June 2003 - Round America

Life is Filled with Possibilities – Day 91

Life is Filled with Possibilities

Day 91 – June 30, 2003 – Monday

Day 3 on the Oregon coast — traveling Highway 101 from Lincoln City to Astoria.

Today I saw the very special Drift Creek Covered Bridge. I enjoyed a great breakfast and Marionberry Pie at the Otis Cafe. I saw a couple of lighthouses. I toured the Tillamook Cheese Factory. I hiked out into a rainforest to see a 319-foot waterfall. I enjoyed more beautiful Oregon coastline. And the driving day ended at the very early hour of 5 pm, so I had a chance to do some website work for the first time since leaving Ryan’s home.

The Drift Creek Bridge has a story, so I had to go. The bridge was built in 1914, and it is Oregon’s oldest existing bridge. The truss structure is of the Howe type, and was originally constructed for a cost of $1,800. Like many wooden bridges, it was covered to extend its usable life past 9 years to about 80 years, the cover keeping the huge truss timbers dry and subject to far less rapid deterioration. In 1997, the Lincoln County Commissioners determined that the bridge’s deteriorated condition was dangerous and required condemnation and demolition.

It was then that Laura Sweitz and her husband, Kerry, believing that “Life is filled with possibilities” (a motto that now hangs from the bridge) asked for a chance to save it. The Sweitzes offered to salvage what timber could be saved and reconstruct the bridge on their own land. The County Commissioners accepted, and the process of sifting the good wood from the rotted and infested wood began. They harvested replacement wood from their own land.

Although a lack of funds and volunteer labor frequently delayed the project and disheartened the Sweitzes, the bridge appeared on the cover of a nationwide calendar in 1999, and the Oregon Heritage Commission included the bridge project in its “Heritage Needs Assessment.” The calendar gave their hearts a lift, and a donation of the mammoth main cord logs by Simpson Timber Company furthered their resolve to rebuild the bridge and preserve it for the citizens of and visitors to Oregon.

On July 14, 2001, the bridge was finally re-dedicated. It now sits across Bear Creek just twelve miles from its original home. More than half of the reconstructed bridge was created from original materials, including much of its early graffiti. The Sweitzes gave the bridge and the land upon which it rests to Lincoln County.

I drove east from Lincoln City on Highway 18. Approximately 3 1/2 miles east of the Otis Cafe, I turned south on North Bear Creek Road. I drove approximately one mile, and the Drift Creek Covered Bridge was on the left.

In a story available to bridge visitors, Laura Sweitz admits that while building the bridge she lost hope several times. And each time, something appeared to deliver a “miracle” that enabled her and her family to continue. She kept the faith, and knew “the Lord’s project” would eventually be finished.

Laura Sweitz has said: “There’s no greater joy in your life than knowing you’ve helped somebody in some small way.”

Needless to say, I think it is wonderful that Laura and Kerry Sweitz took the initiative to save this glorious bridge from demolition.

And oh by the way, the Sweitzes also have a wonderful mailbox. It is a miniature version of the Drift Creek Covered Bridge.

Filled with respect for the big effort by the Sweitzes, I drove back down the road to Otis, Oregon and the Otis Cafe. I learned about the Otis Cafe as I researched pie places before the trip, and the Otis Cafe popped up as one of the few places in the country that makes Marionberry pies. It’s a little tiny place in what appears to be the country. It was clear that the cafe had gotten a lot of publicity, because people from all over come there to eat. It was packed the whole time I was there with people waiting to get in. Breakfast was wonderful. The black molasses bread was a pleasant surprise, and the Marionberry Pie was really tasty. It tasted to me like a cross between a blackberry and a raspberry. The pie was filled with fruit and did not have seeds.

The Marionberry is a distinctly American berry with worldwide appeal. Marionberries are harvested from July to early August, and they are grown exclusively in Oregon. A cross between the Chehalem and Olallieberry blackberries, the Marionberry captures the best attributes of both berries and yields an aromatic bouquet and an intense blackberry flavor for which it has become known. This premium quality flavor, described by tasters as “earthy cabernet” and “sweet with notes of tartness,” makes the Marionberry a superb choice for pies, canning, freezing, jams, jellies, and ice creams and has earned the Marionberry an outstanding reputation. It was a treat!

I saw folks on the side of the road selling blueberries as I headed up the coast, so it appears that the blueberries and Marionberries were harvested a little earlier than normal this year as mid July to mid August is the norm.

I spent much of the day exiting the highway to take photos along the Oregon coast. It was an ugly gray day, but I took photos anyway. I visited Cape Kiwanda and drove on the Three Capes Loop. In Cannon Beach, I saw the rock that looks like a big haystack and is appropriately called the Haystack Rock.

In Oceanside, I saw some big rocks close to shore. One had a hole in the middle. I’m sure it has a clever name. I photographed some interesting coves. I saw Pacific City, Manzanita Beach, Neahkanie, Nehalem Valley, Cape Lookout at Netarts Oregon, Cape Lookout State Park, Seaside, and more.

I stopped along the coast at Cape Mears. I wanted to photograph the lighthouse, but it was being restored.

I passed the Tillamook Air Museum. It is a huge building — the world’s largest wooden building. The building is 1,072 feet long, 296 feet wide, and 192 feet high (over 15 stories). It covers over 7 acres, a large enough area for six football fields. The doors are 120 feet high. The buildings was built in 1942 to house eight 242-foot long U.S. Navy blimps. Since 1994, the building has been home to one of the top five privately owned aircraft collections in the country.

I read about a beautiful waterfall near Tillamook, and while it required a hike through a “rainforest,” I was committed to the effort. Munson Creek Falls tumbles 319 feet (higher than the length of a football field), making it the tallest waterfall in the Coast Range.

I turned east from Tillamook looking for Munson Falls. I saw a sign, and I turned onto a gravel road. I came to a fork in the road with no indication of which way to go to Munson Falls. I chose left. The road had BIG potholes. I saw a sign for Munson Creek to the right so I tried it. This could best be described as a dirt road with potholes way out in the boonies. The road became a one-lane road. Ferns and green bushes were up about 15 feet high on the side of the road with big Western Red Cedar and Sitka Spruce trees behind them. After about five minutes, I came to a parking area. A sign said 1/4 mile to the Falls. It was a hike through heavy rainforest. Munson Falls was well worth the effort. It was beautiful to see. I’d never seen anything quite like it before. We’ve seen some waterfalls over the year, but never out in a rainforest like that. As with so many natural wonders, my photos do not do it justice.

As I returned to Tillamook, a sign proclaimed it to be “Land of Many Waters.”

I met a nice couple walking down the street, Mel and Helen. Mel was originally from Georgia. They said I must go to the Cheese Factory and be sure to have a butter pecan caramel ice cream there.

Most of the gas stations in Oregon are full service, so they wash your window and gas you up and usually look for a tip. I gassed up and tipped.

The next stop was one of Oregon’s biggest tourist attractions, The Tillamook Cheese Factory. I enjoyed the tour. It was the best demonstration of cheese making that I have ever seen. It is actually the only demonstration of cheese making that I have ever seen. I met Stephanie, Joey, and Karen in the ice cream area, and I thoroughly enjoyed the caramel butter pecan which I would say is not as good as Cherry Garcia, but my second favorite. Thanks to Mel and Helen for the tip.

When I reached the town of Twin Rocks, I came to a spot where someone was building a covered bridge over the highway. I believe it was for pedestrian traffic. I investigated, and it seems to be for the Twin Rocks Friends Camp and Conference Center, a Christian camp.

This is Lewis and Clark territory, and I took a photo of the end-of-the-trail monument in Seaside. Seaside is a national landmark. This is commemorated with a statue of Lewis and Clark and a reconstructed camp site.

Once again, I saw many beautiful Oregon bridges today, but the Drift Creek Covered Bridge was my favorite.

The Sweitzes and people like them remind us that we can all make a difference in this world if we will just do something. Life is filled with possibilities and opportunities, but we have to take the initiative.

Random Comments:

Astoria is right on the border with Washington, so I will be driving along the Washington coast tomorrow. State #25.

The Daily Journal of Round America:

Each day, we collect our thoughts on a web page just like this. We drop in some of the photos from the day. Our goal with the Daily Journal is to write about the towns we visit, the sights we see, the people we meet, and the pie we eat. We write about where we are, where we’ve been, and where we are going, but we also make observations about what we’ve seen and done as well as about life in general.

You can follow our travels from the Daily Journal section of this website. Other pages of interest include the running report of “vital statistics” on the Trip Scorecard, our nominations for the Best & Worst of the trip, as well as a rating of the pie we eat. If you’d like to see information for a specific state or town, click here, and then click on the state of interest, and the full itinerary is shown.

More Information on the Sights Visited Today: Drift Creek Covered Bridge — Otis Cafe — Cape Kiwanda Oregon — Cannon Beach Oregon — Oceanside Oregon — Cape Mears Oregon — Tillamook Air Museum — Munson Falls — Tillamook Cheese Factory — Seaside Oregon

Flatter than a Pancake – Day 90

Flatter than a Pancake

Day 90 – June 29, 2003 – Sunday

I didn’t sleep too well last night. That’s often the way it is for me when I HAVE to be somewhere early the next morning. I woke up several times to check the clock as I didn’t want to be late for my 8:30 am meeting at the Fire Department. I was really excited about getting to see the famous Oregon Dunes in a dune buggy with the Fire Department Rescue Team!

I raced out the door a little after 8. Down the stairs to the car — Jeb’s map and directions in hand. Camera charged and ready. I was flying high!

As I reached the Cruiser, the wind was immediately taken out of my sails. The left rear tire was almost flat. I sat down in the driver’s seat, and it was completely FLAT! I knew instantly that I would never get a special tour of the dunes. The spare for the Cruiser is a little donut tire, and I suspected getting a tire repaired on a Sunday morning in Coos Bay could be a challenge. Jeb had given me everything but a phone number, so I couldn’t even call to see if a later time might work. Very disappointing.

I called Chrysler’s Roadside Assistance Service — hoping someone would come to repair the tire. Bill came, and he put the donut tire on, but his company just did towing and tire-changing. He told me the only place open on Sunday was Wal-Mart.

The guys at Wal-Mart took good care of me. I had a shiny nail in the tire near the edge, so I decided a new tire was by far the safest way to go. The new tire was on at 10:15, and I felt fortunate that the flat had been in a decent-sized town like Coos Bay rather than in one of the many tiny towns that we visit.

I met Christine and Barb while waiting for Bill. I met Barney while Charlie, Jeff, and Jerry repaired his tire at WalMart.

I backtracked to Bandon. Old Town Bandon is very nice. I had an excellent lunch of Fish and Chips at the Bandon Fish Market, followed by unique and very tasty Cheddar Cheese Fudge at Cranberry Sweets. I met two nice couples from Grants Pass, Oregon at lunch; they were both celebrating their anniversaries.

Bill told me I needed to eat at The Pancake Mill in Coos Bay, so I stopped in for a piece of pie when I drove back through. Vickey sold me on her grandmother’s special cake.

I saw the Steve Prefontaine Memorial in Coos Bay, a number of timber mills, the Mill Casino, and the Coos Bay Boardwalk. I saw where a lumberjack competition is held.

It was Lighthouse Day! I drove out to see the Coquille River Lighthouse. I also saw the Umpqua River Lighthouse, the Heceta Head Lighthouse, the old Yaquina Bay Lighthouse, and the Yaquina Head Lighthouse.

I saw more stunning scenery along the Oregon coastline and many great bridges. Cape Perpetua was especially interesting to see.

The signs in Oregon are small on roadside attractions are. You have to really look closely.

This section of the Oregon coast contains some of the largest oceanfront dunes in the world, ranging up to 500 feet high and forming banks up to three miles deep. I lost the opportunity to see the dunes in a dune buggy with the rescue team, but I was still determined to see some dunes.

I stopped at the Oregon Dunes Interpretive Center in Reedsport. I was advised to backtrack to get to the best spot to take a photo of the really big dunes. I met Dave and Vicky. Dave used to drive a big truck so they saw the country on the interstates. Marion, Nenana, Barb, and Terri helped me at the Interpretive Center. They were very nice ladies, and they asked about the beads, so they heard the whole story about the Floating Neutrinos and a few others. They seemed to really enjoy it, so I enjoyed telling them. Barb said she saw the country hitchhiking and told me to be sure and stop in Gardiner the next town up where there’s only one business still open called the Fox Hole.

As directed, I went back to the Umpqua Dunes Trailhead. The wind was blowing really strong by the time I got to the dunes, so it was a short stop. Shades of Big Bend. I was afraid I would get my eyes hurt again, so I didn’t spend much time. I walked a ways and got a few photos of the big dunes, then back to the safety of the car.

I went to Gardiner with my eyes wide open because Barb sent me. I took photos of several of the closed businesses and the one remaining business in Gardiner. It was a sad-looking place. One business had a pink fluorescent sign that simply said: “We Quit.”

I didn’t see any snow cone stands in this part of the country, but I did see many little drive-through espresso shops, even in the smallest of towns. Except Gardiner.

I gassed up in Florence. It was full-service so I tipped the young man a dollar. I also gave a dollar to a guy who didn’t have enough money to buy cigarettes. He really appreciated it. I did many random acts of kindness on the trip, and I received many random acts of kindness. When we do Round America II, I believe I will add a #11 to the Rules of the Road: Remember to practice random acts of kindness. With it as a written goal, we will be more conscious of it.

A sign in Florence indicated that the Sand Master Park was the world’s first sandboarding park. I stopped to take a look. Snowboarding on sand. 40 acres of private sculpted dunes, “rail slides, and fun boxes.” It actually looked like a lot of fun.

I saw carnivorous cobra lilies — from a distance — in Heceta Beach. The Cobra Lily lures its insect prey with a sweet smell which is inside the leaf opening. Once inside, the insect becomes confused by the many areas that look like exits, and the Cobra Lily gobbles it up. I stopped at the Darlingtonia Wayside to see the carnivorous cobra lilies, but I didn’t actually see them. I just took a photo in the general direction of the cobra lilies because there was a rough-looking character who looked to me like he was pretending to work on a parked car in the very corner of the darkest spot of the parking area right where I needed to walk to go to the observation area. He looked shifty to me, and I didn’t want to risk going near him as there were no other cars there. I think the plant that went wild in the movie “Little Shop of Horrors” must have been a carnivorous cobra lily.

I visited the Devil’s Punch Bowl State Park. The Devil?s Punch Bowl is a very interesting spot where the ocean creates a swirling effect. The ocean has carved out a bowl in the rocks with an opening that waves crash through.

I stopped briefly in Depoe Bay, but it was raining and foggy. This is a whale-watching area, and it has the world’s smallest navigable harbor according to the Guinness Book of World Records.

I checked into the Landmark Inn in Lincoln City. The young lady at the front desk said that the “D” River is the world’s shortest river, so I planned to see it. She gave me directions for Dorey Cove, which is known for its pie. I headed to Dorey Cove for dinner and pie. I saw the “D” River along the way. It flows 120 feet from Devils Lake under U.S. Highway 101 and into the Pacific Ocean, entirely within the city limits of Lincoln City.

I drove a half hour or so to get to the Dorey Cove Restaurant to find that it had closed 11 minutes before I got there.

I drove by the Chinook Winds Casino on the way back toward the hotel. The promotional material for the casino says: “Owned and operated by the Confederated Tribes of the Siletz Indians of Oregon, the spirit of the Tribe is captured in the decor of the facility. The Casino includes a waterfall flowing to a pond (designed to resemble Euchre Creek, an important area to the Siletz tribe) where “wishers” can toss their coins for good luck and make a contribution to the Tribe’s educational fund. The round lobby and weave design painted on the exterior give tribute to the tribe’s traditional basket weaving techniques. Salmon decorate many of the interior and exterior areas, a nod to the fish that plays a special and important role in the history of the tribe.”

I took a picture of the American Veterans in Desert War Memorial at the Casino. I did not go in to place my patented $100 bet on red because it was almost 9 pm, and I hadn’t eaten.

Lincoln City is a very long town. I don’t know if the casino is the reason they have so many motels and other businesses, but something was going on in Lincoln City. Compared to most of these coastal towns, this was a good-sized one.

I had dinner at Lee’s Chinese Restaurant. It was good. The Chinese food was a little different from what I was accustomed to. Kelly was the waitress. She was excellent with a really nice smile and personality. Lee’s had no pie, but I had a fortune cookie for dessert.

Linda, the desk clerk, was helpful with directions to the covered bridge that I plan to see tomorrow. She had also provided directions to the casino, Dorey Pie Shack, and the shortest river.

I was reminded today that there’s nothing like a flat tire to take the wind out of your sails. I learned that if you have a flat tire on a Sunday morning, do it in a town big enough to have a Wal-Mart.

The Daily Journal of Round America:

More Information on the Sights Visited Today: Bandon Oregon — Coos Bay Oregon — Oregon Dunes Interpretive Center — Sand Master Park — Darlingtonia Wayside — Devils Punch Bowl State Park — Depoe Bay Oregon — Lincoln City Oregon

Pedaling Across America in Two Giant Shoes – Day 89

Pedaling Across America in Two Giant Shoes

Day 89 – June 28, 2003 – Saturday

Fortuna, California to Coos Bay, Oregon today — traveling Highway 101 all the way through Oregon and into Washington.

Today was Redwoods Day! Since it got dark last night, I had to backtrack this morning to see the Avenue of the Giants — the best Redwoods drive there is. The Redwoods are spectacular, and I thoroughly enjoyed the drive. It’s hard to photograph Redwoods. My photos do not begin to do justice to the beauty of the Avenue of the Giants — one of those things you just have to enjoy personally.

At the Visitors’ Center, I really enjoyed seeing cross-section of a 325 ton tree that was 839 years old when it fell in 1987. The rings were marked to show how big the tree was when Columbus discovered America, when the Declaration of Independence was signed, etc. Puts it in perspective!

In addition to the trees in the Avenue of the Giants, I also saw The Chimney Tree — a Redwood tree that had the center burned out of it in 1914, but it is still alive and kicking. I saw the “Immortal Tree” — a tree that is 950 to 1,000 years old and is thriving despite lightning, fire, flood, and more.

The highway is filled with one chainsaw wood carving place after another.

I detoured slightly to see the lovely little Victorian village of Ferndale. Cute town. It has to be a wonderful place to live; it just gave off great vibes.

In Eureka, I saw the World’s Largest Hammer and the fabulous Carson Mansion. Eureka has a very nice Old Town area.

Arcata was one of the towns I was really looking forward to seeing. I have read about the amazing Kinetic Sculpture Race, and I thought there would be a museum where I could see some of the sculptures.

Kinetic means motion. Kinetic art is sculpture that contains moving parts. The Kinetic Sculpture Race is a race of artwork that contains moving parts. If you think of a bicycle built for 12 engineered by NASA scientists that is covered with a multicolor exterior that looks like a giant fire-breathing dragon, that’s what one of the kinetic sculptures might look like. Now imagine as many as 100 different works of art, and that’s what the racers look like. Racers may include a giant frog, an erupting volcano, a pink elephant, a giant chicken, an albino rhinoceros, a giant fish, monsters, a submarine, and more.

The Kinetic Sculpture Race has been an annual event in Ferndale, California since 1969. It began when Ferndale sculptor Hobart Brown “improved” the appearance of his son’s tricycle, and was challenged to a race down Main Street by Jack Mays. Soon, another 12 machines entered the first race. Neither Hobart nor Jack won; the first winner of the Kinetic Sculpture Race was Bob Brown whose sculpture was a smoke-emitting turtle that laid eggs. The race course covers 42 miles over three days. The sculptures that compete in the Kinetic Sculpture Race today are designed to travel on land, sand, gravel, pavement, up and down steep hills, through mud and over deep harbor waters, and they are constructed of any imaginable material, including used bicycles, gears, feathers, tin foil and paper mache. Some of the machines are simple crafts piloted by only one person, while others might be as large as 50-feet long, highly sophisticated, and well-engineered vehicles powered by a team of people. The sculptures are fun to look at with a wide variety of artistic exteriors. Under the artistic exteriors, the kinetic sculptures have amazing engineering. The participants compete for prizes in “Art” and “Engineering” categories, as well as the coveted “Mediocre” and “Next to Last” awards. This is a serious race with a Quirky sense of humor, kind of like our trip. I have read news reports about the annual race over the years, and I was really looking forward to seeing some of the sculptures and learning more about the race.

When I reached Arcata, I was surprised to find the town square absolutely filled with hippies. I drove all around town several times, and I never saw even a funky bicycle. I met Deacon Rivers on the side of the road as I was about to leave town having failed to find anything about the Kinetic Sculpture Race. After he explained the system of “Community Currency” used by many in Arcata in place of American dollars, I asked Deacon what he felt was the most unusual thing in Arcata, and he said it was the sewage treatment plant. I asked if there was a kinetic sculpture museum, and he indicated there wasn’t, but there might be a kinetic lab on 8th Street. I also met a biker named Gary.

Deacon’s directions to the sewage treatment plant were excellent. It’s in a marsh and wildlife sanctuary, and it really is special. The water is cleaner than the water produced by conventional sewage treatment facilities. Martha showed me around.

Then it was off to 8th Street. I drove all the way until 8th Street ended, but I saw nothing at all about the Kinetic Sculpture Race. I was so very disappointed!

As I drove back down 8th Street back toward Highway 101, I thought I saw a giant chicken out of the corner of my eye. I slammed on the brakes and U-turned. I walked down the alley toward the chicken, and I spotted the motherlode — The Kinetic Lab!!! It was a big warehouse filled with kinetic sculptures that have been in the race. I met Ken Beidleman and June Moxon. Little did I know that they weren’t just anyone involved in the race, but they have been credited with really raising the bar for Kinetic art.

Ken and June showed me all around the Kinetic Lab and told me all about the race. Truly fascinating. The race is on land, sand, and water, so these people-powered machines have to be engineering marvels. And while the race is a serious race, it is done with a tremendous sense of style and a great sense of humor. Ken and June have been involved in the race for many years.

If my experience with Ken and June had ended at this point, it would have been a very special day and one of my favorite times on the whole trip. But I noticed two giant shoe sculpture racers in the middle of the room with a covered wagon hooked on behind. I then learned that Ken and June had been on a trip that makes our Round America trip seem like child’s play in comparison. Ken and June pedaled across America in the giant shoe kinetic sculptures. Can you imagine seeing two giant shoes going down the road pulling a covered wagon?! Their legs provided the only source of power. They slept in the covered wagon with their dog. They had $200 and no credit cards. They pedaled and worked their way across the country from Arcata, California to St. Augustine, Florida. They were on the road in their giant shoes for three years! Absolutely amazing!

Ken and June invited me over to their home, but a deadline down the road made it impossible for me to accept their kind invitation. I understand I really missed something special as June has an Imelda Marcos’ fetish, and she has a lot of shoes and some amazing art. June is an artist; she does beautiful brass sculptures. Ken is an engineer and a painter. Meeting them was one of the real highlights of the trip.

I hated to leave Arcata, but I did. June told me the World’s Tallest Totem Pole was just up the road in McKinleyville in a Safeway parking lot. I didn’t even have it on my list, but I found it easily thanks to June. I met Summer, Natasha, and Amelia in the parking lot.

I saw a lighthouse in Trinidad, and I had excellent Blackberry Pie at an RV Park near Orick — the Redwood Trails General Store. Orick is the home of the world’s tallest trees; I saw a sign that said it, so it must be true.

A few miles down the road I saw an area called Elk Meadow. I pulled in, parked, and a short while later, I saw my first elk. I’m still mooseless.

In the town of Smith River, I stopped at the Ship-A-Shore Gift Shop. Martha at the sewage treatment plant told me to be sure to see it.

I visited Trees of Mystery in Klamath, where I saw the first of what will be many Paul Bunyan statues. This Paul is 49′ 2″ tall and weighs 30,000 pounds. Babe the ox also weighs in at 30,000 pounds. I met Sarah and Josh there.

Oregon became State #24. The Oregon coastline is really beautiful. The views from the various overlooks in the Samuel H. Boardman State Park were especially stunning.

I met Cameron at two roadside photo stops. She was having boyfriend problems and was crying. She left the first roadside stop shortly after I pulled in. When I pulled in behind her at the next roadside stop just a few miles down the road, she confided that she thought I was a dirty old man with bad intentions. I gave her my card and beads, and I tried to cheer her up, but I wasn’t successful. I left her to be alone.

Oregon has by far the most beautiful bridges we have seen anywhere — one after another. Thompson Creek Bridge is the highest bridge in Oregon. I crossed it and many others.

I reached Bandon shortly after the sun had set, and it was extremely dark by the time I reached the Red Lion Inn in Coos Bay.

I met Jeb at the desk at the Red Lion. I asked him what he felt was the most unique thing about Coos Bay, and he said it has to be the dunes. He asked if I would like to see them, and then he called and arranged to have me join the Fire Department Rescue Team for a special ride around the dunes tomorrow morning at 8:30. The Oregon Dunes are really special, and some of the dunes are as high as 500-feet, so this was sure to be a special experience.

There are a lot of interesting people with interesting stories. But what are the odds that on our trip, we would meet two people who floated across the Atlantic Ocean on a raft and lived to tell about it…and two people who pedaled across America in two giant shoes?! I guess the lesson for the day is to always be alert (and keep your eyes peeled for a giant chicken) because you just never know when you will cross paths with amazing people.

The Daily Journal of Round America:

More Information on the Sights Visited Today: Avenue of the Giants — The Chimney Tree — Immortal Tree — Ferndale California — Eureka California — Arcata California — Kinetic Sculpture Race — Ken Beidleman and June Moxon — Worlds Tallest Totem Pole — Trees of Mystery

Three Days in San Francisco – Day 88

Three Days in San Francisco

Day 88 – June 27, 2003 – Friday

I finally left San Francisco today. We planned three (3) days in San Francisco; we were there 14 days!

Heading north on Highway 1 to Highway 101 along the coast all the way to the top of Washington. The plan is to be in Alaska on the Fourth of July. 27,419 on the odometer.

Tears in my eyes as I drove away from The Dude’s (aka Ryan’s) house. It was wonderful to have so much time together. I didn’t get away until 11 am, so the whole day was a few hours off (something that happens more often than not or so it seems).

First stop was Muir Woods — the Coastal Redwoods forest in Marin County. Most folks do not realize there are Redwoods this far south. Tours to Muir Woods are a very popular offering from The Dude’s company. HUGE trees. STRONG trees to have stood for so long. I met Stephanie and Kim on the side of the road near Muir Woods. John Muir Woods is located just 17 miles northwest of San Francisco just off Highway 1. The park was named for John Muir, a naturalist who was instrumental in establishing the National Park system.

This 550-acre National Monument is home to Coastal Redwoods, some of the tallest and oldest trees in the world. Cathedral and Bohemian Groves contain the largest Coastal redwoods – up to 252-feet tall and 14-feet across. Visitors are given a map and guide to the park showing various trails for a self-guided tour. Visitors are encouraged to visit the paved main trail that offers educational exhibits on the majestic redwood trees — some known to be 1,000 years old. There are six miles of walking trails. The park is home to 50 species of birds, black-tailed deer, steelhead trout, and hundreds of other wild inhabitants. There is also a small cafe, a bookstore and a gift shop.

The Dude told me to be sure and see Bolinas. He said it would be the highlight of the day. He also warned me that the residents take the signs down so folks can’t find the town. The locals call Bolinas “BoBo.” Well I found neither Bolinas nor BoBo. I did see a sign for “Dogtown” out in the middle of nowhere in a forest that I now suspect is where a road turns off to Bolinas. Dogtown is actually a defunct gold rush era town in another part of California. There are some famous people from Bolinas, including one of the Coen Brothers, Frances McDormand, and Grace Slick.

The “Dogtown” sign said Population 30, but the 30 had been scratched out, and someone painted “31.” The actual population of Bolinas is a little over 1,200. I learned that Bolinas is perhaps best known for its reclusive residents, and as Ryan had indicated, I learned that any road signs pointing the way into town on Highway 1 have invariably been torn down by local residents. I was sorry the BoBo-ians tricked me, but it was probably more fun to have been tricked. I will see Bolinas the next time I visit San Francisco!

I detoured off Highway 1 to the little town of Bodega. There I saw The Potter School. It was used as the church in Alfred Hitchcock’s “The Birds.” The movie was filmed in and around Bodega and Bodega Bay. Other movies filmed in Bodega Bay include “The Goonies,” “Sleepwalkers,” and “The Pack.”

A local tourist office person told me I needed to see the “Hole in the Head.” It seems a nuclear power plant had been planned for Bodega Bay in the 1960?s but was abandoned after protests and the discovery of an earthquake fault across the proposed site. Excavation for the site began at Bodega Head, and when the project was abandoned the area has been referred to by locals as “The Hole in the Head.”

Highway 1 bounces back and forth between mountains and trees to coastal views. There are certainly some especially beautiful coastal views on the stretch of road near Jenner. I met Roger on the side of the road during one of my many photo stops.

There were wonderful views along the Pacific Coast Highway.

I did that on purpose. I enjoyed the views again and again and again?.

Stinson Beach was very pretty. A man on the side of the road told me the surf off Stinson Beach is within an area known as the Red Triangle where there have been an unusually high number of shark attacks. Looks can be deceiving.

I saw some very unusual trees in Manchester, California. They looked like flat, green flying saucers. Mendocino is a very picturesque little town. There are lovely old homes, an attractive town center, and a beautiful coastline. It is an artist’s community.

I stopped at the Masonic Hall in Mendocino with its unusual Father Time and a Maiden sculpture at the top of the steeple. The sculpture was carved from a single redwood trunk. The Presbyterian Church was built in 1868.

The Kelley House (built in 1861) is now a museum with photos showing the village as it looked over the years. I spoke with some women in Mendocino who were carrying protest signs: “Women in Black for Peace.” I assumed it was an Iraq War protest, but I learned that the group is one of the leading voices in Israel advocating for a just and viable peace between Israel and Palestine. In January 1988, one month after the first Palestinian Intifada broke out, a small group of Israeli and Palestinian women stood once a week, at the same hour and at the same location – a major traffic intersection in Israel. They were dressed in black and held up a black sign in the shape of a hand with “Stop the Occupation” written in white. It was a simple form of protest that women could do easily. The movement has spread around the world and to Mendocino.

On a lighter note, many movies have been filmed in and around Mendocino and Mendocino County, including “The Russians Are Coming the Russians Are Coming,” “Overboard” (actually filmed in Fort Bragg), “Karate Kid III,” “Dying Young,” “Forever Young,” “Pontiac Moon,” and “The Majestic” (also partially filmed in Fort Bragg). Mendocino was depicted as turn of the last century Monterey in the James Dean classic “East of Eden.” “Summer of ’42” included local Mendocino High School students.

However, the TV series “Murder She Wrote” had the largest impact on the community. “Murder, She Wrote” was set in the fictional town of Cabot Cove, Maine. All but nine episodes of the 264-episode program were filmed in Mendocino, while exterior shots throughout Mendocino were used in the remaining episodes. The program was broadcast for 12 seasons, from September 1984 until May 1996, and won many awards. Many local residents looked forward to the yearly filming, as over a hundred and fifty were chosen to play background parts. A lucky few were cast for speaking roles. The main character Jessica Fletcher’s home in the series was an actual home in Mendocino and is now a bed and breakfast under the name “Blair House.”

The Sea Ranch is a big vacation home development along Highway 1. The folks who live there next to the coast enjoy fabulous views.

I saw a big totem pole on a cliff next to the ocean. I stopped at a nice hotel next to the totem pole, and I met Kimberly, Perry, and Riki. I met Dietra inside at the bar.

The Point Arena Light Station is now privately owned and is part of a hotel or something. I wasn’t allowed in the gates, but I managed a photo.

Highway 1 ended in Westport, so it was 101 the rest of the day (and for the next several days).

In Leggett, I thoroughly enjoyed seeing Redwoods up close and personal. I drove the PT Cruiser right through the Chandelier Drive-Thru Tree. I met Jacob, Brittany, and Pam at the ticket window, and then I met fellow tree-drive-thruers — Kathryn, James, Theresa, and Frank.

I also saw a small house built entirely out of one log. I saw the home of “The Grandfather Tree,” but the place was closed. Same goes for the Legend of Bigfoot and Confusion Hill. I drove by the World’s Largest Redwood Mill, but it was dark, so I couldn’t see much.

It was late by the time I reached the Comfort Inn in Fortuna.

It wasn’t a particularly exciting day, though seeing my first Redwood trees was certainly something notable. The Pacific Coast in Northern California is certainly beautiful to see and not as harrowing a drive as Big Sur.

My thought for the day is how sad it would be to not be sad when saying goodbye to a child.

The Daily Journal of Round America:

More Information on the Sights Visited Today: Muir Woods — Bolinas California — Bodega California — Mendocino California — Chandelier Drive-Thru Tree

Alcatraz Part Deux – Day 87

Alcatraz Part Deux

Day 87 – June 26, 2003 – Thursday

Still in San Francisco. We helped Ryan with his work overload today. 94-degrees today. It’s NEVER this hot in San Francisco!

Ryan and I took another tour of Alcatraz today. I took 150 photos, so we now have a very comprehensive “virtual tour” of Alcatraz.

Alcatraz is a 22-acre island in San Francisco Bay. Alcatraz is best known as a federal maximum-security prison, but the Island has a long and interesting history. Scientists tell us that 10,000 years ago, the small sandstone peak that would later be called Alcatraz rose above ocean waters flooding the valley that became San Francisco Bay. 3,000 years ago, Indians paddled their reed canoes to Alcatraz hunting for birds’ eggs and perhaps fishing from its shores. In 1847, California purchased Alcatraz from the Mexican government.

The United States began fortifying Alcatraz in 1853, and Alcatraz Island served as a military fortification in the 1850s and as an incarceration facility for war prisoners during the Spanish-American War. In 1934, Alcatraz became a federal maximum-security prison, and it became infamous for Mafia criminals and high-risk convicts. Famous Alcatraz residents have included Al Capone, Machine Gun Kelly, and Robert “Birdman of Alcatraz” Stroud. Alcatraz Island is located just a mile from Fisherman’s Wharf in San Francisco, but there is no evidence that anyone ever escaped across the icy bay. In fact, Alcatraz was the only prison in the federal prison system that touted hot showers, a luxury designed to keep prisoners from acclimating to cold water.

Alcatraz is known as “The Rock.” Inmates had great views of the beautiful San Francisco skyline, and that made life even more unpleasant there.

The prison closed in 1963 due to the extremely high costs of operating the facility. Since that time, people have been trying to get on the island rather than off.

In 1969, a group of Native Americans attempted to reclaim the land saying that an 1868 federal treaty allowed Native Americans to use all federal territory that the government wasn’t actively using. After almost two years of occupation, the government forced them off. The story of the occupation is covered in the Alcatraz Museum, and graffiti remains claiming “this is Native American land.”

In 1972, Alcatraz became part of the Golden Gate National Recreation Area and is now managed by the National Park Service. The first tourists visited the Island in 1973, and today, Alcatraz is the most popular tourist attraction in the Bay Area.

Click on each of the topics below to read about the history of Alcatraz:

Alcatraz the Early Years
2.Alcatraz the Fort
3. Alcatraz the Prison
4. The Native American Occupation
5. Natural Alcatraz
6. Alcatraz the Tourist Attraction

Click on each of the areas below to read about each of the major areas at Alcatraz:

The Dock
2.Guardhouse and Sally Port
3. Post Exchange – Officers’ Club
4. Military Chapel
5. Barracks – Apartments
6. Warden’s House
7. Lighthouse
8. Cellhouse

Alcatraz tickets are sold out for the next week or so. 4,200 people a day is the maximum that the ferries can hold. It looks like Alcatraz will be sold out all summer long. For tickets and tours, call Alcatraz Media at 800-410-8233.

Dinner by Ryan’s personal chef last night. Excellent once again.

I will finally leave San Francisco tomorrow. Heading north of Highway 101 along the coast all the way to the top of Washington. It looks like we will be in Alaska on or about the Fourth of July.

Granddaughter Madison had her first birthday today. She now walks like a pro, and she is saying “my ma ma,” “da,” and “Ora” (for Dora doll). Happy Birthday Maddie! Barbara flew back to Atlanta for the festivities.

The Daily Journal of Round America:

More Information on the Sights Visited Today:

San Francisco California — Alcatraz

Whats a GPS – Day 86

Whats a GPS?

Day 86 – June 25, 2003 – Wednesday

Still in San Francisco. We helped Ryan with his work overload today. Alcatraz tickets are pretty well sold out for the next 10 days, so we were not sure what Ryan will do with the hundreds and hundreds of people who call every day wanting tickets. The maximum capacity of the Alcatraz ferries is 4,200 a day, and it seems that two or three times that many want to go during the summertime.

Bozzie Jane handled our weekly radio show at 7:11 am this morning.

Ryan and I had lunch at Sausalito Gourmet Deli again. Love the Turkey Bacon Avocado Sandwich on a sourdough roll. We went down to Fisherman’s Wharf to take care of some business, and we drove around and saw a few sights. We met Victor and Nora on Fisherman’s Wharf. It was a beautiful day but unusually hot — got to 94 on the car thermometer.

We saw a shiny metal lady street performer at Fisherman’s Wharf. A Low-Rider car did a million tricks for us near Fisherman’s Wharf. We drove through the Civic Center area and took some photos of the capitol-like City Hall building. We drove through Japantown.

We took some cool photos of the Golden Gate Bridge as Ryan stuck his head up through the sunroof on the PT Cruiser and snapped photos as we went over the bridge.

Ryan took me for a ride in his new car — Nissan 350Z. Cool. Fast. Love the GPS system; I can see now what a huge help a GPS would have been to us on this trip.

We’ll finally leave San Francisco — probably Friday.

The Daily Journal of Round America:

More Information on the Sights Visited Today:

San Francisco California

It Must Be Magic – Day 85

It Must Be Magic

Day 85 – June 24, 2003 – Tuesday

Still in San Francisco. We helped Ryan with his work overload today.

It was The House of Magic! for dinner with the amazing Richard Tuck. Richard is a friend of Ryan’s. He owns a circus — see Day 75.

Richard’s HOME is named “It Must Be Magic!” The home features a complete magic theatre, a room with over 450 clocks, a collection of 900 wizard figurines, movie memorabilia from the golden age of Hollywood, a room filled with roller coasters and roller coaster memorabilia, a real roller coaster, and much, much more. Rooms include the Dickens Parlour, Wizard of Oz Room, Pinball Alley with a huge assortment of pinball machines and video games, a Soda Fountain, and a Movie Theatre with over 18,000 movies available.

100 circus people lived in Richard’s home for several months after he invested in the circus. It is one wild place!

When Richard Tuck and Tim Sauer moved into the house looking out over the San Francisco Bay, they never dreamed of what they would someday be creating. With a reputation from hosting friends and family for meals and movies for over a decade, they now had the property to expand their generosity to larger groups. And the construction began. And never stopped. For 13 years, construction crews and electricians have been adding new surprises. Although small looking from the street, the house just seems to continue on forever. You get disoriented and confused as walls melt into doorways, closets lead into whole new sections of the house, and illusion is the order of the day. When Frank Biafore joined the household in 1995, he brought another level of expertise to the growing merriment. Frank had studied architecture and design. By combining Frank’s design and construction experience and wild ideas with Richard’s magical touches and flair for the mysterious, the construction of some of the most memorable areas in the home was accelerated.

It Must Be Magic! is strictly a hobby — a part-time endeavor to share fun and joy with the world. The three men behind the scenes work full-time to support their generosity. Featured in numerous newspaper and magazine stories, It Must Be Magic! is one of those unadvertised special places that most of us never know about. Richard, Tim, and Frank live in the home; it is not open to the public.

We had dinner with Richard, Tim, Frank, two ladies who work with Richard, and the Advance Marketing Team from Circus Chimera. Richard took us on a guided tour of It Must Be Magic! Following the tour, the curtains parted, a screen lowered, and we enjoyed watching “Harry Potter: The Sorcerer’s Stone” as if we were watching the big screen at the theatre, but our couch seating was much more comfortable, and the fresh fruit served at intermission was much tastier than movie theatre candy and popcorn.

My photos do not even begin to capture the quality of the displays or the “magic” of the home. It was simply amazing.

The world needs more people like Richard Tuck!

The Daily Journal of Round America:

More Information on the Sights Visited Today:

San Francisco California — It Must Be Magic!

San Francisco – Working for Our Son – Day 84

San Francisco – Working for Our Son

Day 84 – June 23, 2003 – Monday

Still in San Francisco. Working for Ryan today. Busy, busy day.

We met Ryan’s personal chef, Rebecca, today. She’s great! We enjoyed her meals for lunch and dinner. Boz and Ryan did pick up an Oreo Overload Ice Cream Pie from Cold Stone Creamery for dessert — excellent.

Between calls, I created a virtual tour of Alcatraz for Round America and for Ryan to use to promote his business. See www.roundamerica.com/trip/sfca/Alcatraz.htm and follow the links. I planned to go to Alcatraz one more time before leaving town to add a few photos that I feel we need to make it complete.

The Daily Journal of Round America:

More Information on the Sights Visited Today:San Francisco California

San Francisco 49-Mile Drive – Day 83

San Francisco 49-Mile Drive

Day 83 – June 22, 2003 – Sunday

San Francisco is an incredible city with extraordinary natural beauty. It is UNBELIEVABLE how many sights there are to see. There is no other area like this anywhere in the country in terms of opportunities for sightseeing, fun, and adventure. You could probably spend a year sightseeing and enjoying all that the Bay Area has to offer. Bozzie Jane and I both commented today that we saw far more of San Francisco in the last week than we saw in the year that we lived here. We understand better now why Ryan loves it so much here.

We passed through The Presidio and took a closer look at the massive construction project for George Lucas’ Industrial Light & Magic headquarters. We drove by the Monte Cristo Bed & Breakfast, an antique-themed B&B near The Presidio. We also saw a lovely residential area, Presidio Terrace.

We spent much of the day on the 49-Mile Drive, a scenic drive that traces the outline of the 49 square mile city and reaches some of the City’s most spectacular sights and viewing spots. We began at the Golden Gate Bridge, drove along the Pacific Ocean to the Cliff House and Seal Beach, on to the San Francisco Zoo, through south central San Francisco, Twin Peaks, and Telegraph Hill, on to Fisherman’s Wharf and Marina Green. We did not do the downtown portion of the drive, so we planned to go see and photograph those sites in the next few days.

Our first stop was the Seacliff area. Ryan took us by some beautiful homes, and we saw where Robin Williams lives. Baker Beach was next — a pretty beach on the Pacific Ocean with a great view of the Golden Gate Bridge. China Beach was next, followed by Lincoln Park and the Lincoln Park Municipal Golf Course. We stopped at the Palace of the Legion of Honor and saw the Holocaust Memorial there. Next was Land’s End. We understand there is a primarily gay nude beach down a hiking trail at Land’s End, but the vote was 2-to-1 in the car against the hike. Three guesses which one of us was willing to hike a mile for your not everyday photo opp. The area of Land’s End that we visited has beautiful coastline views and is popular for outdoor weddings.

The drive passed through wooded Lincoln Park to the Sutro Baths, Seal Rocks, and the Cliff House. We met some very nice photographers, Colleen and Steve, near the Sutro Baths.

In 1881, Adolph Sutro bought most of the western headlands of San Francisco and made his home there. Fifteen years later, Sutro Baths opened at a cost of over $1,000,000. A classic Greek portal opened to a massive glass enclosure containing seven swimming pools at various temperatures. There were slides, trapezes, springboards, and a high dive. The pools held 1.7 million gallons of water and could be filled in one hour by high tides. There were 20,000 bathing suits and 40,000 towels to rent. The baths could accommodate 10,000 people at a time. It was a real showplace. San Franciscans streamed to the Baths on one of three railroad lines. There were three restaurants that could seat 1,000 people, and an amphitheater seating up to 3,700 people provided a variety of stage shows. There were natural history exhibits, galleries of sculptures, paintings, tapestries, and artifacts from Mexico, China, Asia, and the Middle East. The photos from the 1900’s are incredible; it was a huge, most impressive place. I guess the Sutro Baths might qualify as America’s first waterpark. But for all their glamour and excitement, the Baths were not commercially successful. Sutro’s grandson converted part of the baths into an ice-skating rink in 1937, and a new owner expanded the ice-skating facility in the early 1950’s. The revenue from ice skating was not sufficient to cover the costs of the enormous building, and the property was sold to apartment developers in 1964. A fire in 1966 reduced the Sutro Baths to concrete ruins. Fortunately, apartments were never built, and the property is now owned by the Golden Gate National Recreation Area and is managed by the National Park Service.

Next to the Sutro Baths is the Cliff House. The Cliff House has been a restaurant built on the rocky cliffs of the Pacific Ocean at the western edge of San Francisco. The first Cliff House was built in 1863 and enlarged in 1868. It was a very popular restaurant with prominent San Francisco families. Adolph Sutro bought it in 1881 along with the rest of the land in that area. On Christmas Day 1894, the Cliff House was destroyed by fire. (You have to wonder what San Francisco would look like today if the city’s buildings hadn’t been repeatedly destroyed by fires and earthquakes over the last 150 years!) Sutro rebuilt the Cliff House in grand style. It opened in 1896 and stood eight stories tall with spires and an observation deck 200 feet above the sea. It was elegant. Fortunately, the Cliff House survived the earthquake of 1906?but sadly succumbed to fire again just a year later. Sutro’s daughter, Emma, built a third Cliff House in 1909. It was a neoclassical design. The Sutro family sold the Cliff House in 1937, and it was remodeled several times. The National Park Service acquired it in 1977, and the building was undergoing renovations to return to its neoclassical design. We stopped in for a lunchtime snack.

From the Cliff House, we got some good photos of Seal Rocks and Ocean Beach. We drove along the edge of the Richmond District on the Great Highway along Ocean Beach, and we detoured to take a photo of the memorial to Playland at the Beach, a wonderful Coney Island-style amusement park that was the victim of a developer’s wrecking ball in recent years. Back on the Great Highway, we passed by the Dutch Windmill and Murphy Windmill (currently being restored). We saw some fabulous kite flying on Ocean Beach — four kiters with identical red-white-and-blue kites flying in formation right next to each other.

Across from the San Francisco Zoo, we spotted something that our research indicated had disappeared from San Francisco — the Doggie Diner statues. We spotted one of the heads mounted on a pole outside a small restaurant. We drove around Lake Merced and down Brotherhood Way where we spotted a Peace statue. We saw Harding Park and San Francisco State University, and then we drove through the Sunset District.

We drove from one end of Golden Gate Park to the other. The park is heavily wooded with a variety of areas. Golden Gate Park includes Dutch Windmill, Beach Chalet Visitor Center, Murphy Windmill, Golf Course, Buffalo Paddock, Riding Stables, Fly Casting Pools, Spreckels Lake, Lindley Meadow, Marz Meadow, Portals of the Past, Stow Lake, Japanese Tea Garden, Strybing Arboretum & Botanical Gardens, DeYoung Museum, California Academy of Sciences, National AIDS Memorial Grove, Conservatory of Flowers, Sharon Meadow, McLaren Lodge, and Kezar Stadium. From Golden Gate Park, we drove around, up, and over Twin Peaks. Twin Peaks is THE place to go to see great panoramic views of the Bay Area. San Francisco has such a stunning skyline, and it is amazing how much is packed into such a relatively small area. It looks like a sea of concrete from Twin Peaks, yet almost every area is beautiful as you drive all around town.

The 49-Mile Drive then passes through the Castro District and then the Mission District. We stopped for a look at the Mission Dolores.

In the South Beach area, we saw where the San Francisco Giants play, the Bay Bridge, and the Embarcadero. At the Embarcadero, we saw the pier where the San Francisco Fire Department docks its fire ferries. We also saw the Ferry Building and a giant arrow in the ground sculpture.

At this point, we ended the 49-Mile Drive at the point where we would have wound through the downtown streets. We planned to do that part of the drive in the next few days. We went back to Pier 39 to visit the California Tourism Office.

We had dinner at Boudin’s Bakery on Fisherman’s Wharf. Boudin invented sourdough bread in San Francisco back in 1849. Ryan and I both had clam chowder in a sourdough bread bowl. We ate the soup and then the bowl.

As we were finishing our meal, we saw something very upsetting. We saw a father poking his two small sons in the chest and hitting one of them in the face. Ryan and I wanted to go over and stop him, but Bozzie Jane asked us to stay out of it. We did take a photo of the child abuser. Based on the lettering on the back of his wife’s jacket, the man may be involved with the “AYSO” soccer program in North Irvine, California. We all decided that if we ever see anything like this happen again, we will do something; we’ll call 911 for sure. It really took the edge off a very relaxing day of sightseeing.

We headed for Ryan’s house and back to work on the tour business.

I broke my sunglasses today. Big problem. I planned to get them repaired or get some clip-on sunglasses tomorrow as there is no way to drive in the sun 12 hours a day seven days a week without tinted lenses.

There should be a special place for child abusers.

The Daily Journal of Round America:

More Information on the Sights Visited Today: San Francisco California — 49-Mile Drive — Sutro Baths — Cliff House — Ocean Beach — Golden Gate Park — Boudin’s Bakery

American Graffiti – Day 82

American Graffiti

Day 82 – June 21, 2003 – Saturday

We are still in San Francisco. We got off to a late start today as I became sick last night after Beach Blanket Babylon. Bozzie Jane answered Alcatraz and Hollywood calls for Ryan this morning. It’s never-ending; people call at all hours of the day and night.

San Francisco is an incredible city with extraordinary natural beauty. The city is packed into a relatively small area of just 47 square miles. There is no way to see it in just a few days, so we were fortunate to have been able to extend our stay here and to help Ryan with his business but include some sightseeing each day. We have seen all of the areas now, though I plan to go back to various spots to obtain additional photographs. There are many distinct areas in San Francisco — diverse communities that make the city what it is. The major areas are:

Fisherman’s Wharf. This is THE hot spot for tourists in San Francisco. The Wharf began back in the Gold Rush days when Chinese immigrants in “junks” fished offshore and provided shrimp, oysters, and salmon to feed the hordes of Gold Rushers. Italian fishermen came next, and they set up stands along the beach to sell crab, shrimp, oysters, and other seafood. Seafood restaurants bearing Italian names still dominate the seafood business along the Wharf, and the fishing boats still occupy some of the waterfront at the Wharf. But the popularity of the seafood, the views of Alcatraz and the Golden Gate Bridge, and the location turned the Fisherman’s Wharf area in to an area filled with tourist attractions of all types — shopping, sightseeing, museums, amusement places of various types, and fine restaurants. Pier 39 is perhaps the best-known area for shops and restaurants along the waterfront. Ferries to Alcatraz leave from a pier on the Wharf. Pier 45 is the home of Musee Mecanique and its wonderful collection of vintage arcade games and toys, the Museum of the City of San Francisco, and the USS Pampanito submarine museum. Popular areas nearby are The Cannery, Ghirardelli Square, and Anchorage Center.

Marina District. The Marina District is an affluent area adjacent to a bayside marina. It’s an especially beautiful area. In addition to green space, the Marina District is home to the spectacular Palace of Fine Arts, the Exploratorium, The Presidio, and Crissy Field. The Palace of Fine Arts is a stunning Grecco-Romanesque structure built in 1915 for the Panama Pacific International Exposition and restored in 1967. Part of the Palace of Fine Arts is the home of the Exploratorium, with over 650 hands-on exhibits for exploring and leaning about science, art, and technology. The Presidio was built as a military base, but it is now a 1,480 acre scenic preserve with miles of hiking trails, bike routes, beaches, and picnic sites. George Lucas was building a new headquarters for his company, Industrial Light & Magic, on the grounds of The Presidio.

Chinatown is fun to see, and the food is great. We entered Chinatown at the Dragon’s Gate at Bush and Grant Streets. This gate was a gift to San Francisco from the Republic of China in 1969. The characters above the gate translate to read: “Everything in the world is in just proportions.” San Francisco’s Chinatown is one of North America’s largest Chinese communities. It covers 18 square blocks centered along Grant and Stockton, bordered by Bush and Columbus. The streets are lined with restaurants, shops, and trading companies. Souvenirs, silk, jade, and antiques are all offered from numerous vendors. Ross Alley is located between Grant and Stockton and runs from Jackson to Washington. Ross Alley was once lined with opium dens and brothels, and it has been a backdrop in many movies, including “Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom,” “Karate Kid II,” and “Big Trouble in Little China.” The Golden Gate Fortune Cookie Company is a fun stop. You can see how fortune cookies are made. Other attractions in Chinatown include the Chinese Cultural Center, Portsmouth Square, and Old St. Mary’s Church (built in 1852, it was one of the few buildings to escape the fire of 1906

Nob Hill and Russian Hill. At the top of California Street is Nob Hill. This is the site where San Francisco’s early millionaires built their mansions. Many of these mansions are now among San Francisco’s finest hotels, including the Fairmont, the Huntington, and the Mark Hopkins. Grace Cathedral is in Nob Hill as is the Cable Car Powerhouse and Museum, the working center of San Francisco’s cable car system. Russian Hill has steep streets and fabulous views. The San Francisco Art Institute is here as well as the very famous Lombard Street. Lombard Street, the crookedest street in the world, winds in a series of eight hairpin turns in a single block between Hyde and Leavenworth.

Haight-Ashbury District. This was the center of hippydom in the 60’s. The most famous landmarks in this area are the former homes of several counterculture icons. The home at 710 Ashbury was the home of the Grateful Dead back when the group was known as the Warlocks. Across the street was the Hell’s Angels House. Janis Joplin used to live at 122 Lyon Street. The Charles Manson family lived at 2400 Fulton. Northeast of The Haight is Alamo Square and a row of beautiful Victorian homes known as the Painted Ladies.

North Beach. North Beach is the Italian area of San Francisco, known for restaurants, bakeries, gelato parlors, espresso bars, coffee shops, and coffee roasteries. It is a very popular area for young professionals and folks looking for great Italian food and popular night spots. Popular sights to see in North Beach include Washington Square, the Church of Saints Peter and Paul, and St. Francis of Assisi Church, dedicated as a shrine to San Francisco’s namesake, St. Francis. The City Lights Bookstore is a literary landmark. North Beach is also home to the Barbary Coast area with adult entertainment. Coit Tower, located atop Telegraph Hill, is one of the city’s most recognizable landmarks. Coit Tower was named for Lillie Hitchcock Coit. When she died, she left funds to create a memorial to volunteer firemen in this city that burned to the grounds of a number of occasions before a paid fire department was finally established. The Coit Tower offers panoramic views of the city from the observation deck, and the lobby is filled with Depression area murals.

Union Square. Union Square is located in the heart of San Francisco. It is at Geary, Powell, Post, and Stockton Streets. Union Square was opened in 1850, and Mayor John Geary so named it because demonstrations were held there in support of Union troops before the Civil War began. The square block features grassy areas, granite plazas, and performance areas. Union Square is one of the city’s major shopping areas with fashionable shops, major retailers, and fine hotels. Adjoining streets are filled with restaurants, theatres, boutiques, galleries, and more. Maiden Lane is a historic two-block area between Stockton and Grant. During the Gold Rush era, it was an infamous red light district. It is now filled with upscale shops and cafes. The Frank Lloyd Wright Building at 140 Maiden Lane is the only building he designed in San Francisco. An 18-month $25 million improvement project was completed at Union Square in 2002.

Financial District & The Waterfront. The Financial District is located near the northeast edge of the city. This area has been the center for the city’s banking and financial community since the mid 1800’s. Embarcadero Center is nearby — a high-rise complex that extends for six blocks and offers all type of shops, restaurants, movie theatres, office towers, Hyatt hotels, and more. The distinctive Transamerica Pyramid Building is located in the financial district as are the Levi Strauss Visitor Center and the Wells Fargo History Museum. Levis has long been headquartered in San Francisco as has Wells Fargo. The Wells Fargo Museum tells the history of how the company used stagecoaches to move precious metals and people across the country back in the 1800’s. The Embarcadero Waterfront area offers a walkway along the waterfront. The Ferry Building, built in 1899, was undergoing restoration to be used for restaurants and shops.

Civic Center. The classic architecture of the San Francisco Civic Center caused it to be declared a National Landmark in 1978. The City Hall is most impressive — looks like a state capitol building. The other sights to see in the Civic Center area are the Opera House, War Memorial Veterans Building, Herbst Theatre, the Performing Arts Museum and Library, the Louise M. Davies Symphony Hall, the Asian Art Museum, and San Francisco’s Main Library. The Hayes Valley neighborhood is just west of the Civic Center, and it offers galleries, art and design studios, shops, and bistros.

Castro. The Castro is a predominantly gay area. This area includes the Castro Theater (a great old movie palace), the Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, Transgender Historical Society Museum, and the Lesbian Gay Bisexual Trans-Gender Center. Nearby is Twin Peaks, with panoramic views of the Bay area, and Mt. Davidson, the highest point in San Francisco at 938-feet.

Union Street and Pacific Heights. This area was originally known as Cow Hollow as it began as dairy meadows. Union Street features picturesque upscale shops, galleries, and restaurants in renovated 19th-Century Victorian buildings. Union Street is a popular night spot with many pubs and restaurants. Pacific Heights is home to many stately mansions of turn-of-the-century Victorian architecture. The movies “Pacific Heights” and “Mrs. Doubtfire” were filmed using Victorian homes in this area as was the TV series “Party of Five.” The Haas-Lilienthal House at 2007 Franklin Street is a landmark Queen Anne Victorian built in the 1880’s.

Mission District. Centered along 24th Street and Mission Street, the Mission District is primarily a Mexican and Latino area. There are a lot of cantinas and Mexican restaurants in the Mission District and large, colorful murals on building walls. The Precita Eyes Mural Arts Center explains the history and process of mural art. Mission Dolores was built in 1776.

South of Market. SOMA, the area South of Market, is home to the Moscone Convention Center, Pacific Bell Park (home of the San Francisco Giants), Zeum, Yerba Buena Gardens, Center for the Arts, San Francisco Museum of Modern Art, and Metreon Center.

Japantown. This area is home to over 12,000 citizens of Japanese descent. Japan Center is a complex of Japanese shops, restaurants, and art galleries. The five-tiered Peace Pagoda is located in the plaza. The Japanese Cultural and Community Center houses an archive of Japanese American history.

Richmond and Sunset Districts. The Richmond and the Sunset Districts are two large, ethnically diverse residential areas. The Richmond is north of Golden Gate Park, and the Sunset is south of the park. The California Academy of Sciences, the University of California at San Francisco, Ocean Beach, Cliff House, Seal Rocks, Sutro Bath Ruins, Coastal Trail, Land’s End, China Beach, San Francisco Zoo, Lake Merced, Stern Grove, and the California Palace of the Legion of Honor are all in this area.

Dinner tonight was at Mel’s Drive-In. The movie “American Graffiti” was filmed at Mel’s. Mel Weiss and Harold Dobbs opened the first Mel’s Drive-in back in 1947 in San Francisco. The restaurant’s incredible popularity allowed it to multiply into eleven Northern California locations, but after reigning for 20 years, the Mel’s era came to an end with the arrival of fast food outlets. Before the scheduled demolition of the first Mel’s, filmmaker George Lucas discovered it and decided to use it as the centerpiece for his classic film “American Graffiti.” Although the restaurant was still torn down, nostalgia prompted Mel Weiss’ son Steven to open a new Mel’s thirteen years later in 1985 with the help of partner Donald Wagstaff. Located at 2165 Lombard Street in San Francisco, the restaurant appeals to families wanting to share the tastes, sights, and sounds of the drive-in era and American Graffiti with their kids. See www.melsdrive-in.com. We enjoyed our dinner, and the cherry pie was extremely good. Our waiter, Frank, was really on the ball, and we met Erin, Tanya, Jen, Hayden, and Jack at the table next to us.

We saw a few sights on the way back to Ryan’s, and we hit Blockbuster to rent “American Graffiti.” What a great movie — one of the best of all time. It was even more fun to watch after having just been at Mel’s Drive-In.

The Daily Journal of Round America:

More Information on the Sights Visited Today: San Francisco California — Fishermans Wharf — Marina District — Chinatown — Nob Hill — Russian Hill — Haight-Ashbury District — North Beach — Union Square — Financial District — Civic Center — Castro — Union Street — Pacific Heights — Mission District — South of Market — Japantown — Richmond and Sunset Districts — Mel’s Drive-In