For the first stop we needed was to find an RV park close to our friends in Alameda, CA.  There were very few choices.  In fact, almost none as Alameda is a very developed island city on the bay near Oakland.  The closest was the Anthony Chabot campground in the East Bay Regional Park in the hills east of I-580.  When we arrived at the campground, they said it was full, but we only saw one other RV in our area during the 3 nights we were there.  However, it is surrounded by Eucalyptus trees and there was also a local flock of wild turkeys to keep us company.  It was only 15 miles from our friends Peter and Margie, but due to the windy road up to the park and then through the city itself, it took 30-45 minutes to make the trip.

Just a quick story here about how we met.  I was selling a brand of inflatable boats at a boat show in Miami about 20 years ago.  This guy came to the booth looking for a specific model of the brand for his sailboat.  I sold him the boat and afterward, as we talked a bit more, he invited us to join the little yacht club he was in.  We did and then became close friends with him and the whole group.  He and Margie are a bit of local heroes as they took off about the same time we did to sail around the world for over 7 years while we settled for just 18 months around the Caribbean!   They moved from Miami to California a few years ago to be closer to their daughters and their grandchildren.  And since we would be close, we added them to our plans! 

Back to our story, once settled, we headed down to Alameda to meet their daughter, her husband and children and to celebrate Margie’s birthday.  They live in a small home on the water in Alameda close to Pete and Margie.  It was great to meet the whole family that we had heard so much about over the years and to have time to catch up.  And as a side bonus, the birthday carrot cake was great!  The drive back up the hill after dark dusk was a little slower and somewhat spooky but we did see two deer in our headlights!

The next day we drove back down to meet up with Peter and Margie and headed out to Saratoga, CA about an hour away.  Margie had gotten Peter tickets to the Yacht Rock Revue concert at The Mountain Winery in Saratoga for his birthday.  And we were lucky enough to also get tickets close to them in the venue.  But, as the concert was going to be late and we discovered that the gates to the RV park are locked at 10 pm with no way to get them open again until morning, we packed a small bag and planned to stay on their trawler for the night. 

The first stop was at a local fish and chips restaurant and then to the Japanese Gardens at the Hokone Estate.  We had a nice walk among the bamboo, flowers and koa ponds while we continued to talk about things since our last visit.

Then on to the concert. It is called Yacht Rock Revue, and we expected songs from the 60’s and 70’s with some about sailing.  What we got was more of a hard rock revue of songs from the 80’s and 90’s.  Not one mention of a boat.  But it was a very good concert, nonetheless.  One interesting side, the audience obviously been to this revue for several years and there was a large percentage who were wearing Captain’s hats!  So, there was a whole sea of white below us in the crowd! 

The next morning Pete and Margie both had appointments, so we got up and walked around the marina and park area.   Peter recommended an Italian place called Pasta Pelican right in the marina for a light lunch.  And then with our hosts back, we took off in “Peregrina”, their DeFever 44 motor trawler, for a slow tour of San Francisco Bay from Alameda out to the Pier 39 area and back. And finally, after picking up a to go Thai order, we all headed up the hill to “The Boat” to show them our RV and have some quiet time before they headed home.  A great day and nice busy visit.

After hooking back up, we were off and back down the hill one more time headed to San Anselmo, thru Oakland and across I-580 toll bridge to San Rafael.  Then an easy drive to our friends Jeff and Deb’s home almost on the border with Fairfax.  They weren’t home as Jeff had gone to SFO to pick up Deb.  But we were told to park in the driveway and make ourselves at home. 

Another short story about how I met Jeff.  When the sailboat dealer I was working for in 2006 took on the Jeanneau sailboat line, I started working boat shows on both coasts of Florida and in Annapolis, MD.  Jeff worked directly for Jeanneau America at their office in Annapolis and was responsible for setting up show displays around the US.   We worked together setting up a lot of shows for almost 15 years.  And a highlight of this time working together was the photo shoot on the new Jeanneau Yacht 54 in 2016 when we took two boats out for 4 days of sailing, photography, fun, and some challenges.  Check it out here.

Then things changed for both of us.  I didn’t have to do show set up anymore and Jeff moved to California and started a new career as a broker.  And since they lived close to Pete and Margie, we had to add them to our plans as well.

When they got home from the airport, we walked into Fairfax to get a quick lunch at Mas Masa Mexican restaurant.  I had not met Deb more than maybe once or twice in the 20 or so years that I have known Jeff.  But at lunch we all had a chance to meet again and catch up.  Jeff was still working as a broker, and Deb is head of a company dedicated to land conservation in California and around the world.  Their house is an older refurbished model with a huge front yard full of flowers and gardens and a BIG a** oak tree!!  Since the RV did not have enough room for the side out, we were invited to sleep in the house in a finished attic room.

The next day both Jeff and Deb had commitments, so we took off after breakfast to go see the Muir Beach area and the famous Port Reyes lighthouse nearby.  Gail had been to Muir Woods and Muir Beach before while visiting our upcoming 4^th friend (details to come) who had actually lived at the Green Gulch farm next to the beach.  (FYI, Green Gulch is an organic farm and a Buddhist retreat.  And coincidentally, Deb’s company had been instrumental in saving the land that Green Gulch occupies.)  The beach area is small but very picturesque.  There are large rocks and tide pools to explore.  Very nice stop.

Port Reyes is also a famous locale on the California coast for its lighthouse. The walk to the lighthouse involves going down 313 stairs and a couple of long ramps they don’t count!  And the wind was howling close to 40 kts which would normally close the stairs and the temperature was cool.  But the stairs were open and we decided to go for it!  The lighthouse is built with a Fresnel lens, but its use has been replaced by an electric beacon.  We love visiting lighthouses and this one did not disappoint.

We got back before our hosts and got caught up on some business until they got home.  Jeff grilled kabobs and we finished our visit with more catching up!  The next day we were off again.

After breakfast we headed to Sebastopol to see Rob, one of Gail’s friends from high school and college.  Rob moved out to northern California 7 years ago, initially to help a friend grow grapes and make wine.  He loves the area and has bought land with some other friends.  The 2.5-acre property is a work in progress, but very “Rob”.  On the property, there are two interesting homes that he has mostly rebuilt, a large vegetable and herb garden, flowering plants and an incredible view of the Russian River Valley.

Rob took us out to Bodega Bay.  But first we made a detour through the small town of Bodega where the church used in movie “The Birds” was filmed.  Then on to lunch at Fisherman’s Cove.  Very good oyster po’boys!  And then a quick stop up to Bodega Head.  The head looks out over a cliff to the Pacific Ocean.  It was quick stop because the wind was blowing and we could barely stand up!  But very nice views.  We just didn’t get to do the hike to the point.  

Then we drove up the coast on CA 1, to where the Russian River runs into the Pacific Ocean.  Amazing to see the area.  Although at the time, it was not running into the ocean.  We think it was a combination of the wind and low tide.  But still very pretty.

We countered missing the walk to the point with a stop at Armstrong Redwoods State Natural Reserve and our first walk through the California Redwoods.  Rob had been there many times and knew all the stories about the Redwoods which might come in handy later as we visit more Redwood parks and forests.

After a wonderful brunch cooked by Rob, we headed a little further north to the Alexander Valley, just a bit north of Healdsburg where the last of our northern California friends resides.  Gail has known Arlene since before we were married.  Back then, Gail decided that she wanted to get into apartment management and Arlene interviewed and hired her for her first job as a leasing agent and then several promotions to property manager.

Arlene initially came out to California in 1990 to do a 3-week retreat hosted by the San Francisco Zen Center and she stayed.  She is now retired from the Zen Center but still a Buddhist monk.  Gail had visited her at Green Gulch as mentioned above.  She now lives at Enso Village, a retirement community, built as a collaboration between the Zen Center and Kendal.  It is only 3 years old and a Zen inspired incredible facility with all the amenities you expect plus a celebrated chef and a large vegetable and herb kitchen garden. 

But they don’t serve dinner on Sunday, so we headed to Catelli’s in Geyersville.  It is known for its 10-layer lasagna and homemade ravioli, so we tried both!  They were both excellent. 

The next day we had lunch at Enso Village.  Very nice.  Then we brought Arlene out to the RV to see how we are traveling.  While taking her home, Gail and Arlene spent some time wandering around Healsburg while I stayed at the RV and got caught up on some finance stuff (You still have to pay your bills even if you are traveling!)  Gail got to do a little shopping while they continued their visit.  

It was really great to see everyone.  It was fun to see the different homes and of course best of all to catch up with such great friends.   Now we are heading north to the Redwoods!  And this is the end of our first leg.