Recent Posts

Yummy Tacos in Sonoma

Yummy Tacos in Sonoma

This is why it’s so tough to stay angry at California: Mexican food. Goddamn it’s good here. We had an amazing lunch at a food truck along the side of the road in Sonoma, just north of Healdsburg at the Taqueria Guanajualo Taco Truck. Lisa 

“California Champagne”

“California Champagne”

We first visited the Sonoma and Napa Valleys in 2006 — we loved Sonoma, but Napa, not so much. Anytime we leave a wine region, we feel like we’ve missed tons of great stuff, or we find a favorite wine after the fact. Happily, we 

Highway 101/ Route 1 Live Up To the Hype

Highway 101/ Route 1 Live Up To the Hype

It’s true: driving Highway 101/Route 1 is as awesome as everyone says it is. You could make an entire vacation out of driving the 101 from Seattle to San Francisco (just veer off the 101 on the 1 in northern California). Wait, you should make 

Goodbye, Oysters

Goodbye, Oysters

After we turn in towards Sonoma, it’s all east from there on out. We’ll say goodbye to the Pacific … and its oysters. Sad day. Of course, it’s going to be tough to be more awesome than Indian Pass in Florida or Willapa Bay in 

Camping in California? Avoid the State Parks.

Camping in California? Avoid the State Parks.

Honestly, they’re just embarrassing. As a state, California should be embarrassed by its parks. They’re shit. They’re just too expensive. Yes, people pay the fee, but they pay grudgingly, because there’s no alternative. They’re not nice-expensive, not cleaner than other parks (they seem dirtier), not 

Hiking to the Punta Gorda Lighthouse on the Lost Coast

Hiking to the Punta Gorda Lighthouse on the Lost Coast

Some people call this California’s Lost Coast. I prefer to think of it as the Saved Coast. Plenty of this section of California’s coast has been tied up by ranching and grazing for generations and is closed to public access, but there are also long, 

The Lost Coast of California

The Lost Coast of California

Between Ferndale (to the north) and Rockport (to the south) along California’s Pacific coast there’s basically nothing. No real towns, no housing developments, no reality TV stars, hardly any roads even. Sure, there are things marked as roads on the map, but they’re just paved 

Camping Recipe: Blue Cheese Sauce

Camping Recipe: Blue Cheese Sauce

One of our favorite treats from our local Chicago corner restaurant was an appetizer of potato chips covered with blue cheese sauce and Tabasco. It was always so indulgent, and it always seemed like something we’d never be able to make at home. But in 

The Redwoods of California

The Redwoods of California

If you want to see some big trees, aim for the Avenue of the Giants in Northern California, a road created so that through-traffic isn’t stuck behind gawking tourists on the 101 (my theory, since it mostly parallels the 101). The Avenue of the Giants is a 

Leaving Oregon

Leaving Oregon

I’m going to miss Oregon. The full-service gasoline, the protected coastline, the strict development zones of its cities. California is coming. Fucking California. California is like Texas but filled with things I like. I like the wine, I like the weather, I like the geography … but 

Looking for a Pacific City Dory

Looking for a Pacific City Dory

I always grab the local newspaper. Always. You never know what you’ll find. You may be passing through a tiny town with a really awesome boat tradition and totally miss it without the local paper. With a little local news luck, we headed into Pacific 

Skype is Wonderful Too

Skype is Wonderful Too

Every year my family has a big meetup in Lake Geneva, Wisconsin. We missed it this year because of our travels, but Skype saved the day. Thanks to Skype, we got to see and talk to everybody, including my cousin who’s now a mom, her