This idea of the early bird catching the worm doesn’t always hold true, as at 7:00 in the morning, you might be too early to enter the Muir Woods National Monument. Muir Beach is also not visitable, but at least the overlook is accessible on this cold and windy morning.

Put it on the list as Caroline steps into the early morning surf here at the Pt. Reyes National Seashore and Drake Bay. You can tell by the look on her face that we aren’t bothered in the least by not being able to visit the Muir Woods on this trip; we’ll get there someday.

The Lipnosky Dacha in Inverness is a strange sight as the onion-domed architecture comes into view. I wish I’d gotten a better photo, but at least I have a reminder of this place, and who knows, maybe they rent it out and we can stay here on a future visit.

Wow, I can’t believe we are here on the right day, a perfect day, a day when somehow we seem to have Pt. Reyes to ourselves. I’m sure this can’t happen twice in a lifetime.

So we aren’t totally alone, as there are these coastal cows lounging on the grass. If it weren’t for the status of this area as a national seashore, it would be home to 15 billionaires who would be able to covet the views for themselves. Instead, cows own this luxury.

These are Tule Elk statues at Pt. Reyes. No, they are not statues but real elk with one of the most priceless views on earth who seem to be sharing the wealth with the cows above. If only we humans could be so generous.

This is not an optical illusion; the road really did just drop off into the ocean.

A few researchers were out here performing a necropsy on a baby Sperm Whale that sadly either came to shore to die or maybe washed up. In any case, these people will try to find out why it died and then distribute the pieces of the whale across the beach so other animals can help dispose of the carcass.

I’m pretty sure we are on Tomales Bay, but I wouldn’t put money on it.

On the way to Bodega Bay.

And by 2:00 p.m. here we are at Arch Rock in Bodega Bay, California.

You’ll never be able to explain to me why, on a Saturday here during the extended Thanksgiving weekend, we are not encountering overwhelming crowds who want to enjoy the weather. A couple of years ago, we understood the emptiness of places due to the fear that stopped American travel post-9/11, but we’ve mostly recovered from that, so what gives? Maybe part of the answer lies in the absurd amounts of traffic and the hours required to move in and out of the San Francisco area, especially on holidays. In any case, I have to pinch myself that, along with the cows and elk, the place is all ours.

Pampas grass may be invasive, but there’s no denying that it adds to the beauty of our coastal drives.

It’s shortly after 5:00 in the afternoon when we arrive at the Point Arena Lighthouse, which closes to visitors at 3:30, so we can only admire it from afar.

A half-hour after passing through Ft. Bragg, we are about to turn away from the coast, but not before watching the sunset over the ocean. Our timing to be in the right place at the right time often feels extraordinary, though inexplicable. We still have two hours before we reach Eureka, where we’ll stop at Big Louie’s Pizzaria for dinner and check into the Town House Motel for the smoking rate of only $49 for the night. Cheap is our middle name.