27 May 1992: Arcata, California to Palo Alto, California

We ate breakfast at a fast food restaurant in Arcata, California, and on the way out of town we took an opportunity to see some of the Victorian houses the city is known for, many of them carefully restored to their former glory. My mother loves Victorian architecture, so there was no way we were going to miss seeing them.

Victorian house in Arcata

Victorian house in Arcata

Victorian house in Arcata

Then we returned to the road for another day, still traveling on U.S. Route 101. We stopped 29 miles (45 km) south in Ferndale, also noted for its Victorian architecture and the town itself a state historic landmark. I remember there was a small park in the center of town with a gazebo in it, where we stopped and rested for awhile. My mother and grandmother both smoked, so we made frequent stops for that purpose.

Historical plaque in Ferndale

My mother and grandmother standing inside the Ferndale gazebo

Another 29 miles (45 km) south and we were in the Humboldt Redwoods State Park. There's something magical about being surrounded by giant trees that are centuries old. They're like wise old giants who've seen so much history yet remain forever silent.

We stopped several times in the park. I took numerous photos of trees, but was also content to sit beneath them communing with the power of the natural world. I could have remained in the forest forever and been happy, but alas, time was passing and we had to get going.

The Immortal Tree

My mother and grandmother posing between redwoods

My mother amidst the redwoods

Redwoods

My memory's hazy for the next 230 miles (370 km), except I do remember we took a detour away from U.S. Route 101 in the Napa Valley so we could drive past Napa State Hospital, a hospital for the mentally ill where my grandmother's artist aunt Lilian Jane "Lily" McIntosh (née Sanders) had been committed and later died in the 1960s.

Once back on the main route, we soon crossed the Golden Gate Bridge into San Francisco just as the sun was setting over the ocean.

I wish there had been a video camera to record that, because words fail me for explaining just how beautiful the sun setting to the west of the bridge was. I didn't have time to dwell on it because I was driving the vehicle.

Rush hour in a large city is never pleasant when driving, least of all an unfamiliar city. However, we simply had to stay on U.S. Route 101, so it was a matter of following the signs instead of having to navigate by map. Once through the city, our destination was Palo Alto, California, 30 miles (48 km) south. In retrospect, I wish we had stayed at least a day in San Francisco itself.

Our rooms at the Sky Ranch Inn were waiting for us. We ate dinner at a Denny's down the street. It was three days after my mother's birthday, so she received a free meal from the restaurant.

Total Travel Distance: 318 miles (512 km)