This weekend Thom and I rented a car for a day and got the hell out of the city. We drove up north, to go visit the Point Reyes Lighthouse. I'm embarrassed to say that in the three years that we've lived in San Francisco, both Thom and I have not made the trip to the most western point of the peninsula. Some day trips seem obligatory and placed on that proverbial bucket-list. Muir Woods, Napa & Sonoma, Tomales Bay, Santa Cruz, Half Moon Bay and Monterrey are just a few in that list. Point Reyes has been there for a while and I'm glad that we finally got a chance to go see the area. It's funny because we've been up in that area twice before on the other side of Tomales Bay. There, I've raved about the amazing oysters and bay views but I can't believe how much more we've missed out on the other side of that bay.
Our car ride was interesting in the fact that the landscape continually changed. Right after crossing that iconic Golden Gate Bridge, we were set to view some of the most changing and dynamic landscapes that Northern California offers. All roads are deemed cautionary squiggles on yellow sign posts throughout the trip and we viewed everything from giant red woods, marshy swamps, vast green pastures and deep, dense foggy hillsides.
When we finally arrived, we descended the quarter-mile walk towards the end point and caught glimpses of the ocean through the fog. At one point, the fog seemed to burn off a bit and we were able to see clearly below. A friendly docent was nearby and spotted a migrating whale just off of the coast. Thom and I kept a keen lookout for whales but alas, between the fog and our untrained eyes, we just couldn't spot any. I really wanted to see one and I think, in my hopes, I zealously exclaimed to see a whale just below. It turned out it was just a whale-shaped current. :(
We stopped back at Drakes Beach for a picnic lunch. There, the weather was warmer and the fog had burned off from the south. We were able to take in the coastal views and just relax.
I'm not sure if the Point Reyes Park has gone through recent renovations and changes, but the facilities we encountered were all newish and clean. The rangers and docents were all very friendly and knowledgeable and there seemed to be plenty of parking. Despite having to pay the mandatory $5 shuttle ticket to and from the lighthouse, I felt that the money was being put to good use. There are plenty of trails to roam around and take in great views from. Not only are there whale migrations that you can see come through this time of year but also sea lions. (We missed that stop on our way back but having seen, heard, and smelled them at Pier 39, I didn't think we were missing all too much.) All in all, I was really impressed with the park.
It's hard to drive through Point Reyes and not see all the cows. The park has a series of ranches given names from the letters of the alphabet. We were told that the entire park was once owned by a law firm that leased out the land to various dairy farmers from all over the world. Irish, Italian, and English farmers would raise cows next to each other and create some of the world's best butters, cheeses, and dairy products. So of course, we made a stop at Point Reyes Station on our way back. We walked along the main street and up to Cowgirl Creamery. After tasting some cheeses and marveling over others, we walked away with some sharp cheddar and triple cream.
All in all, today made for a great trip and a nice drive outside of familiar settings. Point Reyes offers so much and more. I know that we'll be making repeat trips back up there if not for seeing happy free-roaming cows and windy coastal views but for the delicious oysters and newly discovered cheeses. :)
