Eureka! What I did this past weekend.
09-27-2004, 10:24 AM
#1
AudiWorld Uber User
Thread Starter
Eureka! What I did this past weekend.
683 miles
25.6 mpg
60.1 mph average speed
Forgot to charge the camera (doh!)
This past weekend we decided to make a last minute trip to Eureka, in Northern California. It had been years since I was last up that way, and the great roads beckoned ;-) So we threw a change of clothes and a map into Ella (she is always equipped with tools and emergency equipment), filled up the tank, and headed north up 101. Weather was good and traffic light as we passed over the Golden Gate on our way to Petaluma for the turnoff to Bodega Bay. Small farms lined the winding 2 lane road and basked in the dry heat of late Summer. As we got closer to the coast, temperatures dropped, the trees started take over the landscape, and the farms fewer. At Point Reyes, we turned north on highway 1.
Once clear of the village of Jenner, the road became almost deserted. The pavement snaked up and down, around hairpins, decreasing radius corners, blind crests, and pretty much any other challenge you could name. Corners were often marked for speeds anywhere from 10 to 35 mph. It was like a real world auto cross! In other words, it was divine! :-) Knowing there could be cyclists and other slower vehicles around any corner, as well as have over 300 miles to go, I paced myself to driving at about 75 to 80% of my limit. An unguarded drop hundreds of feet onto jagged rocks at the edge of the Pacific also served as restraint. The landscape became wild and windswept. Civilization vanished. Cool wet mist flickered up from the ocean below and would wrap over the road in patches.
We had an excellent lunch at a rustic and deserted looking lodge (needing a good dusting to get rid of cobwebs), but while we ate, a few more people drifted in to eat. A salad of mixed greens and candied walnuts with pickled onions, olives, and nice ripe tomatoes. Points toast with sundried tomato tuna salad, fresh fruit, and another small goat cheese salad. The lobby was spectacular, and we agreed the stop was well worth it.
Off again, Ella and I proceeded again to pick off all cars in front of us. Drivers were very good about using turnouts. A few tried to keep up, but I was on a mission and didn't have time to hang back and play ;-) 2nd gear, 3rd gear, back down to 2nd, redline over and over. The Alfa growled, snarled, and wailed her way up the coast. As always, the Toyo T1S were the perfect partner, with leachlike grip and a predictable breakaway that instilled confidence. I should have given them a few more psi before leaving home since they were set to cushy city levels (30 psi), but they only talked softly a few times under hard throttle coming out of a tight turn.
Fort Bragg is a neat little city. A fort, sawmill, and train center for that section of the coast, it's full of history. We stopped to check out the train museum, walk around downtown, and have a coffee and cheesecake in a sidestreet coffee house frequented by locals. Next time we'll have to ride the train.
The next 45 miles were some of the most spectacular, with crystal sunshine, impossibly blue ocean, white surf, and off white cliffs. Every once in a while, the road would dip down to the water at some beach. A few people would be there, sprawled in the warm sun and cool breeze.
At Rockport, highway 1 became the 208, which meets highway 101. 208 starts off being reasonably quick, but soon turns into a hillclimb in the rain forest trees. Miles and miles switchbacks and hairpins. You saw warnings at every hairpin in the form of chunks missing from the trees that grew next to the road. They were close enough that you could reach out and touch them as you'd pass. The intake throb and exhaust sounded a bit like some menacing forest creature as the Alfa surged upward. It was dark, moist, and very primeval green as you climbed over a pass to 101.
101 is nothing like you might encounter further south. Here it climbs and twists much like some of the highways in central British Columbia, Canada. Two lanes each way most of the time, it allowed for an 80 to 90 mph passage. In a newer car like the Audi, it would be free of drama, but my old Alfa is set up these days for dealing with potholes, speed bumps (also known as speed mountains), and tall curbs. That means plenty of body roll and lateral weight shifting if the road surface changes even slightly in mid-turn. You soon get used to it, but it's an imprecise science a bit like riding a horse - you pick the general direction, but the horse decides where to put his feet ;-)
Dusk fading from the sky, we pulled into Eureka. The southern outskirts were the usual collection of chain stores so common to the western US. Bed Bath and Beyond, Mervyns, etc. Old town is much different. You get the feeling they want very much to be pretty tourist destination, and in many ways it succeeds, but underneath it is still an industrial town (logging, sawmill, fishing) that works on a limited budget. If you love Victorian houses, you can see pure distilled concentrations of restored homes everywhere throughout the town. Dinner at a Thai place (becoming the new Chinese food it seems) was decent, if not stellar. We made it an early night and regretfully passed on the famous Lost Coast Brew pub. Weather in the morning was simply perfect. A slight cool breeze, warm sun, and bright skies. We walked the waterfront and downtown, finding breakfast at a place that advertised home cooking. The order of corned beef hash was enough to feed a family of 4, and probably required the sacrifice of half a cow. Suitably ballasted, we drove to the outskirts of town, and then down the sandspit that forms the breakwater for the harbour in town. The seaward side of the spit was bathed in a soft glow from the spray of the waves breaking on the beach. We parked and walked on the warm sand out to the beach. The tide was going out, so the birds were busy. Rollers were coming in along the beach for as far as the eye could see. A few people dotted the sand here and there, but it was pretty much empty.
Coming up on 2pm, we regretfully filled the gas tank and headed back south on the 101 for home. It was a swift passage with a stop for latte in Garberville (charming little town), and a detour for route 253 to 128 south. For those of you who've never driven 253, lets just say that it's a slightly more twisty version of all of those perfect and deserted roads you see in car commercials. The road surface is utterly smooth and nicely banked. There were a few blind curves that required caution, but overall you could not wish for a finer road if you like corners. Not only that, but the junction for the 128 is at Boonville - home of the Anderson Valley Brewery. However, we didn't stop, since we were on a mission to eat dinner at the Straits Cafe (Singaporean) in San Francisco and then get home in time for the 10pm showing of the F1 race in China.
Traffic got nasty around Petaluma, and we had to slow down as we entered back into the Bay area. The Straits Cafe was bustling, but we soon got a table and tucked into some Belgian beer, wok fried mussels, sambal prawns, onion coconut curry chicken, and black rice pudding. The food was excellent as always, and we made it home just in time for the race!
Some of the roads we drove over were a bit twisty for a large car like the A6, but overall I would think that you would come out the other end feeling fresher. On the other hand, the Alfa always gives a sense of occasion and demands you pay for attention to the mechanical device that makes it all happen. At one point I was passing an especially slow car in a very short passing zone, and had changed down to 2nd as I pulled out to make the pass. Full throttle from 4500rpms to 5800rpms, change up to 3rd, and floor it again. A young man was bicycling the other direction as this was happening, and as we passed, I saw his head whip around to try and identify the car.
So get out before the weather turns bad, and enjoy a little roadtrip:-)
25.6 mpg
60.1 mph average speed
Forgot to charge the camera (doh!)
This past weekend we decided to make a last minute trip to Eureka, in Northern California. It had been years since I was last up that way, and the great roads beckoned ;-) So we threw a change of clothes and a map into Ella (she is always equipped with tools and emergency equipment), filled up the tank, and headed north up 101. Weather was good and traffic light as we passed over the Golden Gate on our way to Petaluma for the turnoff to Bodega Bay. Small farms lined the winding 2 lane road and basked in the dry heat of late Summer. As we got closer to the coast, temperatures dropped, the trees started take over the landscape, and the farms fewer. At Point Reyes, we turned north on highway 1.
Once clear of the village of Jenner, the road became almost deserted. The pavement snaked up and down, around hairpins, decreasing radius corners, blind crests, and pretty much any other challenge you could name. Corners were often marked for speeds anywhere from 10 to 35 mph. It was like a real world auto cross! In other words, it was divine! :-) Knowing there could be cyclists and other slower vehicles around any corner, as well as have over 300 miles to go, I paced myself to driving at about 75 to 80% of my limit. An unguarded drop hundreds of feet onto jagged rocks at the edge of the Pacific also served as restraint. The landscape became wild and windswept. Civilization vanished. Cool wet mist flickered up from the ocean below and would wrap over the road in patches.
We had an excellent lunch at a rustic and deserted looking lodge (needing a good dusting to get rid of cobwebs), but while we ate, a few more people drifted in to eat. A salad of mixed greens and candied walnuts with pickled onions, olives, and nice ripe tomatoes. Points toast with sundried tomato tuna salad, fresh fruit, and another small goat cheese salad. The lobby was spectacular, and we agreed the stop was well worth it.
Off again, Ella and I proceeded again to pick off all cars in front of us. Drivers were very good about using turnouts. A few tried to keep up, but I was on a mission and didn't have time to hang back and play ;-) 2nd gear, 3rd gear, back down to 2nd, redline over and over. The Alfa growled, snarled, and wailed her way up the coast. As always, the Toyo T1S were the perfect partner, with leachlike grip and a predictable breakaway that instilled confidence. I should have given them a few more psi before leaving home since they were set to cushy city levels (30 psi), but they only talked softly a few times under hard throttle coming out of a tight turn.
Fort Bragg is a neat little city. A fort, sawmill, and train center for that section of the coast, it's full of history. We stopped to check out the train museum, walk around downtown, and have a coffee and cheesecake in a sidestreet coffee house frequented by locals. Next time we'll have to ride the train.
The next 45 miles were some of the most spectacular, with crystal sunshine, impossibly blue ocean, white surf, and off white cliffs. Every once in a while, the road would dip down to the water at some beach. A few people would be there, sprawled in the warm sun and cool breeze.
At Rockport, highway 1 became the 208, which meets highway 101. 208 starts off being reasonably quick, but soon turns into a hillclimb in the rain forest trees. Miles and miles switchbacks and hairpins. You saw warnings at every hairpin in the form of chunks missing from the trees that grew next to the road. They were close enough that you could reach out and touch them as you'd pass. The intake throb and exhaust sounded a bit like some menacing forest creature as the Alfa surged upward. It was dark, moist, and very primeval green as you climbed over a pass to 101.
101 is nothing like you might encounter further south. Here it climbs and twists much like some of the highways in central British Columbia, Canada. Two lanes each way most of the time, it allowed for an 80 to 90 mph passage. In a newer car like the Audi, it would be free of drama, but my old Alfa is set up these days for dealing with potholes, speed bumps (also known as speed mountains), and tall curbs. That means plenty of body roll and lateral weight shifting if the road surface changes even slightly in mid-turn. You soon get used to it, but it's an imprecise science a bit like riding a horse - you pick the general direction, but the horse decides where to put his feet ;-)
Dusk fading from the sky, we pulled into Eureka. The southern outskirts were the usual collection of chain stores so common to the western US. Bed Bath and Beyond, Mervyns, etc. Old town is much different. You get the feeling they want very much to be pretty tourist destination, and in many ways it succeeds, but underneath it is still an industrial town (logging, sawmill, fishing) that works on a limited budget. If you love Victorian houses, you can see pure distilled concentrations of restored homes everywhere throughout the town. Dinner at a Thai place (becoming the new Chinese food it seems) was decent, if not stellar. We made it an early night and regretfully passed on the famous Lost Coast Brew pub. Weather in the morning was simply perfect. A slight cool breeze, warm sun, and bright skies. We walked the waterfront and downtown, finding breakfast at a place that advertised home cooking. The order of corned beef hash was enough to feed a family of 4, and probably required the sacrifice of half a cow. Suitably ballasted, we drove to the outskirts of town, and then down the sandspit that forms the breakwater for the harbour in town. The seaward side of the spit was bathed in a soft glow from the spray of the waves breaking on the beach. We parked and walked on the warm sand out to the beach. The tide was going out, so the birds were busy. Rollers were coming in along the beach for as far as the eye could see. A few people dotted the sand here and there, but it was pretty much empty.
Coming up on 2pm, we regretfully filled the gas tank and headed back south on the 101 for home. It was a swift passage with a stop for latte in Garberville (charming little town), and a detour for route 253 to 128 south. For those of you who've never driven 253, lets just say that it's a slightly more twisty version of all of those perfect and deserted roads you see in car commercials. The road surface is utterly smooth and nicely banked. There were a few blind curves that required caution, but overall you could not wish for a finer road if you like corners. Not only that, but the junction for the 128 is at Boonville - home of the Anderson Valley Brewery. However, we didn't stop, since we were on a mission to eat dinner at the Straits Cafe (Singaporean) in San Francisco and then get home in time for the 10pm showing of the F1 race in China.
Traffic got nasty around Petaluma, and we had to slow down as we entered back into the Bay area. The Straits Cafe was bustling, but we soon got a table and tucked into some Belgian beer, wok fried mussels, sambal prawns, onion coconut curry chicken, and black rice pudding. The food was excellent as always, and we made it home just in time for the race!
Some of the roads we drove over were a bit twisty for a large car like the A6, but overall I would think that you would come out the other end feeling fresher. On the other hand, the Alfa always gives a sense of occasion and demands you pay for attention to the mechanical device that makes it all happen. At one point I was passing an especially slow car in a very short passing zone, and had changed down to 2nd as I pulled out to make the pass. Full throttle from 4500rpms to 5800rpms, change up to 3rd, and floor it again. A young man was bicycling the other direction as this was happening, and as we passed, I saw his head whip around to try and identify the car.
So get out before the weather turns bad, and enjoy a little roadtrip:-)
09-27-2004, 10:38 AM
#3
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Great write-up, what a fun weekend. Last time I did a similar trip out there (15 years ago) I
rented an Alfa convertible from a place called Showcase Rental Cars in San Fran (don't know if they still exist), then did the drive up the coast. Beautiful scenery, great roads, I could visualize it all from your write-up.
Thanks for sharing!
JB
Thanks for sharing!
JB
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09-27-2004, 05:55 PM
#8
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Oh come on April, drivers in California using the turnouts. This was a dream correct?
Wonderful write-up and you are right the Fort Brag area is great and that whole coastline is amazing.
But please; Californian's being courteous, you couldn't have run into that many natives. LOL ;-)
But please; Californian's being courteous, you couldn't have run into that many natives. LOL ;-)
09-27-2004, 06:23 PM
#9
AudiWorld Uber User
Thread Starter
LOL! I was astonished. The jerks didn't show up until we got back near SF.
I was kind of astonished! Having gone through there in Summer, it's nothing like that.
The Toyota drivers are so slow it doesn't matter if they don't use turnouts, you just bomb around them in the smallest straight, or on the inside of a left hand hairpin with a good clear sightline ;-)
The Toyota drivers are so slow it doesn't matter if they don't use turnouts, you just bomb around them in the smallest straight, or on the inside of a left hand hairpin with a good clear sightline ;-)
09-27-2004, 06:29 PM
#10
AudiWorld Uber User
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It was very much spur of the moment!
We hadn't planned anything. Just got up Saturday and said to one another that we should do something about our Eureka discussion. So I checked the travel websites for Eureka and surrounding communities for hotel availability - and seeing there shouldn't be an issue, threw a change of clothes into an overnight bag, grabbed a map, put out some extra kity litter, food, and water for the cats.
We do a lot of car travel, so certain things (sunglasses, sunscreen, tools, phone chargers, etc) just stay in the car.
We do a lot of car travel, so certain things (sunglasses, sunscreen, tools, phone chargers, etc) just stay in the car.