Spring break!!

After a very hectic finals week that was chock full of important meetings, Ryan and I finally started out on our spring break trip last Saturday at around 5pm. (We intended to leave around 1...) It turned out fine though, as our only plan on Saturday was to go for a hike in Dunes recreation area on the Oregon coast - and we made it there before dusk and had a fun romp in the sand.

http://www.fs.fed.us/r6/siuslaw/recreation/tripplanning/oregondunes/

I would like to go back and see some more extreme dunes, and possibly rent an ATV and have fun driving on the dunes. As it was, all three of us (including Audrey) had fun climbing up the dunes while the sand avalanched beneath our feet.

Then we headed south along the coast and stopped for a pizza dinner before getting our motel room.

The next morning we took a very nice hike in the Redwood National forest called Damnation Creek. This was the description we found online: "Damnation Creek: Strenuous 4½ mile (7-km) round trip hike through redwoods. Located just north of False Klamath Cove on Highway 101 at mile marker 16.0. This is a steep trail that descends 1,000 feet (330 m) through an ancient forest of redwoods, Sitka spruce, red alder, and all the forest has to offer, traversing all the way to the ocean. Used in the past by Tolowa Indians for food gathering at the ocean, the trail offers excellent photo opportunities of both the forest and the ocean. Expect at least three hours to complete. Bring your own water."

It wasn't that hard a trail - but it helps that it wasn't hot when we hiked. We finished it in 2.5 hours with 15 minutes hanging out at the bottom, and neither of us are in as good shape as we were in the fall. I am glad the weather here is improving and I'll get back to more hiking again!!

We expected a good view of the ocean, but we did not expect the trail to actually end up on the ocean. It ended in a totally private rocky cove and was totally amazing. These are photos I found online - I need to get our pictures from Ryan.










That evening we drove further down the coast to Mendocino and checked into our Bed and Breakfast just in time to eat at the hotel restaurant before they closed. Good thing they were expecting us! Dinner was good - but not our best of the week...

Then we went to our room - which was very nice.

















Unfortunately we couldn't stay there both nights because it was already booked up but our second room was fun - it was in an old converted water tower and was 3 stories high with a sitting room on bottom, bathroom in middle, and bedroom at the top.













Mendocino is a quaint and quiet little town that was great for strolling around. We had a quiet day including a walk to the cliffs overlooking the ocean. We didn't see any whales despite sitting by the coast for a while - but we both did get a little sun. We also walked into a pet store and let audrey pick out the treat she wanted - fortunately for me she wanted one that was 50 cents - if only ryan and I could eat for so little!!

For dinner we had one of the best meals I've ever had at Cafe Beaujolais.

http://www.cafebeaujolais.com/cb_pu_reviews.html

They made me a special dinner of gnocchi and asparagus where every bite tasted delicious. The molten chocolate cake for dessert was so amazing that Ryan and I agreed it was best we ordered two because we'd have killed each other if forced to share it.

That morning and the next morning we pigged out at the hotel restaurant for the breakfast part of the B&B. But we soon had to leave for San Francisco. We stayed in Tiburon with a friend of mine from grad school days who has also moved to the west coast. I'll post a pic of my own soon - but here's a pic I found online that has a similar view to what she sees from her living room every day - I'm quite envious!!











In San Francisco I had a work meeting, but we were also able to go to some great restaurants, go to the golden gate park and have tea in the Japanese tea garden, and shop at my favorite store, Soku hardware - the best place to get Japanese pottery (like sushi plates) for good prices. I bought a lot - but many things were gifts so I don't feel too guilty :)










We also repeated our breakfast location two days in a row at Crepes-a-go-go, Ryan's old haunt from when he lived there. We stuffed ourselves like pigs - he actually ate 3 crepes the 2nd morning! He couldn't get enough nutella strawberry and whipped cream. I enjoyed egg, tomato, cheese and avocado followed by honey kiwi strawberry... YUMM!!

After that we headed to UC Davis where I had another meeting, then on to Chico where I was giving an invited talk and meeting with a collaborator. The trip had come to an end and I had to get back to work. But hey - that's paying for the gas mileage and some smaller expenses, leaving us the money to splurge on food and the B&B so it was well worth it!