I'm sure no one is reading this anymore (except maybe Abby, my self-proclaimed internet stalker), but in case anyone is, I thought I'd post an update on some happenings.
1. I'm going back to school, much like Rodney Dangerfield -- except he gets no respect, and I like to think that I've gained a little throughout the years. Anyway, in January I'll be starting classes in the Photography and Digital Imaging Program at Minneapolis Community and Technical College. Woo! I'm super-pumped!
2. I've relocated from my temporary digs in St. Paul to a house in south Minneapolis, where I'm actually paying rent, but I have my own bathroom. Unpacking my stuff after not seeing it for a few months was actually pretty fun. It was like, "Hey! I forgot about that sweater/Buddha statue/purse! It's really cool!"
3. I'm in the interview process for an internship at the MN Center for Photography, which would be an awesome way to get my foot into the door of the photo community of the Twin Cities. Keep your fingers crossed for me!
4. Starting this week, I am focusing full time on getting a job. Now that I'm signed up for school, and I'm settled in my new place, I need to find something part-time and flexible, hopefully in my neighborhood, that will pay the bills and not get in the way of school/internship/possible job assisting a local architectural photographer (I'm working on that). I don't think I'll truly sleep well until I know I've got money coming in the door.
I laughed this morning when the guy on the radio said, "Things are warming up nicely today, with temperatures right now in the 20's." Because yes, temperatures in the 20's are actually quite comfortable compared to the recent highs in the teens. Tomorrow is supposed to reach into the low 30's! Break out the flip-flops, I'm going to sunbathe by the (frozen) lake!
December 16, 2007
December 02, 2007
Track 25: There's No Place Like...Well, You Know
For those of you wondering where the heck I am right now, I apologize. I'm back in MN, which is good; but that means I don't have anything terribly exciting to write about, which is bad. I may have to start getting all philosophical and writing about the meaning of life and stuff.
Speaking of torture, I was back in Minnesota for two days before I went to the Mall of America. Sheesh. Hopefully, I won't have to go back there for a long time. The holiday shopping season actually makes me want to spend LESS money. Not having a job helps with that too.
Speaking of torture, I was back in Minnesota for two days before I went to the Mall of America. Sheesh. Hopefully, I won't have to go back there for a long time. The holiday shopping season actually makes me want to spend LESS money. Not having a job helps with that too.
I had a great time hanging out in Denver. We walked around a particularly festive (read: Christmas lights) area of downtown, visited Boulder for some lunch and window shopping, got last-minute student tickets to the big U. of Denver vs. Colorado College hockey game (DU won! Go Pioneers!), played pool at Hanson's (Hansen's?), drove up to the teeny, tiny snow globe town that is Georgetown, CO, stopped to see the amphitheater at Red Rocks (someday I WILL see a show there), and continued the tradition of coffee and croissants at Trompeau Bakery the morning I left. "Tradition" meaning we also went there the morning I left on my way out west. You'd make it a tradition, too, if you could have tasted the blueberry and cream cheese croissant I ate. I still salivate when I think about it. I love the simple, unassuming decor of the bakery and listening to the staff speak French to each other. Angie and I always end up having great talks about life while we sit there enjoying our delicacies. Again, "always" means both times we've been there, but the place just invites good conversation.
I actually enjoyed the drive through Colorado and Kansas. Yes, there's nothing particularly exciting about I-70, but I kind of liked the vast expanse of rolling prairie. There's something less desolate about it than the vast expanse of nothingness that was Nevada. Anyway, I stayed at a hotel in Lawrence, Kansas (no bedbugs, but I still didn't sleep very well because of my active imagination). I drove up and down the town's main historic drag, Massachusetts Avenue, before picking a little cafe for breakfast, coffee, and internet surfing. And, because I had a feeling that my LAST day of driving would probably be the most painful, I stopped at a used book store a few blocks down and bought a book on CD (My Dream of You, by Nuala O'Faolain, which I had tried to read ages ago but never finished). Seriously, the hours just FLEW. I was actually a little disappointed when I got to St. Paul in the middle of the 5th (of 6) discs.
Good things about being back in Minnesota:
1. My bed! My very own bed!
2. Not having to look at directions every time I drive somewhere. As exciting as it is to be someplace new, it's also comforting to be surrounded by the familiar.
3. Wednesday Quiz Night at Tracy's Saloon
4. Knowing exactly when A Prairie Home Companion is going to be on the radio
5. Rediscovering the rest of my wardrobe. It's like going on a shopping spree! For another week, at least, until I get sick of everything again and complain about having nothing to wear.
6. The generosity of Kelly and Ben, my temporary housemates, and their dog Walter, who keeps me company while they're at work
7. Friends. My lovely, lovely friends.
Oh, and it snowed 6 inches yesterday. Welcome back to Minnesota, indeed.
I actually enjoyed the drive through Colorado and Kansas. Yes, there's nothing particularly exciting about I-70, but I kind of liked the vast expanse of rolling prairie. There's something less desolate about it than the vast expanse of nothingness that was Nevada. Anyway, I stayed at a hotel in Lawrence, Kansas (no bedbugs, but I still didn't sleep very well because of my active imagination). I drove up and down the town's main historic drag, Massachusetts Avenue, before picking a little cafe for breakfast, coffee, and internet surfing. And, because I had a feeling that my LAST day of driving would probably be the most painful, I stopped at a used book store a few blocks down and bought a book on CD (My Dream of You, by Nuala O'Faolain, which I had tried to read ages ago but never finished). Seriously, the hours just FLEW. I was actually a little disappointed when I got to St. Paul in the middle of the 5th (of 6) discs.
Good things about being back in Minnesota:
1. My bed! My very own bed!
2. Not having to look at directions every time I drive somewhere. As exciting as it is to be someplace new, it's also comforting to be surrounded by the familiar.
3. Wednesday Quiz Night at Tracy's Saloon
4. Knowing exactly when A Prairie Home Companion is going to be on the radio
5. Rediscovering the rest of my wardrobe. It's like going on a shopping spree! For another week, at least, until I get sick of everything again and complain about having nothing to wear.
6. The generosity of Kelly and Ben, my temporary housemates, and their dog Walter, who keeps me company while they're at work
7. Friends. My lovely, lovely friends.
Oh, and it snowed 6 inches yesterday. Welcome back to Minnesota, indeed.
November 22, 2007
Track 24: Happy Tofurkey Day
I just watched the Snoopy balloon float through the streets of New York -- it's Thanksgiving! Although it feels and looks a little more like Christmas here in Denver, what with the snow on the ground and the temperature at 26 degrees. I miss California.
I've got a lot to recap, I know. My memory is going to be a little fuzzy, because it's been a while since I left Monterey, and things have been slightly more whirlwind-y during the last week.
On Saturday morning, I took a spin through the historic section of Monterey, where California was born. It reminded me of St. Augustine, Florida with its Spanish architecture. I saw California's first theater and Fisherman's Wharf, which is now home to chowder houses and souvenir shops but is still good for some photos. Then I headed south again for Point Lobos State Reserve, which I knew was going to be good, because so many locals told me I had to see it. And it was! I had a great hike that looked out on the rocky shore, wound through groves of crazy cypress trees, and proved just how fickle coastal weather can be (sun, wind, fog, back to sun...). There's a section of beach that was renamed Weston Beach, so I stopped to take a breather and imagine Edward Weston and his sons (many of whom became or are accomplished photographers themselves) hiking along the same paths and capturing the same raw beauty. And don't tell anyone with the Park Service, but I nabbed a couple pieces of driftwood from the beach as mementos. They're small! I'm sure they won't be missed!
After a few hours at Point Lobos, I got back on Highway 1 to go a little further south to Big Sur, which I was told I couldn't miss, especially from a photography standpoint. And yes, it was beautiful, but honestly? I had enjoyed similar scenery at many points along my drive from Eureka. Plus, there was more traffic and many cars stopped at every lookout, so it didn't have the remote feeling that I enjoyed along the northern coast.
Right about then, I kind of hit a wall in my journey. I was tired, mentally and physically, and I think I just wanted to take a break from being adventurous. I knew I was going to be picking up Angie in Oakland that night, and maybe subconsciously I knew that the solo-girl part of my travels were over (for a little while, at least). I had one more stop to make before Oakland, though, and that was at the Pigeon Point lighthouse in Pescadero (luckily, it's right on Highway 1, so I didn't have to go out of my way). I didn't want to miss the once-a-year lighting (this was the 135th annual) of the lighthouse's original Fresnel lens. This probably doesn't mean anything to most of you, but as a lighthouse buff I knew it was going to be good.
I arrived in Pescadero amid thick fog and would have totally missed the turn for the lighthouse if the town hadn't sent out several police officers to set up flares on the road and stop traffic so the spectators could park across the street -- I had to park waaaay far away and walk a good distance. There were so many people there! You could tell it was an event that really brought the community together. I found a good spot to stand, set up my tripod, and waited. After a few minutes, they shut off the current auto beacon. I admit, I kind of got distracted with people watching, and then pow! Two dozen fingers of light streamed out of the lighthouse, and it was one of the most extraordinary things I have ever seen. I couldn't take my eyes off of it. People cheered and clapped, and camera flashes were going off everywhere (although I can't see how those photos would come out). I waited until the flashes died down, and then I took some 10- and 20-second exposures to try to capture what I was seeing. Of course, the photos don't do it justice, but they're not bad. After 5 minutes, the lens began to rotate, and we were watching what seafarers back in the late 1800's saw as they approached the shore near Pescadero. It was truly unforgettable. If you want to see some REAL photographers' images, you can Google "Pigeon Point Fresnel lighting photos". There are some really gorgeous photos floating around out there.
Angie flew in from Denver that night, and on Sunday we acted on a tip from her roommate and sought out a Thai Buddhist temple in Berkeley where they have a fundraiser brunch every weekend. It was PACKED, but the people watching was spectacular (another example of the community coming together), and the curry was pretty yummy. We drove around the city for a little bit and then ventured into San Francisco. The weather, I'll mention, was not the greatest, but I knew to expect that about the Bay Area. We checked into the hostel at Fisherman's Wharf, which is palatial compared to some of the hostels I'd stayed in during my drive. Then we hopped on the bus and rode it to Golden Gate Park, which was so beautiful. The sun had sunk to a level below the cloud cover, and everything was lit like a painting. The fog keeps everything so lush and green, and there are so many different kinds of trees, and you can look away from the park and see the sun setting on all the houses that rise into the hills around the city. We just kept saying, "This is SO pretty!"
To keep this post from being ridiculously long (too late!), here's a rundown of what we did in SF: ate a criminal amount of falafel at Ali Baba, had cappuccino and chocolate cake at Tartine, walked a lot, rode a cable car, went shopping at the H&M in Union Square (wearing the same boring clothing for weeks on end makes one want to buy something a little funky), walked through Chinatown and had yummy pastries at the Eastern Bakery (the oldest bakery in Chinatown), walked some more, sought out the In-N-Out Burger by Fisherman's Wharf, walked some more, and then left. Seriously, it was a LOT of stuff packed into a time span of barely more than 24 hours. I really want to go back again, because I loved the city and want to see the rest of it! Oh, and I forgot to mention that we met Ian, from Canada, who is in the process of riding his bicycle from Winnipeg to Mexico and who was a great sightseeing buddy on Monday. Good luck, Ian!!
We spent Monday night in Sacramento (thanks, Matt and Sarah!) and hit the road Tuesday morning with Park City, UT as our destination. Hey, guess what? Utah is freaking COLD. It was a rude "welcome back to reality" from Mother Nature, but I guess it's good to get re-acclimated before I get back to MN. We stayed with Angie's friend Justin (thanks, Justin!), who gave us a little driving tour on Wednesday morning before we hit the road again. I am happy to say that I-80 through Wyoming was not nearly as bad this time around. Some snow had fallen, making the desolation a little prettier, and by the time we reached Laramie, Cheyenne, and then headed down into Colorado, the scenery was downright gorgeous. Picture mountains and rolling hills with a light covering of snow, the pale yellow grasses poking through as the sun set and caused everything to positively GLOW. It was quite breathtaking.
I was very happy to pull up outside Angie's house in Denver, though, and even happier to get to spend Thanksgiving with her, her awesome roommates, and a few other friends. I plan to hang out here for a couple days to see more of Denver and Boulder, and then it's back to the Twin Cities. Someone turn the heat on for me...
I've got a lot to recap, I know. My memory is going to be a little fuzzy, because it's been a while since I left Monterey, and things have been slightly more whirlwind-y during the last week.
On Saturday morning, I took a spin through the historic section of Monterey, where California was born. It reminded me of St. Augustine, Florida with its Spanish architecture. I saw California's first theater and Fisherman's Wharf, which is now home to chowder houses and souvenir shops but is still good for some photos. Then I headed south again for Point Lobos State Reserve, which I knew was going to be good, because so many locals told me I had to see it. And it was! I had a great hike that looked out on the rocky shore, wound through groves of crazy cypress trees, and proved just how fickle coastal weather can be (sun, wind, fog, back to sun...). There's a section of beach that was renamed Weston Beach, so I stopped to take a breather and imagine Edward Weston and his sons (many of whom became or are accomplished photographers themselves) hiking along the same paths and capturing the same raw beauty. And don't tell anyone with the Park Service, but I nabbed a couple pieces of driftwood from the beach as mementos. They're small! I'm sure they won't be missed!
After a few hours at Point Lobos, I got back on Highway 1 to go a little further south to Big Sur, which I was told I couldn't miss, especially from a photography standpoint. And yes, it was beautiful, but honestly? I had enjoyed similar scenery at many points along my drive from Eureka. Plus, there was more traffic and many cars stopped at every lookout, so it didn't have the remote feeling that I enjoyed along the northern coast.
Right about then, I kind of hit a wall in my journey. I was tired, mentally and physically, and I think I just wanted to take a break from being adventurous. I knew I was going to be picking up Angie in Oakland that night, and maybe subconsciously I knew that the solo-girl part of my travels were over (for a little while, at least). I had one more stop to make before Oakland, though, and that was at the Pigeon Point lighthouse in Pescadero (luckily, it's right on Highway 1, so I didn't have to go out of my way). I didn't want to miss the once-a-year lighting (this was the 135th annual) of the lighthouse's original Fresnel lens. This probably doesn't mean anything to most of you, but as a lighthouse buff I knew it was going to be good.
I arrived in Pescadero amid thick fog and would have totally missed the turn for the lighthouse if the town hadn't sent out several police officers to set up flares on the road and stop traffic so the spectators could park across the street -- I had to park waaaay far away and walk a good distance. There were so many people there! You could tell it was an event that really brought the community together. I found a good spot to stand, set up my tripod, and waited. After a few minutes, they shut off the current auto beacon. I admit, I kind of got distracted with people watching, and then pow! Two dozen fingers of light streamed out of the lighthouse, and it was one of the most extraordinary things I have ever seen. I couldn't take my eyes off of it. People cheered and clapped, and camera flashes were going off everywhere (although I can't see how those photos would come out). I waited until the flashes died down, and then I took some 10- and 20-second exposures to try to capture what I was seeing. Of course, the photos don't do it justice, but they're not bad. After 5 minutes, the lens began to rotate, and we were watching what seafarers back in the late 1800's saw as they approached the shore near Pescadero. It was truly unforgettable. If you want to see some REAL photographers' images, you can Google "Pigeon Point Fresnel lighting photos". There are some really gorgeous photos floating around out there.
Angie flew in from Denver that night, and on Sunday we acted on a tip from her roommate and sought out a Thai Buddhist temple in Berkeley where they have a fundraiser brunch every weekend. It was PACKED, but the people watching was spectacular (another example of the community coming together), and the curry was pretty yummy. We drove around the city for a little bit and then ventured into San Francisco. The weather, I'll mention, was not the greatest, but I knew to expect that about the Bay Area. We checked into the hostel at Fisherman's Wharf, which is palatial compared to some of the hostels I'd stayed in during my drive. Then we hopped on the bus and rode it to Golden Gate Park, which was so beautiful. The sun had sunk to a level below the cloud cover, and everything was lit like a painting. The fog keeps everything so lush and green, and there are so many different kinds of trees, and you can look away from the park and see the sun setting on all the houses that rise into the hills around the city. We just kept saying, "This is SO pretty!"
To keep this post from being ridiculously long (too late!), here's a rundown of what we did in SF: ate a criminal amount of falafel at Ali Baba, had cappuccino and chocolate cake at Tartine, walked a lot, rode a cable car, went shopping at the H&M in Union Square (wearing the same boring clothing for weeks on end makes one want to buy something a little funky), walked through Chinatown and had yummy pastries at the Eastern Bakery (the oldest bakery in Chinatown), walked some more, sought out the In-N-Out Burger by Fisherman's Wharf, walked some more, and then left. Seriously, it was a LOT of stuff packed into a time span of barely more than 24 hours. I really want to go back again, because I loved the city and want to see the rest of it! Oh, and I forgot to mention that we met Ian, from Canada, who is in the process of riding his bicycle from Winnipeg to Mexico and who was a great sightseeing buddy on Monday. Good luck, Ian!!
We spent Monday night in Sacramento (thanks, Matt and Sarah!) and hit the road Tuesday morning with Park City, UT as our destination. Hey, guess what? Utah is freaking COLD. It was a rude "welcome back to reality" from Mother Nature, but I guess it's good to get re-acclimated before I get back to MN. We stayed with Angie's friend Justin (thanks, Justin!), who gave us a little driving tour on Wednesday morning before we hit the road again. I am happy to say that I-80 through Wyoming was not nearly as bad this time around. Some snow had fallen, making the desolation a little prettier, and by the time we reached Laramie, Cheyenne, and then headed down into Colorado, the scenery was downright gorgeous. Picture mountains and rolling hills with a light covering of snow, the pale yellow grasses poking through as the sun set and caused everything to positively GLOW. It was quite breathtaking.
I was very happy to pull up outside Angie's house in Denver, though, and even happier to get to spend Thanksgiving with her, her awesome roommates, and a few other friends. I plan to hang out here for a couple days to see more of Denver and Boulder, and then it's back to the Twin Cities. Someone turn the heat on for me...
November 16, 2007
Track 23: Conversations
One of the great side effects of traveling alone is gaining confidence in talking to strangers (that thing that our parents warned us not to do when we were little). I feel like today has been all about talking to people I randomly encounter. It started this morning in the kitchen of the Point Montara hostel, where I ended up talking to Glen (from Salt Lake City) and Wynn (from Manchester, England) for over two hours about everything from traveling to No Child Left Behind (they're both teachers, and I didn't have much to contribute, but I enjoyed listening nonetheless). I had planned on leaving the hostel pretty early to get a good start to Monterey and Carmel, but I reminded myself that part of traveling (and life) involves connecting with people, and I am always rejuvenated by stimulating conversation, so I hung around and enjoyed the company. It's so refreshing to start talking to someone you don't even know and find yourself still talking (and listening) hours later.
Because of this welcome diversion, I decided to stray from Highway 1 and take the faster freeways to points south. I bypassed Monterey, where I knew I'd be staying, and headed right for Carmel. The only reason I wanted to go there was because of a documentary I'd seen (and subsequent reading I'd done) this summer about the photographer Edward Weston and his wife and artistic partner Charis Wilson, who lived there during the mid-1900's. I ended up visiting several galleries, gathering great advice from the curators, and I especially enjoyed my visit to the Weston Gallery. I also saw a great exhibition at the Center for Photographic Arts. It was a pretty inspiring afternoon, from a photographic point of view. Tomorrow I'm heading back down there to visit Point Lobos State Park (a favorite photo subject of Weston's) and Big Sur. I just hope the sun comes back out -- it's been cloudy, and although I'm a big fan of fog (it's so dreamy!), a nice sunset would make the coast that much more photogenic.
I headed back north to Monterey, where I checked into the hostel and got some great touring advice from the manager. I was walking down the block to Cannery Row when I stopped next to the Culinary Center of Monterey. Their cooking school has a restaurant that's open on weekends, and although I was planning to make my own dinner at the hostel, the beet and goat cheese salad caught my eye and made my mouth water. I'm a sucker for a good beet and goat cheese salad. Long story short -- the salad was scrumptious, as was the potato leek soup, and after asking the friendly server how the school/restaurant works, I learned that not only does the Center hold public cooking classes and a culinary school, it has a foundation (which is aided by the restaurant proceeds) that does wonderful things by teaching parents and kids all about healthy eating. I left twice the amount I owed for dinner and left with a happy belly and happy conscience.
I posted a bunch of photos to Flickr -- just click on any of the photos in the little collage on the right-hand side of the page. I went a bit crazy during the sunset in Mendocino (those that are posted represent a fraction of what I took). I hope you enjoy them -- I'll label them with details about location, etc. at some point in the near future.
Because of this welcome diversion, I decided to stray from Highway 1 and take the faster freeways to points south. I bypassed Monterey, where I knew I'd be staying, and headed right for Carmel. The only reason I wanted to go there was because of a documentary I'd seen (and subsequent reading I'd done) this summer about the photographer Edward Weston and his wife and artistic partner Charis Wilson, who lived there during the mid-1900's. I ended up visiting several galleries, gathering great advice from the curators, and I especially enjoyed my visit to the Weston Gallery. I also saw a great exhibition at the Center for Photographic Arts. It was a pretty inspiring afternoon, from a photographic point of view. Tomorrow I'm heading back down there to visit Point Lobos State Park (a favorite photo subject of Weston's) and Big Sur. I just hope the sun comes back out -- it's been cloudy, and although I'm a big fan of fog (it's so dreamy!), a nice sunset would make the coast that much more photogenic.
I headed back north to Monterey, where I checked into the hostel and got some great touring advice from the manager. I was walking down the block to Cannery Row when I stopped next to the Culinary Center of Monterey. Their cooking school has a restaurant that's open on weekends, and although I was planning to make my own dinner at the hostel, the beet and goat cheese salad caught my eye and made my mouth water. I'm a sucker for a good beet and goat cheese salad. Long story short -- the salad was scrumptious, as was the potato leek soup, and after asking the friendly server how the school/restaurant works, I learned that not only does the Center hold public cooking classes and a culinary school, it has a foundation (which is aided by the restaurant proceeds) that does wonderful things by teaching parents and kids all about healthy eating. I left twice the amount I owed for dinner and left with a happy belly and happy conscience.
I posted a bunch of photos to Flickr -- just click on any of the photos in the little collage on the right-hand side of the page. I went a bit crazy during the sunset in Mendocino (those that are posted represent a fraction of what I took). I hope you enjoy them -- I'll label them with details about location, etc. at some point in the near future.
November 15, 2007
Track 22: Shoreline Highway
As the hip kids say, OMG! So much to write about. This will probably be a long post, so settle in with a nice mug of tea. Or glass of wine. I'm sure it'll be much more interesting after a glass of wine, so you should go that route.
Anyway, I left Eureka early yesterday morning (around 7:30, after a stop for coffee). The town was so quiet and pretty, still drowsy beneath the light fog, and I was sad to leave. But once I got on Highway 101, I remembered what was ahead of me: Avenue of the Giants! There are few things more humbling than redwoods, people. Avenue of the Giants is a 31-mile scenic drive through several groves of them. Remember what I said about those moments of beauty that make you want to cry? Picture me, blinking back tears, my mouth agape, trying to watch the road and stare up at these enormous towers at the same time. Thank goodness no one else was on the road, so I had a nice, leisurely drive without any oncoming traffic to swerve at.
At around 10:00, I turned onto historic Highway 1 (the Shoreline Highway). Highlights: hairpin curves (I'm getting good at them by now), the sun streaming through the trees and illuminating the last bits of fog still clinging to the road, and listening to Leo Kottke. At 10:41 (yes, I looked at the clock and wrote it down), I reached the coast. I think I audibly gasped. And there were more tears. Honestly, you'd think I'd never seen the ocean before. But it was so blue, and so vast, and so...well, beyond words. There was a place to pull over (as I imagine anyone who reaches that point does), so I grabbed my camera, hopped out of the car, and was greeted with the sound and smell of the Pacific Ocean crashing on the rocks below. In my head, I heard the opening strums of "Into the Mystic" and started to choke up all over again.
As I continued to drive, it was hard not to stop at every vista point and turnout. I have yet to upload and go through any of the photos I've taken over the past couple of days, but I'm sure I went a little overboard. The weather was just perfect: blue sky, a bit of fog softening the bluffs and rocky shore.
I made a couple of stops to walk around. At MacKerricher State Park, I walked along a wooden promenade and saw a few harbor seals (they were pretty far away, though). In Fort Bragg, I found Glass Beach, which was a little underwhelming, but I did manage to snag a few little pieces that will make nice earrings. There was no one around to scold me, and there were a few other people stooping to pick up the glass as well. Back on the main drag, I happened upon a great little organic restaurant and had one of the best salads ever.
And then -- Mendocino. Shannon, if you're reading this, I owe you even more for directing me to stop and spend some time there. It is the cutest place in the world. It is impossibly quaint, in an only-people-in-movies-live-here kind of way. The village (and it truly feels like a village) was started by hippies, I've been told, and they've put a ban on any new development, so there are no condos, no Dairy Queens, and one gas station (which was selling the low grade for $4.04 a gallon. I'm serious.). I walked around the village, longed to live in one of the cute little houses (I can't stop using the word 'cute'), wished I could buy something in every store, and then made my way to a good spot on the beach to watch the sunset. Everyone, my family especially, knows how I love Sunset Beach in Cape May. But honestly, it doesn't compare to watching the sun drop into the Pacific. More tears. I really have to work on this crying thing. I stayed there watching the sky grow deep with colors until I had to leap up and run to my car for my tripod. I had fun playing with longer exposures, trying to capture the fiery pink clouds and the brightening crescent moon. It was truly spectacular.
I stayed the night in the cutest (sorry) little one-room cabin at Jughandle Creek Nature Reserve. It had a wood stove! Unfortunately, I'd never built a fire in a wood stove before; I think I missed that Girl Scout meeting. Luckily, I ran into Lou, who is staying there while he makes repairs to the farmhouse, and he helped out. The fire was great, until I got distracted by my book and the yummy local beer I had bought in Fort Bragg, and before I knew it, I was down to embers. I clumsily tried to rebuild it with some more wood, and although it took me forever (plus a lot of newspaper and matches), I managed to get it going again at about half-strength. When I woke up around 4 in the morning to a chilly cabin, I vowed to take a community ed class in firebuilding.
Today, I stopped to buy gas in Gualala, just because it's so much fun to say. Gua-LA-la. Hee!
Here's what I love about driving in California: turnouts. Californians have no qualms tailgating you even though it's clear you're not familiar with the roads (hello, read my license plate!) and the roads have more curves than Jessica Rabbit. Turnouts are places where I can pull over and let the impatient bastards zip by me on their way to somewhere obviously more important than my safety.
I'm a big believer in soundtracks. They can turn a bad movie into a semi-okay one and a good movie unforgettable (a la Almost Famous and The Big Chill, two of my favorite movies). I also like trying to match the music I listen to in my car with the scenery outside my car, like the soundtrack to my life, as hokey as that sounds. Kind of accidentally, I put in my Classic Chillout compilation just before my drive through the redwoods, and I swear it made it that much better. Ditto with Leo Kottke and the winding forest roads at the top of Highway 1. This morning, I started with Bebel Gilberto's Tanto Tempo Remixes, then Van Morrison's Moondance (I had to listen to "Into the Mystic" rather than just singing it in my head), which were both very enjoyable and fitting, but it wasn't until I put in U2's The Joshua Tree that I hit the motherlode. If you can hear the beginning of "Where the Streets Have No Name", with those quiet organ notes leading into that steady drumbeat, and then picture Highway 1 twisting and curving above the waves of the Pacific crashing into the rocky shoreline and NOT get goosebumps, there's something wrong with you. That whole album was the absolute perfect soundtrack for my drive today. I'd have listened to it over and over again, but I didn't want to wear it out with so many days left in my trip. David Gray's White Ladder was next, followed by Tori Amos and Scarlet's Walk. I have no idea if all this is boring you to tears, but the music played an important role in my drive today.
In a really well-timed move, I got to San Francisco smack-dab in the middle of rush hour. As I got closer to the city, I noticed that a thick fog blanketed the coast (it was really cool, actually), so I wasn't sure when I'd see the Golden Gate. I followed the signs to get back on 101, which goes through a short tunnel. Upon exiting the tunnel, I was practically ON THE BRIDGE. More tears. I don't know about you, but I'm a sucker for seeing an oft-photographed icon in person (remember Half Dome?). I just get starstruck, and after two days of being in constant pinch-me-I'm-dreaming mode, I'm an emotional mess.
Then reality hit: a $5.00 toll? Are you KIDDING me? Just to drive across one of America's most recognizable icons? Fine, but I take back my tears of joy. I really should only have to pay $2.50, because half the bridge was completely enveloped in fog.
After a foggy, misty, trafficky (is that a word?) drive through SF, I arrived safely at Point Montara hostel, which is actually part of the keeper's quarters of a lighthouse. For those who don't know (or haven't seen my collection of refrigerator magnets), I HEART lighthouses!! It's a short and squat baby lighthouse, but I'm still charmed. I also stopped at Point Arena lighthouse earlier today to snap some photos. Forgot to mention that. Two lighthouses in one day!
Seriously, if you're still reading at this point, you deserve a medal. Or another glass of wine. Go ahead, treat yourself. I've got photos to upload!
Anyway, I left Eureka early yesterday morning (around 7:30, after a stop for coffee). The town was so quiet and pretty, still drowsy beneath the light fog, and I was sad to leave. But once I got on Highway 101, I remembered what was ahead of me: Avenue of the Giants! There are few things more humbling than redwoods, people. Avenue of the Giants is a 31-mile scenic drive through several groves of them. Remember what I said about those moments of beauty that make you want to cry? Picture me, blinking back tears, my mouth agape, trying to watch the road and stare up at these enormous towers at the same time. Thank goodness no one else was on the road, so I had a nice, leisurely drive without any oncoming traffic to swerve at.
At around 10:00, I turned onto historic Highway 1 (the Shoreline Highway). Highlights: hairpin curves (I'm getting good at them by now), the sun streaming through the trees and illuminating the last bits of fog still clinging to the road, and listening to Leo Kottke. At 10:41 (yes, I looked at the clock and wrote it down), I reached the coast. I think I audibly gasped. And there were more tears. Honestly, you'd think I'd never seen the ocean before. But it was so blue, and so vast, and so...well, beyond words. There was a place to pull over (as I imagine anyone who reaches that point does), so I grabbed my camera, hopped out of the car, and was greeted with the sound and smell of the Pacific Ocean crashing on the rocks below. In my head, I heard the opening strums of "Into the Mystic" and started to choke up all over again.
As I continued to drive, it was hard not to stop at every vista point and turnout. I have yet to upload and go through any of the photos I've taken over the past couple of days, but I'm sure I went a little overboard. The weather was just perfect: blue sky, a bit of fog softening the bluffs and rocky shore.
I made a couple of stops to walk around. At MacKerricher State Park, I walked along a wooden promenade and saw a few harbor seals (they were pretty far away, though). In Fort Bragg, I found Glass Beach, which was a little underwhelming, but I did manage to snag a few little pieces that will make nice earrings. There was no one around to scold me, and there were a few other people stooping to pick up the glass as well. Back on the main drag, I happened upon a great little organic restaurant and had one of the best salads ever.
And then -- Mendocino. Shannon, if you're reading this, I owe you even more for directing me to stop and spend some time there. It is the cutest place in the world. It is impossibly quaint, in an only-people-in-movies-live-here kind of way. The village (and it truly feels like a village) was started by hippies, I've been told, and they've put a ban on any new development, so there are no condos, no Dairy Queens, and one gas station (which was selling the low grade for $4.04 a gallon. I'm serious.). I walked around the village, longed to live in one of the cute little houses (I can't stop using the word 'cute'), wished I could buy something in every store, and then made my way to a good spot on the beach to watch the sunset. Everyone, my family especially, knows how I love Sunset Beach in Cape May. But honestly, it doesn't compare to watching the sun drop into the Pacific. More tears. I really have to work on this crying thing. I stayed there watching the sky grow deep with colors until I had to leap up and run to my car for my tripod. I had fun playing with longer exposures, trying to capture the fiery pink clouds and the brightening crescent moon. It was truly spectacular.
I stayed the night in the cutest (sorry) little one-room cabin at Jughandle Creek Nature Reserve. It had a wood stove! Unfortunately, I'd never built a fire in a wood stove before; I think I missed that Girl Scout meeting. Luckily, I ran into Lou, who is staying there while he makes repairs to the farmhouse, and he helped out. The fire was great, until I got distracted by my book and the yummy local beer I had bought in Fort Bragg, and before I knew it, I was down to embers. I clumsily tried to rebuild it with some more wood, and although it took me forever (plus a lot of newspaper and matches), I managed to get it going again at about half-strength. When I woke up around 4 in the morning to a chilly cabin, I vowed to take a community ed class in firebuilding.
Today, I stopped to buy gas in Gualala, just because it's so much fun to say. Gua-LA-la. Hee!
Here's what I love about driving in California: turnouts. Californians have no qualms tailgating you even though it's clear you're not familiar with the roads (hello, read my license plate!) and the roads have more curves than Jessica Rabbit. Turnouts are places where I can pull over and let the impatient bastards zip by me on their way to somewhere obviously more important than my safety.
I'm a big believer in soundtracks. They can turn a bad movie into a semi-okay one and a good movie unforgettable (a la Almost Famous and The Big Chill, two of my favorite movies). I also like trying to match the music I listen to in my car with the scenery outside my car, like the soundtrack to my life, as hokey as that sounds. Kind of accidentally, I put in my Classic Chillout compilation just before my drive through the redwoods, and I swear it made it that much better. Ditto with Leo Kottke and the winding forest roads at the top of Highway 1. This morning, I started with Bebel Gilberto's Tanto Tempo Remixes, then Van Morrison's Moondance (I had to listen to "Into the Mystic" rather than just singing it in my head), which were both very enjoyable and fitting, but it wasn't until I put in U2's The Joshua Tree that I hit the motherlode. If you can hear the beginning of "Where the Streets Have No Name", with those quiet organ notes leading into that steady drumbeat, and then picture Highway 1 twisting and curving above the waves of the Pacific crashing into the rocky shoreline and NOT get goosebumps, there's something wrong with you. That whole album was the absolute perfect soundtrack for my drive today. I'd have listened to it over and over again, but I didn't want to wear it out with so many days left in my trip. David Gray's White Ladder was next, followed by Tori Amos and Scarlet's Walk. I have no idea if all this is boring you to tears, but the music played an important role in my drive today.
In a really well-timed move, I got to San Francisco smack-dab in the middle of rush hour. As I got closer to the city, I noticed that a thick fog blanketed the coast (it was really cool, actually), so I wasn't sure when I'd see the Golden Gate. I followed the signs to get back on 101, which goes through a short tunnel. Upon exiting the tunnel, I was practically ON THE BRIDGE. More tears. I don't know about you, but I'm a sucker for seeing an oft-photographed icon in person (remember Half Dome?). I just get starstruck, and after two days of being in constant pinch-me-I'm-dreaming mode, I'm an emotional mess.
Then reality hit: a $5.00 toll? Are you KIDDING me? Just to drive across one of America's most recognizable icons? Fine, but I take back my tears of joy. I really should only have to pay $2.50, because half the bridge was completely enveloped in fog.
After a foggy, misty, trafficky (is that a word?) drive through SF, I arrived safely at Point Montara hostel, which is actually part of the keeper's quarters of a lighthouse. For those who don't know (or haven't seen my collection of refrigerator magnets), I HEART lighthouses!! It's a short and squat baby lighthouse, but I'm still charmed. I also stopped at Point Arena lighthouse earlier today to snap some photos. Forgot to mention that. Two lighthouses in one day!
Seriously, if you're still reading at this point, you deserve a medal. Or another glass of wine. Go ahead, treat yourself. I've got photos to upload!
November 14, 2007
Track 21: Eureka!
Hello from gorgeous Humboldt County, CA! I made it to Eureka late yesterday afternoon after a rainy yet beautiful drive up through the Sacramento Valley and then over highway 299 through the mountains (read: more race car driving). Shannon and Brian are renting the cutest little house and are the perfect hosts, and Shannon's years as a travel agent in California have resulted in me actually having a clue what I'm going to be doing this week. I owe you one, Shannon! Or a billion. Can we work out a payment plan?
Anyway, today we had lunch in Arcata, a very charming hippie town that's home to Humboldt State University, and went hiking in a redwood forest that's right next to the campus. I honestly think it was that first time I had ever seen redwoods, and I was speechless. It was like walking through a time warp into this ancient forest grove full of enormous trees covered with moss, and ferns, and it was just beautiful. I kept expecting a dinosaur (or Ewok, as Shannon suggested) to lumber out from the trees. I didn't get a whole lot of photos because the thick cover of trees didn't afford enough light, and I hadn't brought my tripod, but I don't think I'll soon forget that hike. Just magical.
Then we headed for the coast, making a few photo stops as we headed up Highway 101. The weather, which was predicted to be kind of crappy, turned out to be perfect. It was sunny with a little bit of foggy mist, making everything all soft and shimmery. There were moments when the rays of sun came streaming through the giant trees and I thought I'd died and gone to heaven. It's every photographer's dream. And to smell the sea (and feel the sky, as Van Morrison sings) was also just what I needed. The day was just one gorgeous thing after another. And we saw elk! Just lounging by the side of the road!
And just because I haven't mentioned food in a while, I have to tell you all about the gastronomical delights: another stop in Arcata for hand-dipped, homemade ice cream (a scoop of ginger and a scoop of pumpkin pie), and dinner at Hurricane Kate's, where I had butternut squash, bean, and corn soup served in a small, hollowed-out pumpkin and a very nice glass of Barbera. Oh, and for lunch I also had a cup of pumpkin and corn chowder. I thought I'd keep the theme going throughout the day.
Tomorrow morning I plan to make my way down to Mendocino, driving along the Avenue of the Giants (redwoods); stopping at MacKerricher State Park to see some harbor seals; then at Fort Bragg to see the glass beach (they say no collecting the beach glass, but I may have to sneak a piece or two into my pocket); Russian Gulch State Park, where I'll do another waterfall hike (I've been assured it's much less strenuous than my Yosemite hike); and exploring and dinner in the village of Mendocino, where Shannon used to live. Brian did some web surfing, and Shannon made the call that got me a small one-room cabin at Jug Handle Creek Farm. It's got a wood stove! Hopefully I won't burn the place down.
After just a taste of the coastline today, I am even more excited about the rest of my drive. I plan to go as far south as Monterey and Carmel (my pilgrimage to Edward Weston and Charis Wilson's former home) before going back up to the Bay Area for the weekend. I have plenty of pictures to post, but it's super-late and I have to get up in less than six hours to hit the road. Patience, dear readers, have patience...
Anyway, today we had lunch in Arcata, a very charming hippie town that's home to Humboldt State University, and went hiking in a redwood forest that's right next to the campus. I honestly think it was that first time I had ever seen redwoods, and I was speechless. It was like walking through a time warp into this ancient forest grove full of enormous trees covered with moss, and ferns, and it was just beautiful. I kept expecting a dinosaur (or Ewok, as Shannon suggested) to lumber out from the trees. I didn't get a whole lot of photos because the thick cover of trees didn't afford enough light, and I hadn't brought my tripod, but I don't think I'll soon forget that hike. Just magical.
Then we headed for the coast, making a few photo stops as we headed up Highway 101. The weather, which was predicted to be kind of crappy, turned out to be perfect. It was sunny with a little bit of foggy mist, making everything all soft and shimmery. There were moments when the rays of sun came streaming through the giant trees and I thought I'd died and gone to heaven. It's every photographer's dream. And to smell the sea (and feel the sky, as Van Morrison sings) was also just what I needed. The day was just one gorgeous thing after another. And we saw elk! Just lounging by the side of the road!
And just because I haven't mentioned food in a while, I have to tell you all about the gastronomical delights: another stop in Arcata for hand-dipped, homemade ice cream (a scoop of ginger and a scoop of pumpkin pie), and dinner at Hurricane Kate's, where I had butternut squash, bean, and corn soup served in a small, hollowed-out pumpkin and a very nice glass of Barbera. Oh, and for lunch I also had a cup of pumpkin and corn chowder. I thought I'd keep the theme going throughout the day.
Tomorrow morning I plan to make my way down to Mendocino, driving along the Avenue of the Giants (redwoods); stopping at MacKerricher State Park to see some harbor seals; then at Fort Bragg to see the glass beach (they say no collecting the beach glass, but I may have to sneak a piece or two into my pocket); Russian Gulch State Park, where I'll do another waterfall hike (I've been assured it's much less strenuous than my Yosemite hike); and exploring and dinner in the village of Mendocino, where Shannon used to live. Brian did some web surfing, and Shannon made the call that got me a small one-room cabin at Jug Handle Creek Farm. It's got a wood stove! Hopefully I won't burn the place down.
After just a taste of the coastline today, I am even more excited about the rest of my drive. I plan to go as far south as Monterey and Carmel (my pilgrimage to Edward Weston and Charis Wilson's former home) before going back up to the Bay Area for the weekend. I have plenty of pictures to post, but it's super-late and I have to get up in less than six hours to hit the road. Patience, dear readers, have patience...
November 11, 2007
Track 20: Smokin' in the Boys' Room
I didn't sleep well on Friday night: there were too many snorers, a group of people came in late and made lots of noise, and some more people got up at 5:30 a.m. and made even more noise. Oh yeah, and I was in the guys' dorm and NO ONE TOLD ME.
I slept much, much better last night. On the girls' side.
Anyway, I spent most of yesterday's daylight hours at Yosemite. I won't insult your intelligence and ramble on about how beautiful it is, because you already know it is, even if you've never been there. It's a national park, people! Of course it's amazing! Have you ever had one of those moments where you're just overwhelmed by the beautiful things around you, so much so that you start to choke up? That happened to me multiple times just on the drive into the park. And then, when I finally saw Half Dome -- goosebumps. I have worshiped Ansel Adams for so long, and to see that huge, rocky icon in real life was a moment I will not soon forget. They have an Ansel Adams Gallery in the park, so of course I had to buy a few postcards of his photographs. One is a portrait taken of Adams and his big view camera, and another is a candid photo of Georgia O'Keeffe (they were friends), whose biography I read last year. Somehow, the portraits of the artists are just as inspiring to me as their works of art.
After riding around on the hybrid shuttle bus, I embarked on a hike up to Vernal Falls. If there is a theme to this adventure of mine, it's Things That Kick My Butt. Driving across Wyoming, hauling rocks, hiking in Yosemite. I read in the guide book that the difficulty level was "moderate" and thought, "Okay! I can do this." Thirty seconds later, I was peeling off layers and already out of breath. I was pretty tired when I got to the footbridge that gives you a view to the falls, but I really wanted to get to the top, and it was only another mile or so to go. So I kept going, and then I reached the granite steps. The "steep granite stairway of over 600 steps," as the hiking guide (a separate pamphlet which I stupidly didn't read) states. The pamphlet also lists that second half of the hike as "strenuous". Whoops. I had flashbacks to my nightmare hike through the rainforest in Honduras, except I wasn't soaked through with sweat and I could stop whenever I wanted instead of trying to keep up with our flip-flopped 12-year-old guide. But I pushed on, stopping often, chatting breathlessly with the other red-faced and struggling hikers, until I reached the top. I rested there for a while, had a snack, and headed back down, which caused a whole different group of muscles to hurt. But it was a good kind of hurt. A funny thing happened on the way down: I saw a black fleece hat hanging from a tree branch (nature's lost-and-found) and thought, "Hey, that looks like my hat." Then I realized that I hadn't seen my hat in my bag when I was at the top of the falls, so I searched again and sure enough, some nice soul had found my dropped hat and placed it where I could find it. Yay! It's a good hat. It doesn't give me horrible hat hair. I would have been sad if I'd lost it.
I did some more walking along the Merced River, took a lot of pictures (most of which are pretty disappointing, but a.) I'm pretty hard on myself, and b.) I'd spent a good chunk of time looking at the professionals' pictures in the gallery that morning). When I got back to the hostel, I spent some time in Photoshop, changing some of the photos to black and white and making other adjustments to make them more pleasing to me.
Unfortunately, it's raining today, so I'm not sure I'll head back into the park. I would love to come back again, though, for a longer period of time. Then I can familiarize myself with the layout of the park, do some more research on good photo spots, and take more time to really photograph things.
This afternoon I'm going to head over to the Modesto area for a return visit with Delite. Then, tomorrow, I'll head up to Eureka to stay with my friend Shannon and see the redwoods. Then I'll start down the coast! Woo!
I slept much, much better last night. On the girls' side.
Anyway, I spent most of yesterday's daylight hours at Yosemite. I won't insult your intelligence and ramble on about how beautiful it is, because you already know it is, even if you've never been there. It's a national park, people! Of course it's amazing! Have you ever had one of those moments where you're just overwhelmed by the beautiful things around you, so much so that you start to choke up? That happened to me multiple times just on the drive into the park. And then, when I finally saw Half Dome -- goosebumps. I have worshiped Ansel Adams for so long, and to see that huge, rocky icon in real life was a moment I will not soon forget. They have an Ansel Adams Gallery in the park, so of course I had to buy a few postcards of his photographs. One is a portrait taken of Adams and his big view camera, and another is a candid photo of Georgia O'Keeffe (they were friends), whose biography I read last year. Somehow, the portraits of the artists are just as inspiring to me as their works of art.
After riding around on the hybrid shuttle bus, I embarked on a hike up to Vernal Falls. If there is a theme to this adventure of mine, it's Things That Kick My Butt. Driving across Wyoming, hauling rocks, hiking in Yosemite. I read in the guide book that the difficulty level was "moderate" and thought, "Okay! I can do this." Thirty seconds later, I was peeling off layers and already out of breath. I was pretty tired when I got to the footbridge that gives you a view to the falls, but I really wanted to get to the top, and it was only another mile or so to go. So I kept going, and then I reached the granite steps. The "steep granite stairway of over 600 steps," as the hiking guide (a separate pamphlet which I stupidly didn't read) states. The pamphlet also lists that second half of the hike as "strenuous". Whoops. I had flashbacks to my nightmare hike through the rainforest in Honduras, except I wasn't soaked through with sweat and I could stop whenever I wanted instead of trying to keep up with our flip-flopped 12-year-old guide. But I pushed on, stopping often, chatting breathlessly with the other red-faced and struggling hikers, until I reached the top. I rested there for a while, had a snack, and headed back down, which caused a whole different group of muscles to hurt. But it was a good kind of hurt. A funny thing happened on the way down: I saw a black fleece hat hanging from a tree branch (nature's lost-and-found) and thought, "Hey, that looks like my hat." Then I realized that I hadn't seen my hat in my bag when I was at the top of the falls, so I searched again and sure enough, some nice soul had found my dropped hat and placed it where I could find it. Yay! It's a good hat. It doesn't give me horrible hat hair. I would have been sad if I'd lost it.I did some more walking along the Merced River, took a lot of pictures (most of which are pretty disappointing, but a.) I'm pretty hard on myself, and b.) I'd spent a good chunk of time looking at the professionals' pictures in the gallery that morning). When I got back to the hostel, I spent some time in Photoshop, changing some of the photos to black and white and making other adjustments to make them more pleasing to me.
Unfortunately, it's raining today, so I'm not sure I'll head back into the park. I would love to come back again, though, for a longer period of time. Then I can familiarize myself with the layout of the park, do some more research on good photo spots, and take more time to really photograph things.
This afternoon I'm going to head over to the Modesto area for a return visit with Delite. Then, tomorrow, I'll head up to Eureka to stay with my friend Shannon and see the redwoods. Then I'll start down the coast! Woo!
November 09, 2007
Track 19: Into the Wild
Hello from Yosemite Bug Mountain Resort! I'm staying at the hostel here. Right now I'm in the cafe/lodge sitting on a big, leather couch right next to the fire, and I'm TOO HOT. Really, it's not cold enough to warrant a fire, but I appreciate the ambiance. There are lots of people (a lot of families, actually) reading, talking, eating. The food at the cafe is supposed to be really good, but I'm not too hungry and I've got a cooler full of fruit, bread, and whatnot in my car. There's a nice feeling here. I haven't seen the dorm where I'll be sleeping, but as long as it's heated, I'm happy.
I just had to write about the drive here. It seemed pretty straightforward -- 49 South to Mariposa, then 140 East for about 9 miles -- and I was under the impression that it would take a couple hours. Wrong! It took me 4 hours. During the first half of the drive, I went through some really cute towns: San Andreas, the only fault (yeah, I said it) being that it was pretty boring; Angels Camp, the self-proclaimed Home of the Jumping Frog (I think they have frog-jumping contests there); and Sonora, which had the best historic main street full of shops, bars, and cafes. It was nice to drive the country roads instead of roaring down an interstate at 70 miles an hour.
But then, 49 South turned into the curviest, most mountainous road I have ever driven. At first, I felt like I was in a car commercial. Then I realized that it was like playing one of those race car games at the arcade, where you just turn the steering wheel back and forth and back and forth. Second gear, then third, then fourth -- oh no! -- back down to second. It was CRAZY. The worse thing was, I couldn't take my eyes off the road to look at the gorgeous scenery! I did manage to stop at one "vista point", as they call them, but I was worried about it getting dark, so I didn't stop anywhere else. But I made it in one piece, and I'm planning on taking a bus into the park tomorrow.
It's supposed to be sunny and 67 degrees tomorrow -- perfect! I hope to channel the spirits of Ansel Adams and Edward Weston. Hopefully I'll have some great photos to post for your viewing pleasure. Stay tuned...
They ain't kiddin'!
I just had to write about the drive here. It seemed pretty straightforward -- 49 South to Mariposa, then 140 East for about 9 miles -- and I was under the impression that it would take a couple hours. Wrong! It took me 4 hours. During the first half of the drive, I went through some really cute towns: San Andreas, the only fault (yeah, I said it) being that it was pretty boring; Angels Camp, the self-proclaimed Home of the Jumping Frog (I think they have frog-jumping contests there); and Sonora, which had the best historic main street full of shops, bars, and cafes. It was nice to drive the country roads instead of roaring down an interstate at 70 miles an hour.
But then, 49 South turned into the curviest, most mountainous road I have ever driven. At first, I felt like I was in a car commercial. Then I realized that it was like playing one of those race car games at the arcade, where you just turn the steering wheel back and forth and back and forth. Second gear, then third, then fourth -- oh no! -- back down to second. It was CRAZY. The worse thing was, I couldn't take my eyes off the road to look at the gorgeous scenery! I did manage to stop at one "vista point", as they call them, but I was worried about it getting dark, so I didn't stop anywhere else. But I made it in one piece, and I'm planning on taking a bus into the park tomorrow.
It's supposed to be sunny and 67 degrees tomorrow -- perfect! I hope to channel the spirits of Ansel Adams and Edward Weston. Hopefully I'll have some great photos to post for your viewing pleasure. Stay tuned...
They ain't kiddin'!
November 07, 2007
Track 18: Who, Me? Mysterious?
Wow -- I guess people are actually READING this thing! (That makes me feel good.) I got several e-mails from people wanting to know more details. So, here's the scoop:
Reasons I Am Heading Back to Minnesota:
1. I heard it already snowed there, and I got jealous. (Just kidding!)
2. As much as I've enjoyed working outside, getting fresh air, and feeling more connected to the earth (as hokey as that sounds), I am really anxious to get back to civilization. Thing I've Learned #1: I am more of a city girl than I thought.
3. Part of heading back to civilization means getting back to the people I've grown to love over the past 6 years, whom I've missed very much. Thing I've Learned #2: I found a niche in the Twin Cities without really realizing it. I was hoping that I would come to some kind of realization when I got some distance, and it happened.
4. I have issues with the personalities of some of the people at the farm. I don't want to elaborate should these people ever happen to find their way to this blog, so I'll just stop there.
5. I am tired of sleeping in a trailer.
6. All of this sunshine is making me TOO happy. (Kidding again!)
I guess I've gotten whatever was in my system -- namely, romanticizing farm life -- out of my system, although I know that I do need it in small doses. I'll probably join a CSA (community supported agriculture) next summer that offers members a chance to go out and work on the farm in addition to getting fresh, local produce every week. And I'll have my community garden plot, or a backyard garden, depending on where I'm living. I'm also thinking about trying the "100 Mile Diet" sometime next summer, when the growing season is in full swing. I finished the Barbara Kingsolver book (can I just repeat how awesome it is?) and am starting another book about people eating locally for a eyar. It's called Plenty, and it's written by Alisa Smith and J.B. MacKinnon.
I have to say, though, that not having reliable internet at the house has led me to be very resourceful with my laptop. For instance, right now I'm at the laundromat, and I'm able to pick up a wireless network from the athletic club across the parking lot. God bless these people and their inability to password-protect their internet access!
Reasons I Am Heading Back to Minnesota:
1. I heard it already snowed there, and I got jealous. (Just kidding!)
2. As much as I've enjoyed working outside, getting fresh air, and feeling more connected to the earth (as hokey as that sounds), I am really anxious to get back to civilization. Thing I've Learned #1: I am more of a city girl than I thought.
3. Part of heading back to civilization means getting back to the people I've grown to love over the past 6 years, whom I've missed very much. Thing I've Learned #2: I found a niche in the Twin Cities without really realizing it. I was hoping that I would come to some kind of realization when I got some distance, and it happened.
4. I have issues with the personalities of some of the people at the farm. I don't want to elaborate should these people ever happen to find their way to this blog, so I'll just stop there.
5. I am tired of sleeping in a trailer.
6. All of this sunshine is making me TOO happy. (Kidding again!)
I guess I've gotten whatever was in my system -- namely, romanticizing farm life -- out of my system, although I know that I do need it in small doses. I'll probably join a CSA (community supported agriculture) next summer that offers members a chance to go out and work on the farm in addition to getting fresh, local produce every week. And I'll have my community garden plot, or a backyard garden, depending on where I'm living. I'm also thinking about trying the "100 Mile Diet" sometime next summer, when the growing season is in full swing. I finished the Barbara Kingsolver book (can I just repeat how awesome it is?) and am starting another book about people eating locally for a eyar. It's called Plenty, and it's written by Alisa Smith and J.B. MacKinnon.
I have to say, though, that not having reliable internet at the house has led me to be very resourceful with my laptop. For instance, right now I'm at the laundromat, and I'm able to pick up a wireless network from the athletic club across the parking lot. God bless these people and their inability to password-protect their internet access!
November 05, 2007
Track 17: In Praise of Pesto
On Saturday night, we had pasta with pesto made from freshly-picked basil. YUM. Enough said.
Picture me this morning, harvesting tomatoes: it is like a tomato FOREST. Just when you think you've got all the little cherry tomatoes, you squat down (carefully, as there's another tomato plant about 3 inches behind you), push aside some branches, and jackpot! There's a cluster of bright red ones, juicy and perfect. I gather them in the hem of my t-shirt, humming a song, and suddenly I feel like someone else. There are chickens hiding out amongst the plants, waiting for me to drop something. All you hear is a slow, quiet "boc, boc", and maybe you see a flash of feathers, but you know they're there. Stalking.
This afternoon I finally got around to washing all the dead bugs off the front of my car. They were nice and petrified, so it was lots of fun. The chickens would not let me alone, and I can't figure out why. They pecked at the bubbles on the ground, or maybe they were drinking the water. Were they smart enough to know that I was washing BUGS off the car? One of them started to peck at my bumper, and that was the last straw. I really do find chickens quite annoying, especially when I can look forward to cleaning out the coop again on Thursday. (And there was much rejoicing. Yaaaaaaaay.)
I feel a bit sheepish telling you this, but I drove into Sacramento again on Sunday just to go to the farmers' market. It's about 40 miles away. Yes, the fuel I burned probably negated the fact that I was buying local food, but I just couldn't help it. I needed more persimmons and mandarin oranges! And strawberries!! Oh, those strawberries. When I got home, I had the best salad EVER for lunch: lettuce, orange sections, thinly-sliced persimmon, cucumber, and onion, pomegranate seeds, and balsamic vinaigrette. Oh. My. God. I had the same thing for lunch today, but I added walnuts and spinach. It felt so good to be eating a salad. Steve is a great cook, but he doesn't do much in the way of raw, leafy greens. I needed some roughage.
Here's the REAL news: on Friday, I'm leaving Fiddletown to do some more exploring before heading back to Minnesota. I plan to spend the weekend at Yosemite (I'm staying at a hostel about 25 miles outside the park), and then I'm heading up north to start a tour of the coast. On the 17th, Angie (of Denver fame) is flying out to meet up with me, and we're going to spend the next couple days exploring the Bay Area. Then we're driving back to Denver for Thanksgiving, where I'll probably hang out for another few days, and then it's back to the Twin Cities! So yes, I'm cutting the trip a little short. I have many reasons, which I won't get into in this post, because it's almost 10:00 p.m. and I'm still sitting in my car in front of the post office.
If anyone has any suggestions for things to see and do along the CA coast, let me know! So far, I only have a few things in mind. Also, remind me not to take I-80 across Wyoming on the way back...
Picture me this morning, harvesting tomatoes: it is like a tomato FOREST. Just when you think you've got all the little cherry tomatoes, you squat down (carefully, as there's another tomato plant about 3 inches behind you), push aside some branches, and jackpot! There's a cluster of bright red ones, juicy and perfect. I gather them in the hem of my t-shirt, humming a song, and suddenly I feel like someone else. There are chickens hiding out amongst the plants, waiting for me to drop something. All you hear is a slow, quiet "boc, boc", and maybe you see a flash of feathers, but you know they're there. Stalking.
This afternoon I finally got around to washing all the dead bugs off the front of my car. They were nice and petrified, so it was lots of fun. The chickens would not let me alone, and I can't figure out why. They pecked at the bubbles on the ground, or maybe they were drinking the water. Were they smart enough to know that I was washing BUGS off the car? One of them started to peck at my bumper, and that was the last straw. I really do find chickens quite annoying, especially when I can look forward to cleaning out the coop again on Thursday. (And there was much rejoicing. Yaaaaaaaay.)
I feel a bit sheepish telling you this, but I drove into Sacramento again on Sunday just to go to the farmers' market. It's about 40 miles away. Yes, the fuel I burned probably negated the fact that I was buying local food, but I just couldn't help it. I needed more persimmons and mandarin oranges! And strawberries!! Oh, those strawberries. When I got home, I had the best salad EVER for lunch: lettuce, orange sections, thinly-sliced persimmon, cucumber, and onion, pomegranate seeds, and balsamic vinaigrette. Oh. My. God. I had the same thing for lunch today, but I added walnuts and spinach. It felt so good to be eating a salad. Steve is a great cook, but he doesn't do much in the way of raw, leafy greens. I needed some roughage.
Here's the REAL news: on Friday, I'm leaving Fiddletown to do some more exploring before heading back to Minnesota. I plan to spend the weekend at Yosemite (I'm staying at a hostel about 25 miles outside the park), and then I'm heading up north to start a tour of the coast. On the 17th, Angie (of Denver fame) is flying out to meet up with me, and we're going to spend the next couple days exploring the Bay Area. Then we're driving back to Denver for Thanksgiving, where I'll probably hang out for another few days, and then it's back to the Twin Cities! So yes, I'm cutting the trip a little short. I have many reasons, which I won't get into in this post, because it's almost 10:00 p.m. and I'm still sitting in my car in front of the post office.
If anyone has any suggestions for things to see and do along the CA coast, let me know! So far, I only have a few things in mind. Also, remind me not to take I-80 across Wyoming on the way back...
November 02, 2007
Track 16: Rocks (but not rolls)
I'm at Starbucks again. I know, I know! But I honestly think it's the only coffee shop in this whole area (and I'm still able to pick up a mystery wi-fi network). And I didn't feel like sitting in my car this afternoon. The sun is too hot. Are you jealous? You should be. But then, think of me in my trailer when it's in the 40's tonight. The trailer that's situated under a tree that drops acorns that hit the metal roof with a nice little bang and then roll down the length of the roof.
So this week involved a lot of tedious physical labor. We did some more trail maintenance (last week's scratches hadn't healed yet), and then we started collecting rocks to make raised beds in the garden. This involved picking up the rocks (all around the size of a large grapefruit) in the woods, carrying an armful to the wheelbarrow, wheeling the wheelbarrow to the tractor, placing all the rocks into the bucket of the tractor, following the tractor to the garden, watching the rocks be dumped out, loading up the wheelbarrow again, wheeling the wheelbarrow to the bed being built, and building a mini wall around the bed. The beds are about 40 inches wide and 30 to 40 feet long. Then we covered the onions and garlic that are starting to come up already (always exciting!) with hay, and covered that with plastic mesh to keep the chickens and guineas from digging stuff up. We did a lot of digging this week too. My back is saying, "WTF?! First you make me sit in a chair all day long, and now you subject me to all this lifting and shoveling and raking! And sleeping on a bad mattress! This is crap!" Ah, I love imagining things my body says to me. My biceps are also saying, "Dude, rock on! I knew you hadn't given up on us."
Anyway, having Delite come to visit was awesome. We both said, several times, "This is crazy! We're both in California!" She's heading back to the midwest in a couple weeks, but hopefully I'll get down to Ceres to see the Heifer International educational center where she's volunteering.
Currently, I'm reading the book Animal, Vegetable, Miracle by Barbara Kingsolver (the author of The Poisonwood Bible and many other good books). She writes about moving her family from Arizona to a small farm in Virginia and their experiment with eating only local food for a year. The books contains more than their story, however, and I'm learning so much about food production and its history. There are a few facts I want to share:
Okay, enough of my soap box. I hope everyone had a delightfully spooky Halloween!
So this week involved a lot of tedious physical labor. We did some more trail maintenance (last week's scratches hadn't healed yet), and then we started collecting rocks to make raised beds in the garden. This involved picking up the rocks (all around the size of a large grapefruit) in the woods, carrying an armful to the wheelbarrow, wheeling the wheelbarrow to the tractor, placing all the rocks into the bucket of the tractor, following the tractor to the garden, watching the rocks be dumped out, loading up the wheelbarrow again, wheeling the wheelbarrow to the bed being built, and building a mini wall around the bed. The beds are about 40 inches wide and 30 to 40 feet long. Then we covered the onions and garlic that are starting to come up already (always exciting!) with hay, and covered that with plastic mesh to keep the chickens and guineas from digging stuff up. We did a lot of digging this week too. My back is saying, "WTF?! First you make me sit in a chair all day long, and now you subject me to all this lifting and shoveling and raking! And sleeping on a bad mattress! This is crap!" Ah, I love imagining things my body says to me. My biceps are also saying, "Dude, rock on! I knew you hadn't given up on us."
Anyway, having Delite come to visit was awesome. We both said, several times, "This is crazy! We're both in California!" She's heading back to the midwest in a couple weeks, but hopefully I'll get down to Ceres to see the Heifer International educational center where she's volunteering.
Currently, I'm reading the book Animal, Vegetable, Miracle by Barbara Kingsolver (the author of The Poisonwood Bible and many other good books). She writes about moving her family from Arizona to a small farm in Virginia and their experiment with eating only local food for a year. The books contains more than their story, however, and I'm learning so much about food production and its history. There are a few facts I want to share:
- "If every U.S. citizen ate just one meal a week (any meal) composed of locally and organically raised meats and produce, we would reduce our country's oil consumption by over 1.1 million barrels of oil every week. That's not gallons, but barrels."
- "U.S. consumption of 'added fats' has increased by one-third since 1975, and our HFCS [high-fructose corn syrup] is up by 1000 percent. About a third of all our calories now come from what is known, by community consent, as junk food."
- "It's hard to reduce our modern complex of food choices to unifying principles, but this is one that generally works: eating home-cooked meals from whole, in-season ingredients obtained from the most local source available is eating well, in every sense. Good for the habitat, good for the body."
Okay, enough of my soap box. I hope everyone had a delightfully spooky Halloween!
October 28, 2007
Track 15: An Urban Reprieve
Hello from Sacramento!
So, the farmers market was pretty good (but not as good as Minneapolis or St. Paul). I bought a bunch of stuff that you definitely wouldn't find at the St. Paul market (because of their local-food rule): pomegranates, persimmons, Meyer lemons, mandarin oranges, and Sacramento olive oil. I also bought fresh strawberries, then proceeded to eat them all before I left. Here's a photo of my loot:
Tonight I'm having dinner with Jake and Debbie and their friends Matt and Sarah. We're making fajitas -- seriously, I can't escape the good food (not that I'm complaining TOO much).
This past week included preparing more beds in the garden and planting more garlic and shallots. We harvested a lot of veggies, delivered some to the bed and breakfast, and continue to eat tomatoes. We also did some trail maintenance, which basically means hauling around big tree branches that Steve cut down. Who needs a gym when you've got 56 acres of property to maintain? I slept VERY well that night. There are the daily chores too, like collecting walnuts from the two walnut trees.
After a not-so-pleasant second trip to Incahoots (I guess they don't like people bringing their laptops after all), we discovered The Saloon, which, unfortunately, is only open Thursday-Sunday. Mark, the bartender, is so friendly, and they have the best bar popcorn I've ever tasted. They don't have wi-fi, but they do have a great jukebox.
Apparently, people have been concerned about my proximity to all the fires in southern CA, but I'm not even close. So stop worrying! I did look into helping with disaster relief, but they say they have all the help they need right now.
I posted a few more photos to Flickr, so head on over there if you're curious. I have to leave this coffee shop before the lovey-dovey kissy couple next to me gets any more annoying...
So, the farmers market was pretty good (but not as good as Minneapolis or St. Paul). I bought a bunch of stuff that you definitely wouldn't find at the St. Paul market (because of their local-food rule): pomegranates, persimmons, Meyer lemons, mandarin oranges, and Sacramento olive oil. I also bought fresh strawberries, then proceeded to eat them all before I left. Here's a photo of my loot:
Tonight I'm having dinner with Jake and Debbie and their friends Matt and Sarah. We're making fajitas -- seriously, I can't escape the good food (not that I'm complaining TOO much).
This past week included preparing more beds in the garden and planting more garlic and shallots. We harvested a lot of veggies, delivered some to the bed and breakfast, and continue to eat tomatoes. We also did some trail maintenance, which basically means hauling around big tree branches that Steve cut down. Who needs a gym when you've got 56 acres of property to maintain? I slept VERY well that night. There are the daily chores too, like collecting walnuts from the two walnut trees.
After a not-so-pleasant second trip to Incahoots (I guess they don't like people bringing their laptops after all), we discovered The Saloon, which, unfortunately, is only open Thursday-Sunday. Mark, the bartender, is so friendly, and they have the best bar popcorn I've ever tasted. They don't have wi-fi, but they do have a great jukebox.
Apparently, people have been concerned about my proximity to all the fires in southern CA, but I'm not even close. So stop worrying! I did look into helping with disaster relief, but they say they have all the help they need right now.
I posted a few more photos to Flickr, so head on over there if you're curious. I have to leave this coffee shop before the lovey-dovey kissy couple next to me gets any more annoying...
October 24, 2007
Track 14: Incahoots
People everywhere, I am in heaven. I'm sitting in a booth at Incahoots, a very fine establishment in the booming metropolis of Plymouth, CA (population...um, really small), eating seasoned french fries and drinking beer. Seriously, heaven. This is way better than sitting in my car in front of the post office. Thank you, mysterious internet provider, thank you.
Okay, so...updates. The weather is gor-gee-ous. High 70's, low 80's, sunny, glorious. It wasn't this way last week, mind you, but it's definitely happening this week. Nights are way more comfortable, and because it's almost full moon, I can walk to my trailer without using a flashlight!
We've pulled a lot of weeds and dead plants, planted a LOT of garlic, harvested a lot of arugula, and have been eating a lot lot LOT of tomatoes (my stomach does not like this, but my tastebuds do). Lunch yesterday consisted of tomato-basil-feta sandwiches. Also yesterday, we built a metal roof over part of the chicken yard. It reminded me of Habitat, in that I got to say things like "joist hanger" and "24 inches on center". Today we dug up some very stubborn artichoke plants. The soil around here is clay -- very hard, full of rocks -- and by the time we were done, I was about ready to throw my shovel as far as I could. Which would have been 2 feet.
Last Friday, we drove into Sacramento to see a documentary film about the protection, theft, and destruction of works of art during WWII (it's called The Rape of Europa, and it was very interesting). I didn't get to see much of Sacramento, but before we left, we made a stop to see Mr. Winko, the One Man Band in his Acoustic Sanctuary (www.acousticsanctuary.com -- check it out!). I'm excited to go back to Sac (as they call it around here) on Sunday to see Jake and Debbie, fresh from their Yosemite honeymoon.
Also, next week I get to hang out with Delite, a fellow former Habit-eer and fellow organic volunteer down in Ceres. She's coming up to Fiddletown to see little ol' me. I think we'll take a tour of all the cute little gold rush towns around here. I've driven through a bunch, but I haven't had time to stop and walk around. I will take photos for sure.
Oh, and I've forgotten to mention that I'm out of cell phone range at the ranch. I get service in Plymouth, though, and I have a calling card as well.
A Bedbug Update: After collecting several bedbug bites over the course of last week, I got fed up (and really really creeped out). I took all my clothing, bedding, sleeping bag, etc. to the laundromat on Sunday and washed it all. So, hopefully that's the end of The Bedbug Saga. Keep your fingers crossed.
We also went to a couple of wineries on Saturday for some winetasting. I've confirmed my dislike of Chardonnays and discovered Vignonier, another white that is waaaaay yummy.
I've enjoyed getting e-mails from everyone (I will admit, I've been a bit homesick -- did I mention that in an earlier post?), although I apologize for the slooooooow response time. I hope everyone had a great time at the Pig Roast (did anyone have a tuna melt at Plum's for me?). I miss my peeps! But this experience has been very eye-opening, and I'm trying to make the most of every day. Stay tuned for more Fiddletown epiphanies...
Okay, so...updates. The weather is gor-gee-ous. High 70's, low 80's, sunny, glorious. It wasn't this way last week, mind you, but it's definitely happening this week. Nights are way more comfortable, and because it's almost full moon, I can walk to my trailer without using a flashlight!
We've pulled a lot of weeds and dead plants, planted a LOT of garlic, harvested a lot of arugula, and have been eating a lot lot LOT of tomatoes (my stomach does not like this, but my tastebuds do). Lunch yesterday consisted of tomato-basil-feta sandwiches. Also yesterday, we built a metal roof over part of the chicken yard. It reminded me of Habitat, in that I got to say things like "joist hanger" and "24 inches on center". Today we dug up some very stubborn artichoke plants. The soil around here is clay -- very hard, full of rocks -- and by the time we were done, I was about ready to throw my shovel as far as I could. Which would have been 2 feet.
Last Friday, we drove into Sacramento to see a documentary film about the protection, theft, and destruction of works of art during WWII (it's called The Rape of Europa, and it was very interesting). I didn't get to see much of Sacramento, but before we left, we made a stop to see Mr. Winko, the One Man Band in his Acoustic Sanctuary (www.acousticsanctuary.com -- check it out!). I'm excited to go back to Sac (as they call it around here) on Sunday to see Jake and Debbie, fresh from their Yosemite honeymoon.
Also, next week I get to hang out with Delite, a fellow former Habit-eer and fellow organic volunteer down in Ceres. She's coming up to Fiddletown to see little ol' me. I think we'll take a tour of all the cute little gold rush towns around here. I've driven through a bunch, but I haven't had time to stop and walk around. I will take photos for sure.
Oh, and I've forgotten to mention that I'm out of cell phone range at the ranch. I get service in Plymouth, though, and I have a calling card as well.
A Bedbug Update: After collecting several bedbug bites over the course of last week, I got fed up (and really really creeped out). I took all my clothing, bedding, sleeping bag, etc. to the laundromat on Sunday and washed it all. So, hopefully that's the end of The Bedbug Saga. Keep your fingers crossed.
We also went to a couple of wineries on Saturday for some winetasting. I've confirmed my dislike of Chardonnays and discovered Vignonier, another white that is waaaaay yummy.
I've enjoyed getting e-mails from everyone (I will admit, I've been a bit homesick -- did I mention that in an earlier post?), although I apologize for the slooooooow response time. I hope everyone had a great time at the Pig Roast (did anyone have a tuna melt at Plum's for me?). I miss my peeps! But this experience has been very eye-opening, and I'm trying to make the most of every day. Stay tuned for more Fiddletown epiphanies...
October 17, 2007
Track 13: Small Town Livin'
So, here I am, sitting in the back seat of my car in front of the post office in Plymouth, California, which is the closest "big" town to Fiddletown. It's not really that big. But I can sit here for hours, taking advantage of the fact that someone doesn't know how to password-protect their wireless network. Hee!
Here's a rundown of what's been going on since I left Salt Lake City last Friday:
Having Angela along to share the driving made the last leg of the journey a lot better. Luckily, she's a Garrison Keillor fan as well! We drove through Carson City, Nevada (another state capitol I can check off my list) and ate at In-N-Out Burger, where I had an awesome cheeseburger without the burger. Grilled onions, people. And fresh-cut fries. AND they pay their employees $9.50 an hour! No wonder they were all so happy.
We arrived at Safan Ranch after a harrowing trip through the Sierra Nevada mountains (Angela knows those roads very well and therefore was driving at speeds I found...a little anxiety-inducing). We did stop at a lookout point before it got dark, and I got a couple of awesome pictures, which I'll post to Flickr.
After a good night's sleep in the guest room, I spent the next day getting to know Aaron and Kendra, two other WWOOFers (www.wwoof.org - it explains WWOOFing), getting a tour of the immediate property surrounding the house, and picking out my trailer. Angela zipped off names for all 22 goats, 3 pigs, and a dozen hens and roosters, and right now all I can recall is Wendy (a goat). Oh, and her favorite hen's name is Ginger. I think I may have to take photos of all the animals and study. There are three dogs -- Halie, P.B., and Big Boy, and two cats -- Kuching and Mr. Tom. I need to take pictures of them too.
I did a little cleaning in my trailer and made myself at home. They have half a dozen old travel trailers that still have (non-working) appliances, so it's pretty neat. They're not heated, though, and it's been getting down into the 40's at night, so I bundle up in my sleeping bag and two blankets. And lots of clothing. So far, so good, but I'm not sure how I'm going to deal once it gets into the 30's at night.
In the garden so far, I've planted onions and cleared out the melon patch to prepare it for planting garlic and shallots. These will all grow a little over the winter and then really take off in the spring. Angela sells produce at the farmers market during the growing season, and she also fills orders from a local bed and breakfast, but a lot of the food grown gets eaten by Steve and Angela and all the WWOOFers and other guests that stay at the ranch. Angela also sells chickens and guinea fowl, and eggs, and I think the pigs as well.
Yesterday, Angela and I went over to Mike the neighbor's house to help stack firewood. After a couple hours, my back was killing me, but I got $30 and a bottle of Mike's homemade wine as a thank-you. After lunch, we went back over to Mike's to use his grape press. We pressed a WHOLE lot of grapes, and Angela now has about 30 gallons of wine to keep processing, in addition to a bunch more barrels in the barn. What did I say about everyone that lives here? Wine-o's. So, when in Rome... Anyway, it was really fun and educational. It makes you appreciate what you're drinking when you know how it's made.
In addition to drinking good wine, Steve and Angela are fabulous cooks. There goes my plan to lose the weight that I gained back over the past year. At least it's all good, whole food, a lot of it fresh from the garden. We've got tomatoes out the wazoo, and squash as well. Angela has a friend with an apple orchard, and she said we can go pick some any time we want! Woo-hoo!
Aaron and Kendra left on Monday, and Caitlin joined us yesterday. There's always a rotating cast of WWOOFers here, more over the summer, but I believe a few more will be joining me at some point in the next couple months. Today Steve took Caitlin and I on a tour of some of the rest of the property -- they own 56 acres. I hope to get into a habit of going on a hike every morning, at least to shake the cold out of my bones, and also to work off all the mounds of great food I'm eating.
Speaking of food, I've got to head back to the ranch to help with dinner prep. Tonight we're having salmon on the grill, roasted tomato soup, and zucchini bread that Angela baked this morning. Are you jealous? Yeah, I thought so.
Here's a rundown of what's been going on since I left Salt Lake City last Friday:
Having Angela along to share the driving made the last leg of the journey a lot better. Luckily, she's a Garrison Keillor fan as well! We drove through Carson City, Nevada (another state capitol I can check off my list) and ate at In-N-Out Burger, where I had an awesome cheeseburger without the burger. Grilled onions, people. And fresh-cut fries. AND they pay their employees $9.50 an hour! No wonder they were all so happy.
We arrived at Safan Ranch after a harrowing trip through the Sierra Nevada mountains (Angela knows those roads very well and therefore was driving at speeds I found...a little anxiety-inducing). We did stop at a lookout point before it got dark, and I got a couple of awesome pictures, which I'll post to Flickr.
After a good night's sleep in the guest room, I spent the next day getting to know Aaron and Kendra, two other WWOOFers (www.wwoof.org - it explains WWOOFing), getting a tour of the immediate property surrounding the house, and picking out my trailer. Angela zipped off names for all 22 goats, 3 pigs, and a dozen hens and roosters, and right now all I can recall is Wendy (a goat). Oh, and her favorite hen's name is Ginger. I think I may have to take photos of all the animals and study. There are three dogs -- Halie, P.B., and Big Boy, and two cats -- Kuching and Mr. Tom. I need to take pictures of them too.
I did a little cleaning in my trailer and made myself at home. They have half a dozen old travel trailers that still have (non-working) appliances, so it's pretty neat. They're not heated, though, and it's been getting down into the 40's at night, so I bundle up in my sleeping bag and two blankets. And lots of clothing. So far, so good, but I'm not sure how I'm going to deal once it gets into the 30's at night.
In the garden so far, I've planted onions and cleared out the melon patch to prepare it for planting garlic and shallots. These will all grow a little over the winter and then really take off in the spring. Angela sells produce at the farmers market during the growing season, and she also fills orders from a local bed and breakfast, but a lot of the food grown gets eaten by Steve and Angela and all the WWOOFers and other guests that stay at the ranch. Angela also sells chickens and guinea fowl, and eggs, and I think the pigs as well.
Yesterday, Angela and I went over to Mike the neighbor's house to help stack firewood. After a couple hours, my back was killing me, but I got $30 and a bottle of Mike's homemade wine as a thank-you. After lunch, we went back over to Mike's to use his grape press. We pressed a WHOLE lot of grapes, and Angela now has about 30 gallons of wine to keep processing, in addition to a bunch more barrels in the barn. What did I say about everyone that lives here? Wine-o's. So, when in Rome... Anyway, it was really fun and educational. It makes you appreciate what you're drinking when you know how it's made.
In addition to drinking good wine, Steve and Angela are fabulous cooks. There goes my plan to lose the weight that I gained back over the past year. At least it's all good, whole food, a lot of it fresh from the garden. We've got tomatoes out the wazoo, and squash as well. Angela has a friend with an apple orchard, and she said we can go pick some any time we want! Woo-hoo!
Aaron and Kendra left on Monday, and Caitlin joined us yesterday. There's always a rotating cast of WWOOFers here, more over the summer, but I believe a few more will be joining me at some point in the next couple months. Today Steve took Caitlin and I on a tour of some of the rest of the property -- they own 56 acres. I hope to get into a habit of going on a hike every morning, at least to shake the cold out of my bones, and also to work off all the mounds of great food I'm eating.
Speaking of food, I've got to head back to the ranch to help with dinner prep. Tonight we're having salmon on the grill, roasted tomato soup, and zucchini bread that Angela baked this morning. Are you jealous? Yeah, I thought so.
October 16, 2007
Track 12: A Very Very Short Post
Hi everyone! I'm sorry I haven't posted in a few days. Internet access at the ranch is limited, and the computer wasn't working for a few days. I'm here, I'm doing fine, and I am going to drive to Plymouth (the closest town) tomorrow or Thursday to post a real update (there's a wi-fi hotspot right next to the saloon).
So much to write about! I helped to press grapes for wine today. Everyone here is wine crazy! Um, expect wine for Christmas, everyone.
Okay. I can't tie up the phone line anymore. Hang on a day or two more, and you won't regret it!
So much to write about! I helped to press grapes for wine today. Everyone here is wine crazy! Um, expect wine for Christmas, everyone.
Okay. I can't tie up the phone line anymore. Hang on a day or two more, and you won't regret it!
October 11, 2007
Track 11: Mountains and Mormons
The drive from Denver to Salt Lake City kicked my butt, you guys. It was definitely not the longest leg of the journey, but I was antsy, and it turns out that Garrison Keillor is not good for keeping one company while driving through the sagebrush plains of southern Wyoming. If driving through Nebraska was boring, driving through Wyoming was boring-er. The sun was beating down and burning my arm, and once it started to set, it got even more intense. But enough complaining. This coffee shop is only open for another 25 minutes, so here's a condensed version of my time in SLC:
- Met Steve and Angela, owners of Safan Ranch. They're cool! We had Vietnamese food for supper.
- I slept so soundly on the couch that I wanted to stay there all day. Finally a decent night's rest -- the first in weeks.
- Today I drove up through Little Cottonwood Canyon to the Snowbird ski resort. The mountains are amazing, and I was completely out of breath after hiking for 5 minutes. Stupid altitude. There was a little snow as well as pretty fall colors, and I think I got some decent photos.
- Next I drove out to the Great Salt Lake. It stinks! Literally! Like that foul smell you get at the ocean sometimes. But it was beautiful, too, and it's just cool to say that I've seen it (to me, at least).
- On to the International Peace Gardens, which were a little past their prime (it IS October), but still cool to walk through.
- I'm about to head through downtown, maybe past the Temple and all those other Mormon things.
Tomorrow, we head for California (Angela is riding with me)! I'm really ready to get there and set up camp, take a few deep breaths, and CHILL OUT.
I'll post pictures soon!
- Met Steve and Angela, owners of Safan Ranch. They're cool! We had Vietnamese food for supper.
- I slept so soundly on the couch that I wanted to stay there all day. Finally a decent night's rest -- the first in weeks.
- Today I drove up through Little Cottonwood Canyon to the Snowbird ski resort. The mountains are amazing, and I was completely out of breath after hiking for 5 minutes. Stupid altitude. There was a little snow as well as pretty fall colors, and I think I got some decent photos.
- Next I drove out to the Great Salt Lake. It stinks! Literally! Like that foul smell you get at the ocean sometimes. But it was beautiful, too, and it's just cool to say that I've seen it (to me, at least).
- On to the International Peace Gardens, which were a little past their prime (it IS October), but still cool to walk through.
- I'm about to head through downtown, maybe past the Temple and all those other Mormon things.
Tomorrow, we head for California (Angela is riding with me)! I'm really ready to get there and set up camp, take a few deep breaths, and CHILL OUT.
I'll post pictures soon!
October 09, 2007
Track 10: The Bedbug Blog
So, remember that last post, when I was enjoying my hotel room in Nebraska? Well, I sure didn't enjoy the BEDBUGS I found when I turned back the covers to get in bed. Yes, I changed rooms. No, it didn't make me feel better. I spent the rest of the night in my sleeping bag, trying to sleep but waking every time I felt like a bug was crawling on me. It was miserable, and the couple of hours of sleep I managed to get were only plagued with dreams about bugs crawling on me. I hightailed it out of there by 7:45 a.m., forgetting my pillow but then realizing that it was probably for the best.
Thinking that I may need some caffeine to get me to Denver, I went in search of coffee. Never in my life have I been so happy to see a Starbucks. Normally I scoff at their omnipresence, but this morning I praised the gods that even North Platte, Nebraska couldn't escape the corporate giant. And so, the coffee and a banana happily sloshing around in my stomach, I hit the road again.
People of Colorado, why didn't you welcome me with a nice sign like the people in the other states? Huh? You completely messed up my plans to document my way through the states. I spent a good 30 minutes thinking I was still in Nebraska! Oh, well. Maybe tomorrow I'll catch a "Thanks for visiting Colorado, come back real soon!" sign.
At 10:00 a.m., just as I was beginning to think that the whole world was flat like a proverbial pancake, I spotted the distant hazy outline of the Rockies. Aaaahhhh. That's motivation for you. It seemed like no time until I was pulling up to Angie's house just as she was getting home from class. Joyful reunion hugs! Then we had a lovely lunch, a lovely walk through a lovely park and some lovely bungalow-lined streets, and, to top it all off, an ice cream cone that was so lovely it made me temporarily forget the Nasty Bedbugs of North Platte, Nebraska. Days Inn, room 212. Don't say I didn't warn you.
Thinking that I may need some caffeine to get me to Denver, I went in search of coffee. Never in my life have I been so happy to see a Starbucks. Normally I scoff at their omnipresence, but this morning I praised the gods that even North Platte, Nebraska couldn't escape the corporate giant. And so, the coffee and a banana happily sloshing around in my stomach, I hit the road again.
People of Colorado, why didn't you welcome me with a nice sign like the people in the other states? Huh? You completely messed up my plans to document my way through the states. I spent a good 30 minutes thinking I was still in Nebraska! Oh, well. Maybe tomorrow I'll catch a "Thanks for visiting Colorado, come back real soon!" sign.
At 10:00 a.m., just as I was beginning to think that the whole world was flat like a proverbial pancake, I spotted the distant hazy outline of the Rockies. Aaaahhhh. That's motivation for you. It seemed like no time until I was pulling up to Angie's house just as she was getting home from class. Joyful reunion hugs! Then we had a lovely lunch, a lovely walk through a lovely park and some lovely bungalow-lined streets, and, to top it all off, an ice cream cone that was so lovely it made me temporarily forget the Nasty Bedbugs of North Platte, Nebraska. Days Inn, room 212. Don't say I didn't warn you.
October 08, 2007
Track 9: And We're Off!
Hi! I'm...somewhere in Nebraska. Just kidding -- I know exactly where I am. I'm enjoying the wireless internet and cable TV at the Days Inn in North Platte, Nebraska.
My day started like this (blech):
But eventually the sun came out, and it turned into a beautiful day. Of course, there's not much to see on I-35 going through Iowa, or I-80 through Nebraska, but even if there was, it would have been obstructed by the thick graveyard of smooshed bugs on my windshield. Blech again.
Instead of posting too many pictures in this blog (which is just too time-consuming), I'm posting them to Flickr, so you can click on the thing on the right of the web page. They're in the set called "California Trip".
On to Denver tomorrow, where I'll be visiting my friend Angie and pretending to be a super-smart grad student like her.
My day started like this (blech):
But eventually the sun came out, and it turned into a beautiful day. Of course, there's not much to see on I-35 going through Iowa, or I-80 through Nebraska, but even if there was, it would have been obstructed by the thick graveyard of smooshed bugs on my windshield. Blech again.
Instead of posting too many pictures in this blog (which is just too time-consuming), I'm posting them to Flickr, so you can click on the thing on the right of the web page. They're in the set called "California Trip".
On to Denver tomorrow, where I'll be visiting my friend Angie and pretending to be a super-smart grad student like her.
October 05, 2007
October 01, 2007
Track 7: Frequently Asked Questions
Answers to your most burning questions...
Q: Wait, what?! California?
A: Yes -- Fiddletown, California, to be exact. It's an hour east of Sacramento, in the foothills of the Sierra Nevada mountains. I looked for a place that would be sunny and beautiful and warm (compared to Minnesota). The name of the farm is Safan Ranch.
Q: How did you find this place? Do you know anyone there?
A: I joined OrganicVolunteers.org and had access to a list of a lot of places in California that welcome visitors to come and help out on their farms. I contacted Steve and Angela (the owners) directly, we chatted about my skills and talents and life at the ranch, and I contacted a couple of people who had been there this summer to see what their experience was like. Everything sounded peachy, so we agreed I'd head out there in October.
Q: Will you get paid?
A: Nope. I'll have lodging and most food provided, though, and I plan to live very simply, so I will be relying on my savings to cover health insurance, car insurance, cell phone bill, etc. while I'm there.
Q: How long will you be there?
A: They're expecting me to be there until Christmas. But I'm leaving things open-ended so I can go with the flow and be ready for any interesting opportunities that come my way.
Q: So, you want to be a farmer now?
A: Not quite. I do want to learn more about organic practices and sustainability, but I'm looking at this opportunity as a chance to go somewhere I've never been (which always energizes me), work outside after more three years of staring at a computer in an office, feel grounded again, clear my head, practice my photography, and hopefully come up with a plan to find my true calling. If all that fails, it'll be fun to play with the goats.
Feel free to leave a comment with other questions (um, reasonable ones), and I'll do my best to answer them.
Q: Wait, what?! California?
A: Yes -- Fiddletown, California, to be exact. It's an hour east of Sacramento, in the foothills of the Sierra Nevada mountains. I looked for a place that would be sunny and beautiful and warm (compared to Minnesota). The name of the farm is Safan Ranch.
Q: How did you find this place? Do you know anyone there?
A: I joined OrganicVolunteers.org and had access to a list of a lot of places in California that welcome visitors to come and help out on their farms. I contacted Steve and Angela (the owners) directly, we chatted about my skills and talents and life at the ranch, and I contacted a couple of people who had been there this summer to see what their experience was like. Everything sounded peachy, so we agreed I'd head out there in October.
Q: Will you get paid?
A: Nope. I'll have lodging and most food provided, though, and I plan to live very simply, so I will be relying on my savings to cover health insurance, car insurance, cell phone bill, etc. while I'm there.
Q: How long will you be there?
A: They're expecting me to be there until Christmas. But I'm leaving things open-ended so I can go with the flow and be ready for any interesting opportunities that come my way.
Q: So, you want to be a farmer now?
A: Not quite. I do want to learn more about organic practices and sustainability, but I'm looking at this opportunity as a chance to go somewhere I've never been (which always energizes me), work outside after more three years of staring at a computer in an office, feel grounded again, clear my head, practice my photography, and hopefully come up with a plan to find my true calling. If all that fails, it'll be fun to play with the goats.
Feel free to leave a comment with other questions (um, reasonable ones), and I'll do my best to answer them.
September 28, 2007
Track 6: Good-bye, Habitat!
Tomorrow is my last day at Habitat. It's kind of been my home since I moved to MN, so leaving is pretty hard. There are definitely parts of the job that I am glad to be done with (so long, cubicle!), but I'm still attached to the place. I will miss it, and I will miss the people who have been my family for over five years.
Next up: a week of paring down, packing, panicking. Can't I just skip that part -- wiggle my nose, Bewitched-style -- and wake up in California?
Next up: a week of paring down, packing, panicking. Can't I just skip that part -- wiggle my nose, Bewitched-style -- and wake up in California?
September 06, 2007
Track 5: Going to California
(A Led Zeppelin cover)
Yes, it's true! In reference to my last post (the eating, drinking, and sleeping thing), I am giving up my job as a nonprofit desk jockey to live and volunteer for a few months at a farm in northern California. T-minus 31 days until the adventure begins...
Yes, it's true! In reference to my last post (the eating, drinking, and sleeping thing), I am giving up my job as a nonprofit desk jockey to live and volunteer for a few months at a farm in northern California. T-minus 31 days until the adventure begins...
August 23, 2007
Track 4: Words to Live By
I don't collect many things; it goes against my quest to eliminate clutter. I do collect seashells, and postcards, and real, hand-written letters from people. And quotes. I have a big journal that's half-full of quotes. Here's one that's particularly meaningful right now:
"To be always intending to make a new and better life but never to find time to set about it is as...to put off eating and drinking and sleeping from one day to the next until you're dead."
-Og Mandino
I'm finally making plans to eat and drink and sleep.
"To be always intending to make a new and better life but never to find time to set about it is as...to put off eating and drinking and sleeping from one day to the next until you're dead."
-Og Mandino
I'm finally making plans to eat and drink and sleep.
August 09, 2007
Track 3: I Heart Golf Carts!
Will someone hire me to drive golf carts around all day? That's what I did yesterday, and I think I've found my calling. There's nothing like feeling the wind in your hair as you're flying through the unnaturally-green and chemically-treated golf course at, like 5 miles an hour. But seriously, it was super-fun!
August 02, 2007
Track 2: 35W
I'm still trying to process the fact that a huge chunk of 35W is gone, collapsed into the river. When I first heard about it , I was at happy hour with a group of girlfriends. Angela's husband Nick was the first to call, and then we could hear cell phones ringing all over the patio. Debbie thought Jake may have been on that road on his way home from work, and until she got him on the phone (it took a couple tries, what with the cell phone networks being jammed), I don't think any of us breathed. I can still see the look on her face, and I remember the sick feeling in my stomach. I couldn't stop thinking about all the people I knew that could have been on that bridge.
I've been really been caught off guard by how emotional I've been since it happened. I see signs for 35W and I want to cry. I drove over that bridge countless times -- my exit to get home was barely a mile north. Going south over the bridge gave me my favorite view of downtown. The river, the Stonearch Bridge, the Guthrie, the old mill buildings, and the skyline were just breathtaking, especially at dusk.
I'm not a native Minnesotan, but I've called the Twin Cities home for almost 6 years. I keep thinking, "I can't believe this happened in MY city." I can't believe we're getting this international attention. I feel like it's bonded me to my friends here and to this place, and now that I'm thinking about leaving for a few months, it makes me kind of sad. Who knows how I'll feel once the shock and awe wears off, but it's how I'm feeling now.
I haven't cried about it yet, but I've come close several times. I really want to see the wreckage for myself. The pictures and videos are not enough; I know it happened, but I need to see it in person. I think that will be the moment of release.
I've been really been caught off guard by how emotional I've been since it happened. I see signs for 35W and I want to cry. I drove over that bridge countless times -- my exit to get home was barely a mile north. Going south over the bridge gave me my favorite view of downtown. The river, the Stonearch Bridge, the Guthrie, the old mill buildings, and the skyline were just breathtaking, especially at dusk.
I'm not a native Minnesotan, but I've called the Twin Cities home for almost 6 years. I keep thinking, "I can't believe this happened in MY city." I can't believe we're getting this international attention. I feel like it's bonded me to my friends here and to this place, and now that I'm thinking about leaving for a few months, it makes me kind of sad. Who knows how I'll feel once the shock and awe wears off, but it's how I'm feeling now.
I haven't cried about it yet, but I've come close several times. I really want to see the wreckage for myself. The pictures and videos are not enough; I know it happened, but I need to see it in person. I think that will be the moment of release.
July 22, 2007
Track 1: Begrudgingly Accepting the Digital Era
I have a collection of homemade mix tapes, ranging from my freshman year in college to a couple of half-finished attempts I made a couple years ago when I realized that I didn't buy as much new music as I used to and all my favorite songs were already on at least one other previous mix tape. The point is, I can't get rid of these tapes, even though I never listen to them anymore (my car only has a CD player), and I've stopped liking half the bands whose songs comprise the tracklistings. They're like time capsules; they instantly take me back to a certain period in my life -- a boy I had a crush on, a movie I liked, a dorm room or apartment, the car I was driving. Some tapes have fancy covers that I either drew by hand or created from pretty patterns cut from magazines, and others simply list the bands and songs. Making mix CDs will never be the same as making a mix tape. There's something about carefully thinking out the order of the songs (the first song was always my current favorite), pre-winding a bit of the tape with your finger so that you didn't cut off the beginning of a song, letting a couple of seconds of silence lapse after a song before hitting "pause" so that you had a nice, unhurried transition, guessing how much time was at the end and picking a short song to fit. And then there was the first listen. I would always wait until the next time I drove somewhere. I purposely hid the cassette case from view, so that I'd be surprised when the next song started -- oh, I totally forgot that I put that song on here! With a CD, you drag and drop some files, hit "burn", and you're done. Where's the fun in that?
I don't make mix tapes anymore, but I want something that I can look back on in the future to remind me of things I did and things I liked. I've never been very good at consistently keeping a written journal, and besides, I can type faster than I can write (which still isn't fast enough to keep up with my thoughts). However you found your way here, welcome to my Digital Mix Tape.
I don't make mix tapes anymore, but I want something that I can look back on in the future to remind me of things I did and things I liked. I've never been very good at consistently keeping a written journal, and besides, I can type faster than I can write (which still isn't fast enough to keep up with my thoughts). However you found your way here, welcome to my Digital Mix Tape.
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