Salt Point (5)

This is the payoff. This, right here. For all the change that has come from Richard’s professional downsizing, now is the time to reap the joys of being a school schedule couple. And let me tell you, it hasn’t been easy. Or more accurately put, it hasn’t been easy for me. I am not a money person. As soon as you start talking about numbers and prices and budgets and bargains, part of my brain shuts off and thinks about what color outdoor furniture would look best on the patio. But I get it that outdoor furniture, regardless of color, necessitates changing our ways regarding unregulated spending. We’ve gone out camping a lot less and we have spreadsheets and apps, and I’ve forced myself to learn them. But as of Friday, once my classroom closedown list had been turned in, and Richard got the all clear to take off, we are both officially, contractually, and guiltlessly, free for two whole months! We have never experienced that, because having a flexible remote work schedule has always made things vague and fuzzy. We’ve gotten to do some amazing traveling, all while Richard has been getting paid very well; a golden handcuffs situation that was too comfortable to challenge. But it came with sustained low level tension, in a passive aggressive tug of war between responsibility and fun. This summer, the play time is unambiguous and we are here for it.

Our first stop was Salt Point State Park. We arrived with time on the day to go for a hike on the bluffs. I’m positive I have taken most of these shots before, but the landscape poses for your camera in irresistible flirtation, especially when the light hits right.

We made it down to Stump Beach and tried to time the return with the sunset. We did pretty well, except I was freezing once the wind picked up and the sun started going down. Richard raced back to Dory to turn on the water heater for his shower, intending to come back down for sunset viewing with me. He got an error code scare on the Truma heater, so he had to spend time figuring that out. Once again, it appears our cat flipped the propane switch on top of the unit to off. He likes to explore Dory and climbs all around the undersides of the benches. One of these days, we’re going to have a camping cat that no one planned for.

The next day we rode our bikes up Kruse Ranch Road, through Kruse Rhododendron State Preserve. I drove this one time, on Richard’s recommendation, because it’s a pretty road. What he doesn’t comprehend when he’s biking is how narrow those roads can be for cars. It’s all fine and well until someone comes the other direction. Then you have to get way over on a huge drop off and hope you can squeeze past. That happened once or twice on my drive, and the worry of it ruined the whole thing for me. On a bike, it is so much better.

The road is mostly unpaved, but it is hard packed and only steep in a couple of sections. My ebike handled it no problem. We took a set of larger bike tires for Richard and threw them in Bruce’s roof box. This was the exact kind of application for that.

After reaching the top, we turned around and came right back down. Near the summit is a working farm which runs summer camps. It was buzzing with people getting ready to welcome kids and makes for a surprising and picturesque landmark in an otherwise undeveloped back road.

Down on Highway 1, we pulled off into a closed day use park and climbed an old trail to Sentinel Rock Viewing Platform. It’s a perfect place to have a bit of lunch. You can’t get a car past the barriers, but on bikes or on foot, you’ll have the views to yourself. It’s not maintained, so be aware that there is abundant Poison Oak to dodge.

After all of that, we still had some oomph left and did a do over hike to see a Pygmy Forest that was previously closed due to tree fall. It was about five miles with some decent climbing, so I was fully pooped after that. I spied my favorite wildflowers, Tiger Lillies, and we got closure on that particular pygmy forest. It’s quite striking to see the difference in tree heights and forest density from one specific area to the next. My understanding is that pygmy forests happen when there is a shelf of land that is hard packed or rocky, inhibiting the growth of all plant life. Just a few yards away, the very same trees shoot up a hundred feet or more in tightly packed forests, creating a completely shady canopy. The temperature difference must have been ten degrees. Just goes to show, it’s always about location, location, location.

That evening’s sunset photo was brought to you by the car, with heating and butt warming. Plus, my sleeping bag down jacket for when I chose to step outside to take a photo.

We are excited to begin this summer trip. Already we are realizing just how much of a difference it makes to be really, truly ON VACATION. Both of us. At the same time. We may not be going out on weekends as much, but man, if we can manage this, I think it will be a game changer. Happy summer!

Total miles: 105.7, 3 hours 25 min, 15.8 mpg. Site 2, no hookups. Excellent solar. No dump. Excellent 5g because of recently installed tower.