fees. Only $5, so we paid and drove on and pretty soon we came to what the brown sign advertised. It was a drive-through tree!!!!!! A Redwood tree that had an archway at the bottom which you could drive though! The most bizarre thing ever. It was a single tree, standing alone in this massive forest, but with a clearing where a wooden 'tourist' shop had been erected.
When the darkness fell and only our headlights illuminated the road ahead, we decided to drop our bags into the next available village/town/City. This happened to be a place called.........Eureka!! Seriously!! No sooner had we arrived in Eureka, then we must have seen at least 4 places advertising Bail Bonds in big neon flashing lights in the windows.
Stunning
Hmmm...was this an indication of what kind of person lives in Eureka then?! Good job we were only staying one night. We instantly found a Motel that seemed nice enough, along the main road. We drove out for a beer and went to a recommended Brewery pub up the road. It was heaving with customers but we found a table. I had this fruity raspberry type home brew stuff and it was delicious!!
The next day was New Years Eve. It was a bit like Christmas Eve. Like then, we once more awoke in a Motel with absolutely nowhere to stay for the holiday celebration. We would have liked to be in Seattle but it was impossible to drive there in one day. So, we began our epic journey to Portland instead. The drive soon took us through beautiful farmland with a vista of snowy mountains beyond. And signs of Elk. So we followed the signs. Well, I told David to follow the sign. Which was down a narrow, lonely track, set amidst barren, dry land and pretty soon the track became very very muddy and our wheels were now spinning. Either side of us was a wire fence and big signs not to approach the Elk as they were very dangerous indeed. David managed to swiftly reverse out of that track while he gave me a 'look' which colourfully illustrated to me that I should keep my orders to myself in future! Soon after, there were some cars that had pulled into a bit of wasteland. Some people were standing with binoculars and cameras but I couldn't see what they were looking at. We pulled in too and I got out while David stayed in the car.
Sunset Coast
Before us, sat the most enormous Elk, calmly chewing away in the tall grasses. He must have been about 40 feet away from us. He was beautiful with massive antlers. Near to him were some more Elk also nonchalantly chewing and completely not bothered by us taking photos of them. I inched closer to the massive single Elk, slowly and turned round expecting to see some of the other people following me to also get that wonderful photo of him. However, I was alone. The others had remained back, by the road!! I was aware that the Elk, could at any time, make a run for me, if something, anything bothered him, so I snapped a few shots and then soon my 30 foot distance between him and I slowly, gingerly became 60, 70, 80 foot away from him, where I re-joined David in the car. The rest of the drive to Portland was as beautiful and fairly uneventful. Until David got pulled over for speeding. Hmm...well, we went through a long tunnel and a car approached us going in the other direction and he flashed David. David looked and wondered curiously what he could be flashing at but thought nothing of it. The next thing I know is David pulling over onto the hard shoulder Police lights flashing us from behind. The speed limit was 55mph and David was doing 65mph. The Policeman was ok, friendly. Checked his licence, did a bit of Police lingo-bingo into his walkie-talkie then returned with a ticket for him. He said we may hear something back, we may not but just to take it easy. He was basically just doing his regulatory paperwork and implying that as we're from the UK think nothing of it, it won't get followed up but just take care in future.
Front of Olema Hotel
Well, that was what David assured me was the underlying message. If he's wrong, David will have to go to Court in California next March. Great. (David: Ok, the REAL story is this: Driving along highway 1, getting annoyed with the speed limit warning on the GPS flipping from 55 to 65 to 55 to 65 and back to 55 again... we'd been having an interesting conversation where I put forward the theory that other American drivers don't seem to warn you of accidents or Police speed traps - but we probably need more time to see if it's true (unlike Australians, who were always flashing us). We went through a tunnel. Where... oh the irony... a car coming towards us beeped his horn. My first thought was that he must like the noise in the tunnel... like those people who shout 'wohooo' when there's any chance of an echo. While pondering this, I simultaneously saw the 65 flip to 55 and a Police car sat smiling at me on the other side of the road. I passed it, and watched in the rear view mirror as it glided away from it's hidey hole spot to follow me... leaving me with only one question: Why do Americans beep to warn you of speed traps and not flash? When he gave me the ticket he said: 'If you do hear anything from this, deal with it... but if you don't, then... well... look, if you do hear, deal with it... but you know, if you don't then... well... well... just ignore it. Look, just take care, ok?' - obviously he was struggling with his inner policeman.) Finally, we got to Portland. It was dark and freezing cold. As usual we had no accommodation. It was 6pm on New Years Eve eve. We got lucky on Christmas Eve, would our luck continue though?
Love, us xx
