2008 May Family Trip to the West Coast

6-16 May 2008-Too much excitement to be included with another web-page!

California or Bust (and Oregon too)

Although not ideally planned, we were home for a day and a half before leaving on an 11-day trip to the West Coast on Tuesday. As usual the impetus for the trip was Randy’s work (1 ½ day research at the regional archives in San Francisco). We had 3 round trip tickets saved up on Southwest, so Bethany and the girls joined him. It was the girls’ first trip on a plane and they handled it like seasoned troupers (as did Bethany who was escorting them sans husband who took a different carrier under the government rate). The crew was great giving the girls a certificate, a tour of the cockpit and a set of wings.

Jane and Cate at Lombard Street

We stayed at the SFO airport Marriott and had an excellent view of the planes landing there out our window. While Randy worked on Wednesday, Bethany and the girls rode BART into town. They got an all day pass for the Cable Car, riding it to Fisherman’s Warf. They saw the sea lions at Pier 39, the crooked portion of Lombard Street and toured the Boudin Sourdough Bread Factory/Museum/Restaurant, an unexpected delight.

Grimacing Cate and smiling Jane at Lombard Street

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After work, Randy met up with them for another trip down Lombard Street and a trip to Coit Tower (they had no desire to appreciate the view, but fortunately they were free).

Bethany and the girls at the Coit Tower

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We then met up with Randy’s college roommate Jake for an Indian dinner out in the Mission District. The girls ate naan and we enjoyed the rest of the food.

Jane and Cate excitedly great Jake to join us for dinner

They next day (Thursday) we headed up the coast line with a destination of Crescent City, the northern most city on the California coast and one where we had hotel points we use. On our way out of town, we stopped at the Golden Gate Bridge but skipped walking on the deck figuring it would terrify the girls to look down.

At the Golden Gate Bridge viewing platform

without going on the walkway

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It was a very pleasant leisurely drive up Highway 101 through numerous vineyards with a quick stop in Santa Rosa, former home of Charles Schultz. Although we had reserved and paid for a compact car, they were out and offered us a minivan instead, which would have cost 2-3 times as much (“Oh OK, I guess that will be alright”). It’s probably worth noting that the rental car company wanted to charge us $10/day per booster seat for the girls. Besides being able to pay for new ones at that rate in a day and a half, it would have been more than the total rental cost of the car for the trip. We purchased and brought a pair from Wal-Mart for the trip.

Randy and the girls next to one of the cool fiberglass statues around town

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We were making great time on our trek northward so we decided to head over to the coastline early and took 128 westward from Cloverdale. It was a very scenic 60 miles to the Highway 1, through more vineyards and beautiful stands of Redwoods. Our progress was slow and we were ravenous when we arrived in Mendocino for a late lunch. Many of the charming cafés looked great to the adults; however with Jane and Cate in tow, we decided to play it safe and went to Mendo-Burger. Although not speedy, Bethany though her burger was the best she ever had in her life (did I mention we were REALLY hungry at this point).

Cate and Jane with their own personnel headsets and the DVD player

The drive was beautiful but the windy roads had their effects on the passengers who were experiencing moments of nausea, mostly Bethany. About three hours and 120 miles later, we saw Cate’s lunch again as a combination of the winding roads and watching a movie on a tiny DVD screen took their toll. Fortunately no one panicked and it stayed on Cate and not the rest of the car with assistance from Bethany holding it until we could safely pull off in Rio Del. Doing so was a true moment of mothering strength, as she is known for her strong aversion to such things (you’d almost think she went to Rolla or something with her performance that day though).

At dusk outside of Orick, we saw a few dozen elk on the side of the road about a ½ mile BEFORE the sign warning us of there being the largest herd of Roosevelt Elk being located in the area (that could have been unpleasant). We were a tired crew when we reached the Hampton Inn on the shoreline in Crescent City at about 9 pm that night.

Cate and Jane climbing on the shoreline driftwood outside our hotel

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The plan for Friday was to back track a bit and explore the Redwoods National and State Parks a bit more than from just behind the windshield. However, it was clear from our drive up that Jane and Cate couldn’t care less. So we decided to settle for a photo op in the groves just south of town. After 10 minutes of solid, stereo fussing while their parents tried to capture a Redwoods family photo moment, we gave up and reboarded the van only to have Jane query before we shifted into gear: “Why aren’t we staying longer?” J

Cate and Jane take up bouldering at Crescent City

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On the other hand the girls were completely pleased with exploring the rocky beach and climbing on the rocks along the shoreline outside the hotel. We had packed their rubber boots for just such an occasion and were pleased in their agility and enthusiasm (lead on mostly by Cate) for bouldering with clear instruction that no help was desired. They spent a couple hours goofing around in the sunlight on the beach and visited the local lighthouse a few blocks from the hotel. After lunch a Denny’s (a dependable great breakfast), we had a very leisurely drive across the border to Brookings, OR where Randy’s dad Ron and his partner Gaye live. Although, they’ve been there nearly 6 years, this was our first visit to their home, where we stayed the next couple nights. Their hospitality was exemplarily as Gaye insisted on making us lovely dinner both evenings.

Bethany and the girls at the Crescent City lighthouse

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On Saturday after Gaye’s hearty breakfast with real Irish butter, sausages and bread along with another half dozen items, they took us for a tour of the beach at the Port of Brookings Harbor, with her dog Winger for their daily constitutional.

Curti at Brookings Harbor port with our rental minivan

Jae and Cate pose next to the fish totem pole at Brookings Harbor

We followed this with a visit to Harris Beach State Park, which is right across the Highway 101 from the turnoff to their sub-division. It was overcast and a bit chilly but that didn’t slow down our rubber booted troopers from exploring the animal life clinging to the pinnacle rocks. We saw dozens of starfish and thousands of anemones, mussels and snails clinging to the rocks. It was great although, we should have had them remove their socks first, as their boots were swamped by the waves.

Jane at Harris State Beach while Randy and Cate inspect the anemones and mussles

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Tiring our hosts out with the morning walks, we drove the girls up the coast to Gold Beach, which offered additional beautiful beaches and coastline scenery that the Oregonians proudly claim to be superior to the California ones. While not necessarily disagreeing with that point, the overcast skies and cool temperatures damped our experience in comparison to the sunny days we had in California on the way up. The very nice rest stop off 101 next to their home proved the girls another opportunity to burn off some energy and they discovered a great tree for climbing for kids, which they played on for an hour or so (its the simple things).

The girls enjoying a great tree at the Brookings rest stop

We returned for a pleasant dinner and evening where Grandpa had the girls (including Bethany) pick what ever they wanted from his extensive Wedgwood collection to take home with them.

Grandpa gives the girls a Wedgwood lesson

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On Sunday, we had a nice early brunch out at a local Irish café and pub before visiting Azalea Park, which Brookings is noted for. The blossoming azaleas and rhododendrons provided an excellent backdrop for picture taking for Gaye and Ron who had recently purchased digital cameras.

Grandpa, Gaye and the Curtis at Azalea Park

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Bethany and the girls pose for a very nice Mother’s Day picture

(so there’s at least one)

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After a downloading picture tutorial and hugs, we said our goodbyes and headed for Medford, OR via additional picturesque some additional Redwood groves in California. The Weber and Stout Groves on 199 just off 101 were some of the best stands of redwoods right next to the roadway we saw on our trip. Although Cate was asleep/too grumpy to get out, Jane popped for a quick visit along the road. We had considered plans to visit Oregon Caves National Monument and stay at its renowned lodge; however, the suggested height and age guidelines along with the 500 hundred steps up and down again, dissuaded us as only one of us would have enjoyed the experience (and then only if he wasn’t with three unhappy women). Besides we had hotel points we could redeem in Medford, so on to the big city (on the southwest Oregon adjusted scale).

Jane and Bethany poise inside a Redwood

Sunday was Mother’s Day so it was Bethany’s choice for dinner: Mexican. She graciously shared her margarita with Dad to the pleasure of the girls who took a picture.

Mother’s Day - Magarita Day

After a Randy completed a conference call while the girls ate breakfast and watched TV in the room, we head up the 75 miles to Crater Lake. About 25 miles out we started seeing patches of snow along the road, that kept getting larger and more numerous with each passing mile farther we went. About 10-15 miles out we began to start having doubts that we would make it, especially when the scenic turnouts off the main highway were covered by about 2 feet of snow. At the park’s main visitor center, drifted snow covered the front door to the dormers on the roof (12-15 feet high).

The Curtis in front of the Crater Lake Visitor center

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At the rim village, a crew was digging out the stately Crater Lake Lodge and removing the snow shutters for the windows in order to open it up for the season. Staying at that lodge, instead of Medford, was also part of the original plan.

The Curti outside the Crater Lake Lodge

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We luckily got to the lake on a uncommon day of excellent visibility and had great fun frolicking on the drifts, posing next to the tops of trees buried under drifts of snow and goofing around.

Behind the lodge with Crater Lake in the background

Hiking without snowshoes was pretty much out of the question, not that most of the family felt a tinge of disappointment in that regard. On the down side, the food was very pricey and not that good, which was atypical of the National Park we’ve experienced in the past.

Randy clowning around with the girls

Bethany overlooking Wizard Island in Crater Lake

After 3 hours we headed back down the mountain to Medford. Based on a recommendation from the hotel staff, we went to Kaleidoscope restaurant and had some most excellent pizza (we’d give our top **** rating). A wonderful end to the best day of the trip.

Cate and Jane coloring at Kaldescope Pizza

Tuesday was the drive from Medford back down to SF Bay. According to the mapping programs our drive to Oakland was suppose to be a 6 1/2 hours trip down Interstate I-5 (368 miles) with little to visit along the way. We did make it in that amount of time, but it seemed so very much longer as we foolishly allowed the girls to sit next to one another on the mini-van bench sit. In true classic American sibling car trip fashion, Jane and Cate poked and prodded each other out of boredom to ignite the other’s ire, when not provoked by their father’s choice in music. Monumental Mount Shasta was shrouded in monumental fussing. Jane had a particularly memorial tirade about the evils of parents that went something like “BAD, BAD, BAD, BAD, BAD, BAD, NAUGHTY, BAD, NAUGHTY, NAUGHTY, NAUGHTY, NAUGHTY, BAD, NAUGHTY...” that went on for a minute or two until she was out off breath. Good Times! It was a relief to finally check-in the hotel. After a couple hours to unwind, we had dinner at the Emeryville International Market – a food court of dozens of independent food sellers from around the world with only a single an American-esque burger/hot dog stands. Guess where the girls ate? Everyone was happy though (first time all day?).

On our second Wednesday, it was off to spend the day in San Francisco with Randy’s old college roommates: Jake and Jon (Pooky) who had taken the days off to spend with us. We crossed the Bay Bridge in the HOV lane. Its free to carpoolers but we didn’t realize that and panicked a bit when there was no one to pay (there are no signs). We pulled to the side and talked to the toll personnel before being assured they were not going to send warrant out for us. Too many parking tickets and one tow in SF, to believe they don’t play hard ball in such matters.

After picking everyone up, we went to Golden Gate Park and the Japanese Tea Garden, where the girls were quite enamored with the barrel bridge and climbed over it about a dozen times.

Jane and Cate atop the Tea Garden drum bridge

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We also had some tea with snacks that were enjoyed by the adults and the girls dreamed of climbing the bridge a few more times.

Randy Jake and Pooky enjoy their tea

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We visited the children’s playground in park (where no adults are allowed without being accompanied by a child) before heading to the beach. .

Jane and Cate frolicking on the beach

It was pretty crowed for mid-week, in part because the Bay area was experiencing record highs in the 90s and many took off to enjoy the sun, even though the water temperatures of the Pacific were still too cold for swimming without a wet suit. We lunched at the Beach Chalet Garden Café and then headed into a strip along Irving Street in the Richmond (?) District for some ice cream and a stroll through some eclectic Chinese shops, particularly enjoying the fish and food market (OK not Bethany and Jane) and a pet store specializing in salt water fish. Cate was fascinated and was glad to have her buddy Jake talk with her about all of them.

Cowgirls Jane and Cate get a pony ride courtesy of their pal Jake

Afterwards we dropped Pooky back home and headed downtown to pick up Jake’s girlfriend (?) Andrea who was joining us for dinner, at Mel’s Drive-In on Geary. Later, we dropped our friends off and headed back to Oakland and our hotel.

The Curtis outside the closed Fort Point

Thursday was our last day of site seeing and we started off with a visit to Fort Point. Randy had been looking forward to introducing the girls to it and boring them with coastal defense facts but it was closed during the week for rehabilitation work. Sadly they also fenced off the sidewalk around the fort (reference where Kim Novak jumps/falls in and Jimmy Stewart fishes her out of the Bay in Vertigo). Perhaps its only temporary but we suspected that it might be a permanent denial of access from fears of terrorism and suicide. ANYWAY, we decided to head to Fisherman’s Warf for what the girls reflected afterwards as their favorite part of the trip: a carousel ride. Sure, they’ve been on a dozen of other carousels, many nicer but this one had two stories! (Not that they rode on the second tier). We also did some souvenirs shopping and ate at the Boudin bread factory but it was another day of record highs in the Bay area, which seriously tempered our enthusiasm for site seeing. Seeking to avoid bridge traffic during rush hour we left at 3 and went to IKEA in Emeryville before calling it a day.

Cate and Jane at Oakland Airport

After 10 days, we (the parents) were ready to escape the travels of the open road and return home. Bethany and the girls were able to see Randy’s earlier flight out of Oakland off but we all landed in St. Louis within 5 minutes of one another.

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