Point Reyes National Seashore (Spring Break 2006)

The first Road Trip of Spring Break. We drove north out of Oakland across the San Rafael Bridge, up 101 to Lucas Valley road to Nicasio Valley Road, left on Point Reyes/Petaluma Road and all the way to the end of Sir Francis Drake Boulevard.We got out a few times a long the way to take in the view and look at the many cows and waterfalls. We stopped at a gas station in Point Reyes station to check our directions – I usually go with out a map, though I did have my GPS unit. Inside the store two young business women (maybe 11 or 12 years old) asked if I wanted to buy some sage that they had picked. I was impressed with their entrepreneurial skills, so I bought one.

We were soon back on the road and began the count down of dairies on the way to the lighthouse – each one labeled with a letter – Historic C Ranch Established Circa 1859. At one of the dairies along the way, we saw a cow that had just given birth. Her calf lay on the ground at her feet and the placenta was still hanging from her body. There was a vulture waiting on a nearby fence.

At the end of the line we walk .4 miles from the parking lot to the visitor’s center and 400 steps down the hill to the light house. The views were amazing and well worth the long drive. The air was crisp and clean and it was one of the first sunny day in some time.