Scenes from the Sonoma Coast

We went "glamping" in Stewarts Point a couple weekends ago. Sonoma County, north of Jenner. Just south of Sea Ranch. The next several pictures are from the Black Point Beach trail.





















Sea Ranch Chapel. I thought it was older than 1985. Architected by James Hubbell, who is pretty well known out west, as architects go.





















Point Arena Lighthouse. We did not take the tour, but the museum looked pretty cool. And, actually, this is Mendocino County.



The cliffs outside the gate are among the sheerest, unprotected drops I can recall seeing in California, outside of Yosemite.









Elk, a cute little spit of a town right on Highway 1, south of Mendocino, and the northern-most point of our this jaunt this weekend.















Naked ladies, enjoying the last of summer.







Odd Fellows Cemetery in Point Arena, heading back to glamp.

The coastal mise-en-scène was not quite as austerely monochromatic as the pictures would indicate. But still.

The view back at glamp:

It was cozy enough.

It was a cold, dreary day...

in the small town San Juan Bautista when I passed through on my way to the Pinnacles. Nonetheless, I took pictures...



















San Juan Bautista is home to number 15 of California's 21 Spanish missions, founded on June 24, 1797. Mass has been served daily since its founding, by an unbroken line of pastors. San Juan Bautista = Saint John the Baptist.







Hitchcock filmed the movie Vertigo's pivotal scene here, where Madeleine played by Kim Novak jumps to her death from the bell tower while hapless Scottie played by Jimmy Stewart can only watch. The bell tower was a contrivance. In reality, there is only a bell-wall. (Question: What other Spanish mission appears in Vertigo? Answer.)







The chapel dates from 1803. The original adobe structure built at the founding is gone.









There is a small garden in the center.



















Agricultural fields surround San Juan Bautista for miles and miles.