From the Redwoods we wound our way four hours down the 101 to Fort Bragg. It was a ridiculously windy road with hairpin turns that went straight up the mountain and then straight down. Not ideal for an RV towing a car, although we weren’t the only ones. We really wondered if the stressful drive was worth it, but Cole had his heart set on visiting Glass Beach.
Glass Beach is in Fort Bragg, not too far from MacKerricher State Park. Cole had read an article about the beach with glittering glass-filled sand about 20 years ago in a travel magazine article reveling in little-known tourist destinations off the beaten track. Fort Bragg certainly was off the beaten track, and the photos online promised glittering gems of amber, opal, turquoise, green and brown – a literal treasure hunt. We thought the boys would love it and booked a beachside campsite just south of Fort Bragg at Caspar Beach so we could spend a few days exploring the area.
However, the truth was far from this reality. The beach itself was unassuming and underwhelming. The glass of the famed Glass Beach was created when California deemed three shoreline beaches as good dump sites, and from 1906-1967 continued to throw their trash in the ocean like it was no big deal; cars, appliances, pottery, building materials, and of course – copious amounts of glass. Though a cleanup effort was launched in 1998 to remove the non-biodegradable trash, remnants still remain along the shoreline. It was a sober reminder of blatant human disregard for the environment and their impact upon it. I felt remorseful that we had ‘bought the lure’ without doing our research, and that in some ways we were part of perpetrating the problem as Fort Bragg residents are known to still throw glass into the ocean to make sure their tourist trap remains.
Sometimes we set our hearts upon the wrong things without even realizing it. We chase the glitter and glam without recognizing true beauty exists elsewhere. Like a crow, something shiny caught our eye and we went for it, ready to revel in treasure but only finding trash. We have been traveling National Parks and Monuments and have been swept away by the beauty and wonder of nature constantly, but just as in life – we don’t always get it right.
To further prove this point, the wildlife of Glass Beach were so accustomed to people and being fed that they brazenly climbed all over our picnic and our children trying to get at the snacks. There were many signs saying not to feed the wildlife but the squirrels, although super cute, were insistent – and obese. We eventually just packed up and left, much to the kid’s dismay as they thought the squirrels were actually the best part of the whole beach.
A few of our Favourite Things…
Fort Bragg is a great destination in its own right, as is Mendicino. We enjoyed wandering through the town and peeking into the shops, stopping at Cowlicks to enjoy their delicious handmade ice cream, milkshakes, and sorbet. We drove down to Mendicino (which is the cutest little art-inspired beach town!) and scoured their second-hand bookstores, coming away with copies of the Hardy Boys, Stuart Little and Calvin & Hobbes to read on the road.
Mendocino is an enchanted place filled with real, unspoiled California opportunities and inhabited by fun-loving misfits, mavericks and makers
– https://www.visitmendocino.com/
We played at Caspar beach every day, getting our sensory fill of soft sand, quick waves and tiny shells.
Pudding Creek Trestle is a historic bridge built in 1915 to aid in the logging industry’s transport of logs through the area. It stands tall on thin legs looking out to a wild ocean too dangerous to swim in. On the other side, next to Pudding creek, the dunes underneath are the perfect place to run races with brothers down the hill.
Up on the trestle, lovers have placed locks all along, a nod to the Pont des Arts, or Love Lock Bridge in Paris perhaps. It was fun to browse the locks and say what kind of lock we would pick to represent our family if we should ever place one there. Would it be some kind of animal? A heart? Six strung together like a line? Maybe an RV if there ever was such a lock…
Hiking the trail along the bluffs of the Point Cabrillo State Park to the Historic Light House was definitely a highlight. It’s about 2.5 km to hike there via the peninsula trail, or about 1.5 to take the road which is a straight (and fully accessible) route. We took the trail there and the road back, but wished we’d taken the trail both ways as it was so beautiful. The 113-year-old Lighthouse boasts a 100-year-old lens that is still in operation, warning ships away from Frolic Cove which was named after “The Frolic,” which shipwrecked there in 1850. Along with the historic lighthouse and gift shop, there is also a Marine Science Exhibit with an aquarium showing a sampling of sea life native to the area as well as the Assistant Lightkeepers house which was built in 1930’s and remains as a walk-through museum showing what life was like nearly 100 years ago. The boys enjoyed all of it, we had a great afternoon meandering around and though we hoped to see some whales out across the bluff (supposedly common there) we conceded to watch the seals play in the lagoon until it was time to go instead.
After Fort Bragg, we headed inland to Sacramento. I was sad to say goodbye to the coast, I always feel most at home and centered by the ocean, and a little bit restless when landlocked. However, the route was laid out before us drawing us onward and so we went. I won’t say much about Sacramento because it really wasn’t a destination in of itself but a means to attend to some things that we needed to focus on. Sacramento seemed like a brief pause on adventure to do the responsibilities that were important – life does not magically stop just because you are on a road trip! Thus, after a brief pause, we headed out once more with our sights set on Yosemite National Park.
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