1. Re: Coast and Napa in the same week-Doable?
Jun 21, 2010, 9:16 PM
Destination Expert
for Santa Cruz
I think I have a trip for you.
Since you are into photography you *must* see the coast above Jenner. There are 8 miles of cliffy, winding, driving which will give you views rivaling Big Sur.
This site doesn't do it justice, but will give you an idea.
www.russianrivertravel.com/coast_pictures.htm
13 miles north of Jenner is Fort Ross, a state historic park which was a Russian outpost in the early 1800's where they trapped sea otters and traded the pelts. It has been restored and is very photogenic, especially the wooden Russian Orthodox Chapel.
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fort_Ross,_California
Three miles north of that is the Timber Cove Inn, for your overnight stay.
The Timber Cove Inn was built in the 60's by a young, mad, genius architect, Richard Clements. He also divided the adjacent 800 acres into approximately 2 acre parcels and put in gravel roads and a water system (of sorts) and sold the lots.
He had a "vision"....we don't "own" the land, even if we pay for it, we just are allowed to use it and are morally bound to take care of it. (remember, this was the '60's and Dick was a consummate environmentalist ) Thus was penned a very strict CCand R's with specific rules on what kinds of houses could be built...using natural materials, etc....forbidding cutting down trees without permission, no camping on the land, etc. etc.
No telephones or television were allowed in the inn.
He built himself a fantastic studio on a rock reached by a very narrow spit of land that goes out into the ocean. acres here.
When Dick went off to other things the Inn was sold, and over the years went into a slow decline, until it was really bad. Recently, in the last year or two, it was bought by a hotel corporation and completely rehabilitated.
When it was new it was deliberately rustic. Built-in desks and dressers of rough lumber, slate on the floors and bathroom counters and in the shower, etc. etc. No televisions or radios were allowed.
Later wings added were more modern, but still rustic. The room I liked the most faced south over the Cove and had a skylight in the ceiling over a hot tub which was sunken in the floor. There was a metal fireplace in the middle of the room.
The rooms in the north wing look directly out on the ocean and have, or at least had, outdoor showers.
The television ban was lifted for one night and I was lucky enough to be there. They set a TV up in the lobby by the enormous floor-to-roof rock-faced fireplace and let us watch, as a group, the moon walk. (yes, I am that old :~)
This is the website.
http://www.timbercoveinn.com/?chebs=gl_tci
(The pictures change....wait for the rotation.)
The very tall, narrow, "statue" springing from the rocks on the side of the Inn was done by a revered San Francisco sculptor, the late Benianimo Bufano. Unfortunately, when he had finished it, the Vietnam War was in progress. The statue needed a very large helicopter to hoist it in place. They were all busy fighting a war. The statue is supposed to be of St. Francis and is, get this...dedicated to "peace". The statue lay ignonimously in a meadow across the road from the Inn until the war was over.
The Inn is a paradox. But, in this location it almost has to be that. I love it, but I am willing to accept the constraints it has.
I understand that telephones and TV are allowed now
This is an isolated area.
When you are ready to leave, if you want to try a different route and avoid the 8 miles of cliffs and coves, here is an alternate route. Across from the Inn, take Timber Cove Road, up to the top where it ends. Turn right and follow the road on the ridge south. It will come into Highway 1 north of Jenner and it is a scenic ride. Sometimes there are glimpses of the ocean way below, but you get a sense of the people who live in this area by passing their houses, a school, and their farms.
It will also be a little faster because it is not a winding road.
This is one of my favorite trips. I hope you try it. It is not that far from Napa.
