*Warning* This post contains disturbing images. For anyone familiar with Wright’s Beach, located on the dazzling Sonoma Coast, it may be unsettling to view the campground in its current state. If, however, you are NOT someone who logs in to Reserve California regularly at 8:00 am precisely in order to do online click battle with the 39 million other people trying to reserve these ten sites, you may be unaffected. Additionally, if you are NOT someone who danced the sweet victory jig of reservation success, way back in mid October, only to have it mercilessly ripped from your camping calendar, not once, but THREE TIMES, you may be fine. Me, I’m hanging in there, thanks for asking.
Richard says I am a reservation “premium-donna” and should learn to be happy with non premium sites. He has a point. But, to my credit, I was able to rally and head out this weekend, setting aside my tragic losses. I was able to rise above the unrequited site 6 longing, and enjoy the full solar in Bodega Dunes site 60. In fact, truth be told, it was a lovely weekend, full of sun and spring flowers.
We even took a look at the desolation of our would be destination. I was imagining some kind of gaping wound in the campground roads, or that half the hillside above the sites had slid down onto the coast below. Nothing short of complete devastation could possibly justify the closure of such a popular campground, now expected to be shuttered through the summer months. Instead, what we found was a section of road, about two feet wide, covering a culvert, that looks to be in danger of falling down. Also, we saw a downed tree. That’s it.
There was a ranger at the staging area above the campground who was turning people away and explaining how it takes a long time for a CA state park to get a permit from the state of CA to fix a campground road. Environmental reports have to be done, engineers have to come out, etc, etc. So yeah, go check out Bodega Dunes and yes, you can walk down to the beach.
I took the opportunity to stroll through the empty campground and jot down site numbers that are not premium, but would still be right next to the beach so that I can be more reasonable about reservation angst in the future. I’m always gonna try for the oceanside sites, though. It was a shame to see them all sitting there vacant, but on the other hand, it made for a spectacular picnic location.
Otherwise, it was a weekend of sun and warm air and spring, for reals. We got in some sunsets and Spud Point crab cakes. I drove the “Boho” loop Richard likes to bike, past Wild Flour Bakery (where you gotta stop and eat a double chocolate banana walnut scone, while enjoying their gardens), through the cute little town of Occidental, and over to the Russian River. Then a cruise down the picturesque Sonoma Coast until we landed back at the Bodega Dunes day use area for the beautiful end of day show.
Good times! Even if it’s not Wright’s Beach. *sigh*
Total miles: 85.4, 14.4 mpg, 2 hours 53 min. Site 60. Great solar. Far from bathroom because the closest one is closed for the season. No hookups, good dump. LTE for both.
