I spent some time at the NPS Point Reyes National Seashore. It was too late in the day to tour the lighthouse but it was a beautiful drive.
First, I’ve included a short video of this and surrounding areas and then a gallery below.
At a random place along Hwy 1, I stopped and looked down onto a beach from the highway above and then found my way down to the same “Goat Rock Beach”. I ended up spending quite a bit of time there – Surfers, a roped-off seal nursery, a beautiful seascape, and exceptionally magical light.
While camped in Bodega Bay, I drove up and down the nearby coastal areas while my friend worked. I happen to come upon “Fort Ross”, an early 1800’s Russian-American settlement which I had never heard of. I’ve included a sign with more information in the gallery.
On this occasion, a large group of school children were visiting. Chefs were grilling outdoors for them, and I found out they were actually spending the night at the Fort. They were having a ball!
There was just enough time before closing to see the Visitor Center and then to peek into each of the Fort buildings. After that, I was able to leisurely explore the extensive grounds and coastline adjacent to the Fort. Interesting place.
First is a short video of the coastal areas and then a photo gallery below.
I had forgotten to pull images from my phone, so I’ve included a few more here from Bodega Head, but the majority are from a really nice hike in the Stump Beach area. I highly recommend a visit here–especially in April of the year. Although I didn’t include many photos of them (long story), the wildflowers here were amazing.
I decided to try something different for this post and make a video instead of creating a regular gallery. I’m interested in feedback on video vs still photos. Thanks!
It wasn’t until my friend suggested we go to Bodega Bay that I realized it was a real place. As a Hitchcock movie fan, I had seen “The Birds” many years previous. The building that was used as the schoolhouse still exists but not much else from the movie – except the bay, of course. The town is quaint and the seaside views are sensational.
I went to meet a friend in California to travel to Bodega Bay. These are sights and adventures along the way (as always, more info in photo captions). (EDIT: forgot I made a short video of what I think were brittlebush blooms. It is at the bottom of this post, below the gallery).
During this stay at Stewart’s Point, I had occasionally seen a single pelican here and there and was hoping for a photo. To my delight, one day this group flew overhead, and I was able to get a short video.
Lake Mead, Nevada, and the surrounding areas are beautiful and provide many dispersed camping opportunities. Unfortunately, some of those camping spots have recently been closed because of mis-use. Those who have “disperse-camped” or “boondocked” for any length of time have, unfortunately, seen these problems time and time again – mostly in the form of (1) permanent residency instead of abiding by stay limits and, (2) sadly, a lot of garbage. At least the rest of us can easily do something about the second problem by cleaning up other people’s trash each time we camp and participating in organized clean-ups.
One Lake Mead area that remains open is a favorite of mine, “Stewart’s Point”. On this occasion, I met some friends here, and, while we endured some high winds and a little rain, we had mostly beautiful weather and exceptional scenery–especially after we snagged a waterside camping spot.
Miscellaneous Arizona and California images – mostly from their skies.
I can’t remember who first told me about Alamo Lake but I’m glad they did. I know sunsets are “old hat” to some nomads, but I never tire of them; the sunsets and overall light here at this location & time was, in my opinion, extraordinary. I saw some of the prettiest sunsets ever for me. I did my best to capture them but there is nothing like being there.
Dispersed camping is plentiful here but waterside spots are scarce. With a few exceptions, most places anywhere close to the water are far above water level and yet have nice views. As for amenities, there is a small, informal RV park nearby that has a restaurant, water (for only 10cents/gal), fuel (one pump; no diesel, I think), propane, laundromat, & showers. There is also a state park campground nearby for those who need hookups.
Despite the amenities available, I recommend coming fully supplied to Alamo Lake, as it is quite remote and the small park I mentioned is…uh…rustic.
My Side of the Adventure 