I'm continuing my "friend tour" in the beautiful small city of San Rafael in the North Bay area. Sara and I had about a dozen years of catching up to do in 3 days but we did a pretty good job of it! We also did a walking tour of downtown which includes the 20th Spanish mission, Mission San Rafael Archangel, founded in 1817. The mission and the city are named after the Archangel Raphael, the Angel of Healing. There were quite a few interesting sites to see but I'll let the photos tell the rest of the story.
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We had just 2 nights in the Elk Prairie Campground, situated in the 14,000 acre Prairie Creek sanctuary of old growth coast redwoods. The park is a preserve of uncut forest, and trails lead you through the world's tallest trees. Our first day, we walked short distances from our tent site to oh-my-God-are-they-big trees! The next day, we enjoyed a 6-mile hike from the gorgeous Pacific through Fern Canyon and into the woods. Elves really do live here! I'm now 4 locations behind in my travel story but with hundreds of photos, it all comes back to me pretty clearly. When I left Portland, my Baltimore friend, Tina was along for the ride! First stop, Crater Lake -- one of my favorite places in the world, and a natural wonder that removes any doubt that Mother Nature has a plan. I've visited here nearly a dozen times and every view is as surprisingly stunning as the first. While there's more activity at Crater Lake than I remember, its waters are still some of the purest in the world. To me, the color is unmatched. A little info if you need it: Crater Lake was formed about 6,000 to 8,000 years ago by the collapse of the volcano, Mount Mazama. It's 5 x 6 miles across, and at 1,943 feet, the lake is the deepest in the U.S.. There are no rivers flowing into or out of the lake, so evaporation is compensated for by rain and snowfall at such a rate that the total amount of lake water is replaced every 250 years. It's been nearly a week since I left Portland so I'm looking back at the various reactions I had to the city. I stayed at a hostel in one of my old neighborhoods, and suffice to say that I'm either too old or not at all hip enough to live here now! Honestly, I don't think I'd look good in dreadlocks. While it's still a beautiful city that is surrounded by natural wonders, I can't say I'd pick Portland today. It has serious traffic, slacker and homeless issues. Perhaps I've been living in small towns for too long!? That said, it was great to return to some old haunts and have some laughs with friends who have known me quite a while! |
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March 2024
AuthorCyclist, writer, teacher, avid reader, bike/ped advocate, nomad, pie lover Categories |