One of the benefits of being associated(by marriage) with a major research institute of higher learning is that the university actually encourages their professors to continue their research while teaching. To this end, we were able to plan a trip to California to visit archives and museums associated with several of the actresses that Nan is writing about. Since a couple of them began their careers in the mining towns of eastern and northern California during the Gold Rush, we headed to San Francisco. Part of the trip was to include a visit to Yosemite, but thanks to the government shut down it was closed. Fortunately, we had enough time to adjust our plans, and found several other places to visit. We found that California has quite a few state parks that feature a diversity of terrain and vegetation. They actually contain thing we would normally have missed if we had just gone to Yosemite.
We first headed down the coast highway toward Monterey making a number of stops along the way to take in the beauty.
The Headlands by Pacifica
Half Moon Bay
An "Entertaining" Vista just past Half Moon Bay
We stopped at Pigeon Point Light Station State Historic Park to see the tallest lighthouse on the west coast. At 115 feet it has been in operation since November 15, 1872. The point was originally called Whale Point inspired by the gray whales that migrate past it. However in June 1853 a Boston-based ship named the
Carrier Pigeon wrecked off the point. It has been called Pigeon Point ever since.
We stopped at a funky roadside stand that featured a variety of homemade jams, pies, other bake goods and organic veggies. It was interesting to see acreage along the ocean used for agricultural purposes. It appeared that the crops varied with brussel sprouts and strawberries being primary.
No comments:
Post a Comment