Oregon Coast Confidential

Smokestacks a la Debi Cates : Oregon Coast
(Click image to enlarge)

The last day of the trip, we traveled up the Oregon Coast. We stayed in Florence with new friend and fellow blogger Cele. Check out her blog here. Cele was a lovely hostess and it was fun to meet her husband, Ducky, and their Bassett hound sidekick, Arlo. We also stopped in Otter Rock, where we met a friend of Maya's for lunch. She works at a charming little winery her family owns called The Flying Dutchman. This is also where you can meet the world's friendliest squirrel--a little guy they've named Jared after the spokesperson for Subway. You can see pictures of Jared in the Critter Cam slideshow below. (P.S. One note about the Critter Cam: some of the photos were actually taken in California, right before we crossed over into Washington. I didn't want to do a separate entry.)

The Critter Cam

We ended up staying in Long Beach, Washington, near the ocean. I didn't take any pictures there unfortunately and the next morning we left Long Beach and drove to Seattle. After I dropped Maya off at her place, I hit the road again for the final leg--34.5 miles and a ferry ride to Whidbey Island--where I arrived in Langley at my new abode at around 4:00 p.m. It was nice to finally sleep in my own bed and not drag my suitcase in and out of the car for the night!

Alas, the next three days featured unpacking boxes and getting things organized in my cottage, then packing a couple of suitcases for my new gig in Geneva, Switzerland. I enjoyed a couple of days of peace and quiet and then it was back to Seattle for Maya's birthday and a stay over until my flight on Wednesday afternoon.



Photo copyright: Janet Kincaid, 05/09

Humboldt County Confidential

Trinidad Lighthouse and California Poppies : Humboldt County, CA
(Click image to enlarge)

Continuing northward, we stopped in the town of Trinidad, CA. Along the way, we saw some beautiful coastline. At one point, you have to turn inland because the coast road ends, but you end up driving through some beautiful redwood forests. We stopped briefly at Richardson Grove State Park, because I remembered camping there as a little kid, and took a few pictures of the giant redwoods. They're awesome!



Photo copyright: Janet Kincaid, 05/09

Fort Bragg Confidential

Iris at sunrise : Fort Bragg, CA

We stopped for the night in Fort Bragg, California. If you haven't traveled north of San Francisco, Mendocino and Fort Bragg are the places to go. The latter is especially down-to-earth and accessible to all kinds of people. (Mendocino is picturesque and lovely, but tends to be a little snootier than blue-collar Fort Bragg.) It use to be a logging town and Georgia-Pacific still has a presence there, but most of the town's commerce seems to be tourism.

Sea foam and kelp : Fort Bragg, CA
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There are good places to eat and some fun shopping. The town also boasts a former garbage dump on the ocean (no, they no longer dump trash into the sea, but they once did) where you can find sea glass in abundance. We skipped that, but did enjoy good eats at the Egghead Restaurant. I highly recommend Dorothy's Revenge--Eggs Benedict with dungeness crab layered between the Canadian bacon and the poached eggs. Yummy.



Photo copyright: Janet Kincaid, 05/09

San Francisco Confidential: Part II

Close-up of a Keith Haring sculpture
Corner of Howard and 3rd Streets

I had to expedite my passport application today, which required staying in San Francisco to process and pick up the same at the passport agency. Between the time I dropped off said documents and picked them up, we had hoped to go to Alcatraz, but because of time constraints we ended up instead seeing some of my former work colleagues and having lunch with one of them. Then we hung out in Yerba Buena Gardens for an hour or so.

After finding out that passport wouldn't be ready until the next morning (bad news) but could be mailed to me (good news), we headed up the road and toward the coast. I love San Francisco and it was great to see Drew, Greg, Will, Jim, and Teresa and have burritos at Si Senor and cookies at Specialty's. Guaranteed I'll be making trips back down to the Bay Area to visit friends and family!

And now, to the coast!



Photo copyright: Janet Kincaid, 05/09

San Francisco Confidential

Ti Couz--which means The Old House--is one of San Francisco's
best restaurants in terms of food. The main fare: crepes made by chef Sylvia Le Mer
in the style of her hometown of Brittany in northwest France.

Today, we spent a few hours in Berzerkeley and Stan and Fran's Disco (that's Berkeley and San Francisco to the rest of you.) My long-time friend Thea Hillman lives in the former and is about to have a baby, so we popped in for a quick visit. After that, we braved traffic, crossed the Bay Bridge, and drove into San Francisco. The goal: Ti Couz. This is, hands down, the best restaurant in the universe. Seriously. One word: crepes. Yum.

We enjoyed smoked salmon with scallions and creme fraiche and shrimp and scallops with seafood sauce. To top it off, we split a dessert crepe with bananas, nutella, and vanilla ice cream. We each washed it down with a made-to-your-taste Citron Presse. That's just a fancy word for make-it-yourself lemonade!

Mission Dolores, named for a nearby creek,
the Arroyo de los Dolores--or the Creek of Sorrows.

Having filled our bellies, we then went for a walk in the Mission District and took photos of the Mission Dolores and the basilica. The mission is the oldest intact building in San Francisco and the only remaining chapel out of 21 mission chapels establish by Father Junipero Serra along the El Camino Real. Finishing up the evening, we drove out to Treasure Island and watched the last of the sunset behind Baghdad on the Bay (again, that's San Francisco. Sometimes, it's also called the Barbary Coast.)

A quick note of thanks to my friend Sid and his partner Toz for letting us stay with them at the last minute after our accommodation arrangements fell through elsewhere.

And now, it's time to head up the coast!



Photo copyright: Janet Kincaid, 05/09

Cordelia Confidential: Family Edition

My 95-year old grandmother, Mrs. Chloris May Kincaid

After enjoying a jaunt through Yosemite, we hit the road again and made it to Cordelia, CA, by 7:30 or so. My 95-year old paternal grandmother lives in Cordelia in a little two bedroom house that she and my grandfather moved into in the 1970s. You may recall that a week or so ago, we were in Coleman and Glen Cove, TX. My grandmother was born and raised in Glen Cove and I featured pictures here of the farmland she grew up on. The painting below shows that land and the farmhouse. Go here to compare it to how the land looks now.

Painting of Peanut Ridge in Glen Cove, TX
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It was nice seeing my last living grandparent and hearing some more of her stories. For 95-years old, Gram's doing pretty damn good!




Photo copyright: Janet Kincaid, 05/09

Yosemite Confidential

El Capitan and Bridal Veil Falls across the Merced River
(Click image to enlarge)

I was born in California and, as an adult, I lived in the Bay Area for nearly eight years. In all that time, though, I never traveled to Yosemite. Rather than head straight for the coast when we left Bakersfield, we headed inland and up the Central Valley through the heart of California's agricultural center and into Yosemite. If you haven't been to this national park, it's a must! It was almost as awesome as the Grand Canyon. My recommendation: go in the spring before Tioga Pass opens and before the place is overcrowded with tourists and campers. There were a lot of people while we were there, but not nearly as many as there will be in a few weeks. I definitely plan to go back here.




Photo copyright: Janet Kincaid, 05/09

Route 66 Confidential

Kitsch hallmarks Old Route 66
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After leaving Flagstaff, we decided to travel on some of the old, historic Route 66. We stopped in Seligman, AZ, where we bought a few postcards, saw a few old cars, ran into a bunch of Finnish bikers (annoying!), and had pie at Westside Lilo's. We drove through some interesting old towns and along some nerve racking stretches of road. We also enjoyed some modern variations on an old roadside classic: Burma Shave signs! We definitely had some "kicks on Route 66!"




Photo copyright: Janet Kincaid, 05/09

Flagstaff Confidential

Flagstaff's Monticello

We stayed in Flagstaff at the home of Maya's parents. Her mom and dad are lovely people who live in a home they designed and built on 13 acres of forestland within view of the San Francisco Peaks. Both of her parents are geologists. Ivo specializes in the Grand Canyon and Bärbel is an astrogeologist who studies Mars and other planets. We had good meals and good conversation every evening on topics ranging from religion to geopolitics to women's rights to cooking. One of the fun things about their house in the forest is all the little critters that come to the watering pan and bird feeder on the back patio. Here are just a few photos.




Photo copyright: Janet Kincaid, 05/09

Grand Canyon Confidential

Grand Canyon View

Despite growing up in Utah, I've never been to the Grand Canyon. Until today. One word to describe this natural wonder: Wow! The skies were hazy, which meant the canyon wasn't at its most spectacular, according to Maya, but I was still pretty happy to see this amazing place. Here are just a few photos.

Lipan Point : The Grand Canyon

Photo copyright: Janet Kincaid, 05/09

Sedona Confidential

Steamboat Rock : Sedona, AZ

Maya's parents had to go down to their house in Sedona to do some maintenance work, so we went along and played tourist with her mom while her dad worked on a few things. I've never been to Sedona, but I've always heard people rave about this place and now I know why. It's beautiful! In addition to the stunning natural formations all around us, we also went and visited the Chapel of the Holy Cross. To see pictures of that, view the slideshow.



Photo copyright: Janet Kincaid, 05/09

Sunset Crater Confidential

Sunset Crater National Monument in the
Coconino National Forest just outside of Flagstaff, AZ
(Click image to enlarge)

As we're in the area where Maya grew up, today we went to Sunset Crater National Monument and the Wupatki Pueblos. Sunset Crater is a cinder cone and lava fields created by volcanic eruptions over the last 6 million years. The crater is part of the San Francisco Volcanic Field in the Coconino and Kaibab National Forests. This area is riddled with hundreds of volcanoes and makes for some interesting geologic viewing. Here are just a few pictures.



Photo copyright: Janet Kincaid, 05/09

Wupatki Confidential

Wupatki Pueblo National Monument--
a fine example of a 12th century pueblo in Arizona
(Click image to enlarge)

After Sunset Crater, we drove through the park another 18 miles and visited the Wupatki Pueblo National Monument. What makes Wupatki unique among pueblos in this area is the fact that this pueblo has many rooms remaining in the ruins rather than just a single room or one main building.

Pueblo detail and sky
(Click image to enlarge)

This pueblo includes living quarters, grain storage rooms, ceremonial courts, a kiva (prayer room), burial site, and trash room, among others. The Wupatki Pueblo dates back to the 12th century and showcases native life that flourished in an otherwise harsh climate. Enjoy the photos!



Photo copyright: Janet Kincaid, 05/09

Acoma Pueblo Confidential

Acoma Pueblo--the oldest continuously inhabited native
communities in North America dates back to the 11th century!
(Click image to enlarge)

One of the great things about traveling through the southwest is the native culture and history. Sadly, many of America's native peoples have been relegated to reservations where conditions and resources are poor. Some of the Native Americans have found ways, besides or in addition to casinos, to support their communities and cultivate their heritage. The Acoma Pueblo is one example of a native tribe continuing their traditions. This pueblo on a mesa is one of the oldest inhabited communities in North America and dates back to the 11th century. The name of the pueblo in the native language is Aa'ku and means "a place prepared." If you're ever in New Mexico, absolutely visit this pueblo. It's worth every penny!




Photo copyright: Janet Kincaid, 04/09

El Morro Confidential

Native American petroglyphs at El Morro National Monument

After Acoma/Sky City, we went to El Morro National Monument hoping to see some petroglyphs. Unfortunately, we arrived about 30 minutes before the park closes, so we were only able to hike the inscription trail. Still, it was a cool sight to visit and we did see one or two native petroglyphs among all of the Spanish and immigrant inscriptions carved into the sandstone walls.



Photo copyright: Janet Kincaid, 04/09

Northern New Mexico Confidential

Breakfast at Cafe Pasquales in downtown Santa Fe

I'm folding Santa Fe and Taos and all the little towns and villages in between into one entry: Northern New Mexico.

Church in Las Trampas, NM, on the road to Taos

We went to the Georgia O'Keefe Museum in Santa Fe, but unfortunately the museum prohibits photography, so I have no pictures from there. Trust me, though, when I say we saw some amazing art not only by O'Keefe, but also by Thomas Moran, Thomas Hart Benton, and Edward Hopper, among others.

Peppers and Blue Door in the style of Rothko

On the road to Taos, we passed through the village of Las Trampas, which had a neat church and a traveling nurse from Easton, Maryland, who recommended seeing the Acoma Pueblo. Tomorrow's post will feature pictures from Acoma.

Rugs and Jars in Taos, NM

In the meantime, enjoy these photos and the slideshow from Santa Fe, Las Trampas, and Taos! As with all the photos on my blog, click the images to enlarge and see more detail.



Photo copyright: Janet Kincaid, 04/09

Carlsbad Confidential

Carlsbad Caverns National Park: A Natural Wonder 700 feet beneath the earth!
(Click to enlarge)

First stop in New Mexico: Carlsbad Caverns National Park. The cavern is the second largest cave chamber in the world, where the Big Room alone is 4,000 feet in length, 625 feet wide, and 300 feet deep. In other words, it's really, really big! My photos didn't turn out the best, because I forgot to take my tripod in with me. Despite the poor pictures, I can tell you it was quite impressive.

Between Carlsbad and Santa Fe, we saw a couple of interesting sights including the grave of Smokey the Bear and the Valley of Fires--a geologic wonder full of solidified lava flows from lava vents in the valley floor. See the slideshow for more pictures from the caverns and to see these other sights along the way.



Photo copyright: Janet Kincaid, 04/09

Coleman Confidential: Family Edition

Edith May Bullock--my great aunt
(Click images to enlarge)

My father's family hails from north central Texas, so part of this trip included stops in two towns in Coleman County--Coleman and Glen Cove. My 95-year old grandmother, who lives in California, gave me the phone number for her 93-year old sister, Edith, who lives in Coleman. We stopped to visit Aunt Edith and she took us to dinner at Dairy Queen.

Peanut Ridge, the farmstead in Glen Cove
where my grandmother and her four siblings grew up

The next day, we drove out to Glen Cove to see the cemetery where my great-grandparents and several other family members are buried.

The bed of my Great-grandpa May's old truck

After visiting the cemetery and leaving an ebenezer--or stone of remembrance--on each grave I could identify as belonging to a family member, we drove into Glen Cove proper to find the property that was the farmstead my grandmother grew up on. I met a man named Bill Henning who remembered my great-grandparents and my great uncle Clayton. He showed me where the old farmhouse had been and pointed out the truck bed and front axle of my great-grandfather's truck that he used to haul wood. The windmill and water tower, as well as a shed and stable, are all that remain of the original farm.



Photo copyright: Janet Kincaid, 04/09

West Texas Confidential

Alternative energy in West Texas oil country
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After visiting Glen Cove, we hit the road and headed for West Texas. Originally, we were going to hook up with one of my very favoritest photo bloggers ever--Debi Cates--but due to illness, we had to skip meeting Debi. Still, we drove through some interesting country. What struck us were two things: the oil fields and the windmill farms. Many West Texans seem to have a strong opinion about oil as an energy source and seem none too happy with current Obama Administration policies aimed at alternative energy sources. And yet, there are large wind farms in this part of the state, too. It's sort of like the dog who's growling at you while it wags its tail--you're not sure which end too believe!

Photo copyright: Janet Kincaid, 04/09

San Antonio Confidential

The Alamo--Where the Legend of Davy Crockett and Jim Bowie Was Made!
(Click to enlarge.)

Before we left San Antonio, we went back into the city to photograph its most famous landmark: The Alamo. The light wasn't the greatest, but this Texas sight lived up to expectation in terms of what I had in my mind's eye. The Alamo--or Mission San Antonio de Valero--was the site of a Spanish mission and home to missionaries and Indian converts in the 1700s. In the 1800s, the Spanish stationed soldiers there who called it Alamo, meaning cottonwood. To read more about the key role this site played in the battle for Texas independence, go here. And to see a few more ho-hum pictures of the Alamo, as well as some of the lovely spring flowers surrounding the mission, see the slideshow.






Photo copyright: Janet Kincaid, 04/09