So today we played golf in Gualala (pronounce: Wah la la). The odd thing about that is the unique hazards they have on the course.... grazing deer (nice big buck Patrick), stalking storks and a breath taking view of the ocean. Really hard to concentrate which may explain why we both played so badly.
Anyway, here we are on the California Coast. When I last checked in we were in Newport Beach Oregon. Sandy flat beach with huge rollers as far as you can see. From there the ocastline gets rough and broken with craggy snags rising out of the surf. Beets me why they haven't worn down with the constant surf pounding them!
Taking our usual side trips we came across Table Rock in the small town of Bandon, Oregon. We got a little morel room (Table Rock Motel) which was actually the honeymoon suite. It was so quaint!! Reminded me of a place from the 50's. Clean and neat, though dated,we considered it a find. We walked for miles along the beach taking way too many pictures. It is one of those places you don't plan on that stays in your heart forever. Like 'Roxy's Hideaway'.   We stayed there almost 40 years ago on the Oregon Coast.... hmmm..... memories!
OK ... so here we are in California. The wild Oregon coast gave way to the Redwood forest. We just had to take that side trip as we both love nature. Found the perfect place to stay in Redcrest (Redcrest Resort) smack dab in the middle of the Avenue of the Giants. This is a linear parkway which is all giant redwood trees. Beautiful, narrow, dark and magical.
Now this may have nothing to do with nothing but.... why is it so hard to find healthy food for picnics. Do you know we have now been in at least 5 food markets and have yet to find cold meat that is not ham or roast beef. Well, you can buy the pre packaged stuff but it just doesn't look great. Guess we are getting pretty spoiled. This place really needs a good fix of Italian deli!

Now thats off my chest .... bringing you up to date..... the towns we are going through are small, lots of American flags and "support our troops". The weather has been great and the people we have met are genuine. There are signs of the recession everywhere... but there are still people making a go of it. We stopped for lunch at Jenny's Big Burgers. That little place was wall to wall people during lunch.  Basic food and good natured family run place. My first burger of the trip... glad to support a small family run place. 
Tomorrow we will head towards Napa and the more populous south. Will be interesting to see how things will change. I love this wild California coast north of San Francisco. The road is less maintained than Oregon... much more twisty and more kind of remote. Don't know how to explain it. Same same but different. .....