Downtown Port Arena.
Point Arena is a small, cozy village 35 miles south of Mendocino on the Northern California coast. It has a quaint downtown strip that includes the basics: café, organic market, thrift shop, bar, garage, and an incredibly nice library.
Linda’s land, where we stayed four nights, is just inland from the town, on the same road as the B. Bryan Preserve. We’d driven up that road a couple times before we noticed the zebras grazing in the field. I was able to get a few good shots of zebras and one of giraffes in the distance. If we’d had more time, we might have gone for a tour of the place.
I took advantage of the town library one afternoon for its free internet. Kelly was supposed to come with me, but showed up an hour later after having stopped at the market/café for coffee. There was an old woman there who wanted to visit. “I’ve had no one to talk to all day,” she said to Kelly. And Kelly decided, why not? That’s what traveling is all about, right? She was surprised that rather than offering up a little free therapy, she was fascinated and touched by this woman’s life who had lived there for decades, owned some of the downtown buildings, and now came every day to the café to visit with whoever has some free time.
Path to the beach.
There’s a beach a few miles north of town, and Kate and I took the dogs to it one day. We were unprepared for the long hike over dunes to the shore, though. By the time we got there, the dogs were too thirsty and hot to run, and the waves were crashing hard with an obvious undertow. So we didn’t stay long, but under different circumstances, it would have been lovely, with a view of Point Arena lighthouse.
We did drive out to the lighthouse on the way back to town. It was closed to the public by then, but the parking area outside the gate offered an incredible view of the lighthouse, seals surfing the waves, and whales spouting in the distance. While I was taking photos, a Prius came out through the lighthouse gate, passed me, then stopped at our car, where Kate was giving the dogs some water.
Port Arena Lighthouse.
“Excuse me,” the woman driver said to Kate, “But is that Bailey?”
Kate said yes, wondering what the hell?
“And is that…” she pointed to me.
“Jennifer?” Kate offered.
“Yes, Jennifer! My name’s Darcy. We’re your backyard neighbors in Eugene!”
I had met this woman once, two years ago and never would have recognized her, but I guess they’ve heard us yelling at Bailey enough in the backyard to be familiar with her name, and her husband, Lloyd, works at PeaceHealth and has seen Kate there. So here we were, all these miles from home, running into our neighbors. They were on a spring break road trip with their young son and were staying at the lodge at the lighthouse.
The beach by the pier.
After four nights up on Linda’s land, we left Port Arena and headed for Cloverdale, where we had reservations at an RV resort. But two days later, we rode all the way back in Kelly’s car when she returned to retrieve her iPad, which she had left in the café where she’d talked with the local woman so long. It was a day of driving, but we treated ourselves to dinner at the Port Arena pier before heading back over the mountains to our campground.
Love the pictures and I feel as if I’m cruising down the road with you…and now that Bessie is parked in our driveway, I will really be able to imagine your journey!