SPLAT!

It had to come.... the day from hell!
We woke up this morning to rain. I mean rain. I don't think we have seen this much rain since last summer. Yesterday was nice. After making a wasted trip 25 miles north to Port Orford and back, we found a great gallery that a lady had in her basement. Georgia had a ball and will probably fill you in at some point. The gallery even had flying pigs.. (I resisted the urge.) However, we spent quite a bit of time there and only got to Crescent City, California. We fortunately found a Hampton Inn there and got a night's rest in familiar surroundings. We ate a late dinner at the Harbour View Grotto. Grotto (merriman: an artificial recess or structure made to resemble a natural cave.. Seems by use to be a european name for a restaurant).. Anyway, it turned out to be a real find. Georgia had prime rib and I had fish and chips. We were able to order from the "light" menu and had just enough. Now, here is the fantastic thing. My fish and chips was fresh red snapper. Here is something that is most likely as new to everyone as it was to Georgia. I fell "in love" with red snapper on Panama Beach, Florida somewhere in the early 70's. We were high school youth leaders at the time and Jim and Charlotte McNeil were junior high leaders. We did a combined outing to a large cabin they had on Panama Beach. That was the first time I saw really white sand and encountered horseshoe crabs and torpedo rays. (I digress, yet again) Well, one afternoon we went to the dock and bought several red snappers off the boats. Charlotte chopped them up in what appeared to me to be really big pieces and deep fried them with hush puppies. I had never tasted better fish. Now here is the secret. Ever since that time, when I am near an ocean, I order red snapper, trying to recapture that fabulous flavor. Well, last night at the Harbour View Grotto in Crescent City, California, I cam the closest I have ever been to getting the taste of Charlotte McNeil's red snapper. That was last night. If you remember, I started talking about today. We decided we could make it to Mendocino. We went on line and after dealing with several full B&B's and others with shared bathrooms, we ended up at the Sea Gull Inn. We were too tired to book a room last nite, so got at it this morning, under a bit of time pressure, but at least we left this morning with a place to lay our heads tonite. As I said, it rained, and rained, and rained. We went through the National Redwood Park which was impressive, but not nearly so as the California State Humbolt Park. We had been there 19 years ago, but driving down the "avenue of the Giants" was still impressive. So far it was just dreary and rainy, then to get the Mendocino, we left 101 to follow California 1. I should interject here, that a couple of days ago, I believe I OD'd on scenery. Just another fantastic seashore or mountain scene. Another 20 mph hairpin where you feel like you are going to drop of the edge of the world, either into the ocean or into a deep cravass. Well, highway 1 was just that. By the time we crossed from Leggett to Inglenook, I thought I would have a nervous breakdown. Oh, I haven't mentioned fog... fog, fog, fog. At times we didn't know if the drop off on the side of the road was ocean or cravass because the fog covered everything. Therefore, sightseeing also was, shall we say, limited???? Finally perserverance paid off and we found the Sea Gull Inn in Mendocino. We looked at each other..... Let's just say that this was a very good job of internet presentation. There were no lies, but some fantastically chosen words and photographs. The yard full of flowers was fantastic and Jim the innkeeper was a nice guy. The room was cute and cozy and appeared clean, but the bathroom was "a bit" small. After the places we have stayed over the past couple of months, I have to say we were disappointed. Oh well, it also was one of the least expensive rooms and it is clean and confortable. We'll make lemonade tomorrow. Did I say that since January, the highlight of the trip in Georgia's mind was to be in a knock-out B&B in Mendocino. Mendocino is one of Georgia's favorite spots on the whole earth. Remember the whale watching??? Well life happens. but all in all the trip is still good.