I love the fog in Northern California. We didn’t have much fog in Colorado. I remember one foggy morning when I was in elementary school. It was so foggy I couldn’t see the stop sign down the road. I thought, ‘The sky is falling! The world is coming to an end.’
I was a little melodramatic.
The fun part about being new to a state is that every weekend is an adventure. We heard Point Reyes was stunning, so off we went to explore another piece of our new paradise.
Getting there
Point Reyes National Seashore is located on the coast of Marin County, about an hour north of San Francisco (an hour west of us over in Santa Rosa). The drive is fairly easy, but the entire time you’re wondering, ‘Where’s the beach!?’ Oh, it’s there. It’s just too foggy to see. As you pass through Inverness Park, the roads get rougher. (This is where we discovered we needed new shocks on the car.)
Hiking
We missed the alert on the National Park Service website that said that the Lighthouse was being renovated. We couldn’t get near it! I was so bummed. The restorations will be taking place from August to October, 2018. However, we did park at the Lighthouse parking lot and explore a few small trails.
I was blown away by the beauty. Truly. For the first time since we returned from Europe, I had one of those, ‘Wow…’ moments. Point Reyes really took my breath away.
Weather
The Northern California coast has unpredictable weather (says the girl who has lived here two months). All two times we’ve visited the coast the weather has gone from breezy and chilly (multiple clothing layers required) to sunny and comfortable. We packed for both possibilities and I finally found a use for my hooded sweater dress.
The one year mark
Point Reyes was exactly what I needed on this particular day. It was the one year anniversary of my mom’s passing (read more about that here). I didn’t know how to spend the day. My mom and I loved to shop together, but a crowded mall was the last place I wanted to be.
My husband Michael and I decided on Point Reyes because we wanted time alone together to reflect on my mother’s life and our past year without her. It felt like the scenery was mirroring our emotions, perfectly setting the stage to grieve and say goodbye and good riddance to a painful 12 months.
Let me tell you something about the one year mark of a loved one’s passing: day 365 feels no different than day 364. I had been building it up for a year like it would be the second hardest day of my life. Truth is, it just reminded me of how far I’ve come, and how missing her will never go away.
The beach
After we explored the area near the Lighthouse, we went to Drake’s Beach. The water was refreshingly cold and totally unswimable. But the beach was long and flat, perfect for a peaceful walk. We saw a handful of seals out in the water — it was my first time seeing seals in the wild! They look like little water cats and I immediately fell in love.
I adored Point Reyes and I can’t wait to explore it some more. Next time I’ll be sure to check out Cowgirl Creamery and the Cypress Tunnel. I was so bummed to have missed them on my first visit!
By the way, my husband and I are gonna bring back kiting. Ya know, the act of flying a kite? No one kites anymore. So we’re bringing it back. Join us if you dare.
Thanks for reading,
Emma
