And back we go to Point Reyes, as I took waaaaay to many photos there to get by on just two posts. First of all, I took a peek at the lighthouse.
The stairs leading to the lighthouse go down about the hight of a 30-story building. It is one of the windiest spots in North America, having once recorded a wind of 113 mph. It is at the very tip-tip of the Pt. Reyes Peninsula, and is shrouded in fog so often the foghorn runs continuously. But not this day.
Very near to the lighthouse is the view of the enormously long Pt. Reyes Beach. Wildflowers bloom late into the spring here.
Click below for more from Pt. Reyes.
After the lighthouse I took a nearby trail to Chimney Rock. It takes you out on the other slim finger of the peninsula, all the way to an empty bench with a view of Drake's Bay and the coastal mountains.
Looking at this piece of land, it isn't hard to imagine that you're in the extreme proximity of the San Andreas Fault. Just a few miles away, in Olema Valley, a cow was swallowed whole by the earth in 1906.
Yes dear, we all find that a bit disturbing.
the peninsula is so narrow you can see both sides at once, and on the way back I turn around and take in the Chimney Rock Trail as it follows the undulating land.
Local residents sample the Pt. Reyes all-you-can-eat Vegas-style buffet. Like any good buffet patrons, they are ever watchful for invaders that might crowde them out of the dessert table.
Carpets of wildflowers cover the Chimney Rock area.
And the little bird keeps watch near the lighthouse, his perch rusting away in the salty wind.
If you go: The Pt. Reyes Lighthouse closes at 4:30pm. It takes 45 minutes to get from the lighthouse to the visitor's center.
The rangers at the main visitor's center are very helpful, which is more than can be said for some of the volunteers at the Golden Gate National Parks. More on that later.
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