2015-3 Glass Beach, Ft. Bragg, California
Hello All,
When we woke in the morning there was a light snow falling in Reno with a couple of inches of accumulation on the ground. It was forecast to end later in the morning and that was good. However, we suspected the snow would be heavier going up over the Sierra-Nevada Mountains into California--that would be bad! We decided to delay our departure till midday to give the road crews time to clear the highway over the mountains.
It is nice when a plan comes together. By the time we got into the mountains road crews had Interstate-80 plowed and sanded. We had no problems in transiting the mountain range. On the western slopes of the Sierra-Nevada Range we turned on US-20, which we would follow to the coast of California. The fresh snow on the trees was beautiful and melting quickly. A patch a blue sky would peak through now and then making for lovely photos.
When we woke in the morning there was a light snow falling in Reno with a couple of inches of accumulation on the ground. It was forecast to end later in the morning and that was good. However, we suspected the snow would be heavier going up over the Sierra-Nevada Mountains into California--that would be bad! We decided to delay our departure till midday to give the road crews time to clear the highway over the mountains.
It is nice when a plan comes together. By the time we got into the mountains road crews had Interstate-80 plowed and sanded. We had no problems in transiting the mountain range. On the western slopes of the Sierra-Nevada Range we turned on US-20, which we would follow to the coast of California. The fresh snow on the trees was beautiful and melting quickly. A patch a blue sky would peak through now and then making for lovely photos.
There was virtually no snow pack in the mountains and it looked as though the fresh snow would be melted by the end of the day. Not what California needed in the midst of a drought!
Within 15 minutes of shooting the above photos we were out of the snow completely. As we dropped down out of the mountains and drove across the Sacramento Valley it turned into a warm beautiful day with a few white puffy clouds. On the western side of the valley the highway begins climbing into the lush green California coastal mountains. Unlike the evergreens of the Sierra-Nevada Range the foliage becomes that of oak trees with lush green grass below.
It looks as though it would be a wonderful place for horseback riding. In our eyes it is truly scenic countryside.
Along the edge of the highway there were wildflowers (or weeds) blooming that we haven’t come across before. They had white flowers that were growing from both sides of a long stem.
Late in the day we made it to Fort Bragg, our home away from home for the next four days. After checking into our motel we got a bite to eat and called it a day.
Our first stop the next day was at Glass Beach right in Fort Bragg. We have collected sea glass at numerous beaches around the world, but never from Glass Beach in California. The sea glass is derived from years of dumping garbage into this area of the coastline.
For folks unfamiliar with sea glass it is where broken bottles have ended up in the ocean and the combination of waves and sand have rounded and smoothed the raw edges. The glass isn’t clear as it becomes etched from the wave action rolling it in the sand. It is a popular medium for making jewelry and other craft projects as the variety of shapes and colors are endless after Mother Nature adds her finishing touch.
Walking to the beach we passed through large areas of ice plant. It is a succulent that makes a wonderful ground cover, and when in bloom it can have a variety of different colored flowers (white, yellow, pink or lavender). We find it to be quite lovely and very distinctive.
Our first stop the next day was at Glass Beach right in Fort Bragg. We have collected sea glass at numerous beaches around the world, but never from Glass Beach in California. The sea glass is derived from years of dumping garbage into this area of the coastline.
For folks unfamiliar with sea glass it is where broken bottles have ended up in the ocean and the combination of waves and sand have rounded and smoothed the raw edges. The glass isn’t clear as it becomes etched from the wave action rolling it in the sand. It is a popular medium for making jewelry and other craft projects as the variety of shapes and colors are endless after Mother Nature adds her finishing touch.
Walking to the beach we passed through large areas of ice plant. It is a succulent that makes a wonderful ground cover, and when in bloom it can have a variety of different colored flowers (white, yellow, pink or lavender). We find it to be quite lovely and very distinctive.
Large pieces of driftwood were discarded high upon the shoreline from past storms.
California ground squirrels were peering from the tops of thicker foliage. They are one of few ground squirrels that have a bushy tail.
Here is one on a rock where you can see the bushy tail.
Once down on the rugged shoreline it is easy to see how the action of the waves would break and wear down pieces of glass. It is Mother Nature’s natural rock tumbler. We found the ruggedness to be quite beautiful.
People were scouring the sandy areas in between the rocks in search for sea glass. We didn’t spend a lot of time searching for sea glass. Our interest lied more in capturing the scenic beauty of the area.
Within the rocks we found these sturdy sea shells. We don’t have a clue what they are named. But the shell was quite thick and strong.
We thoroughly enjoyed our first day on the California coast. It was quite rewarding with the sheer beauty of area. We looked forward to many more days of exploration. As the sun started to set over the Pacific Ocean we called it a day.
During the following days we will continue to check out the wonders of the coast of California. We hope you will consider riding along with us.
Until next time,
Dave & Barb
The Traveling Browns
Until next time,
Dave & Barb
The Traveling Browns