The parties have been given; the possessions have been left behind, stored or stowed; the good-byes have been said; and the great adventure has begun.
Making the final decisions on what to take was really hard. We had "candidates" of things and clothes set out for weeks. Each day we would eliminate a few items we thought we could live without. In the end, it was amazing how much we really could store in 19'. The van is very well laid out, with nooks and crannies in every possible location.
Since we both really like our "creature comforts", some of our choices reflect not practicality, but a desire to still have nice things around us. We took our down pillows, a Tiffany bud vase (for wild flowers, of course!), big, fluffy monogrammed towels, cloth napkins, Egyptian cotton sheets, and, of course, the heating pad and eye compresses for those days which are too much for the body, if not the soul.
The biggest challenge was clothes. The closet for both of us is less than three feet long! Any of you who know Phil, know that he is quite a clotheshorse. He agonized for days, but, in the end, did a great job of consolidating! We actually made it into the closet without a problem. We have already found, though, that the jeans and tee shirts are getting much more use than those nice golf shirts and slacks!
So far, our travels have taken us through familiar territory. Visits to The Oregon Caves, Brookings/Gold Beach, The Redwoods National Park, Healdsburg, Sonoma, San Francisco, the Russian River Valley, and now Pebble Beach for The U. S. Open.
There has been one RV Park of note. Our first night, in Grants Pass, we used our Trailer Life RV CD-Rom to locate the Riverpark RV Resort. Located on the banks of the Rogue, it was a lovely park, but the unique aspect was all the artwork throughout the park. It seems that the owner, George Mullen, is a life long artist who can't stop creating. His love of art shines at every turn. The park is filled with pieces, large and small, serious and whimsical, wood and metal, but all unexpected and thoroughly enjoyable on your evening walk through the park. A real museum surrounding every space!
In Brookings, we searched out a new golf course, Salmon Run, which has been getting great reviews. The back nine just opened the end of May, and was it ever a treat! By far, the most spectacular collection of golf holes we have ever played. One of those courses that each hole is more beautiful than the last - and the challenges were everywhere. Even Phil lost no less than 6 balls to its vast wastelands and narrow fairways! The wildflowers were everywhere, and the wildlife was evident on every hole. Those darn elk tracks kept eating our balls! The owners still are working on the finishing details (i.e. the cards with the par and handicaps for the back nine weren't in yet), and the course still needs maturing, but is a not-to-be-missed experience.
We visited two Inns that would make great getaway locations. The Tu Tu Tun Lodge in Gold Beach, nestled on the Rogue, is a spectacular 16 room, cozy Inn. You could curl up here for days. We understand their dining room is excellent, and basically, just for guests. A call ahead may secure dinner reservations, depending upon availability.
The second find was the Benbow Inn in Benbow, Ca., just south of Garberville. A classic old Inn, built in the 20's (one of the first to have a fire sprinkler system), tucked at river's edge, it oozes elegance. The "bar nibbles" the afternoon we were there included roasted vegetables, baked brie, and fresh berries, including the biggest blackberries you have every seen. It was easy to imagine Garbo or Bogart wandering through their elegant grounds.
One can absolutely not go through this area without doing, at least, a minimal amount of wine tasting. The choices abound at every turn. We happened into Healdsburg about lunchtime and almost forgot to leave. Some of our favorite Wineries are here - Dry Creek, Rodney Strong and Clos du Bois, among many choices. Unfortunately (or maybe, fortunately), our limited space only allowed for a few purchases among many great varieties.
Our first weekend was to be spent with several friends in San Francisco. When those plans all fell through, we got our map out and regrouped. After a day in San Francisco via the ferry, a peek at the new Pac Bell Stadium, a ride on the cable cars, and a drink at the St. Francis, we headed out to Bodega Bay. Very windy and chilly, so we headed back for the warmth of the valley. Along the way, we stumbled into the Russian River Valley and the small towns of Monte Rio and Guerneville. Many small Inns, summer homes, a nice 9 hole course, and good restaurant choices all along the river, caused us to check in and hang out.
As I'm closing this month's column we have arrived in Carmel for the U S Open at Pebble Beach. Next month, we'll give you a full update on being at this special event.