Day 43-July 7, 2016-Victorian Homes, Brewery, Graveyard, Casino
Got all the way up to 61 today. We heard right now this is the coldest city in the US. A little over three weeks ago we were in the hottest city in the US in Palm Springs at 126.
We drove into the old historical town of Eureka this morning and saw a lot of beautiful old Victorian homes, especially the Pink Lady and the Ingomar Club (otherwise known as Carson Mansion), with its different hues of green. Looked at all the boats in the marina in Humboldt Bay, many getting ready to go out sailing or fishing. Drove into town to the Lost Coast Brewery, where we tasted some good beer, talked to Shelly, the waitress and a few of the locals about what else to do here. Everybody is very friendly and helpful. We also heard they didn’t have fireworks here, they call them “fogworks” because they can never see them because there’s always fog. As there was today, heavy black clouds that look like it’s going to rain any minute but it doesn’t. The Victorian homes in Eureka and also Ferndale, a quaint Victorian Village about 15 minutes south are all different but elaborate. Some are in disrepair and some, like the Gingerbread House in Ferndale, which is now a B&B are gorgeous and well kept. Most of them have pretty flower gardens in the yards with roses and hydrangeas of all colors from deep blue to pale pink, purple, reds, maroons, sometimes all these colors in one bush. We took “the” 101, aka, “Redwood Highway” and “the Freeway” to Ferndale which is a dairy town known for its butter. We drove over the Ferndale Bridge, built in 1911 and kept our fingers crossed the whole way into town. The Victorian homes here are called “Butterfat cottages” named for the Danish and Norwegian dairymen who settled here. The town is surrounded by cattle farms. And a magnificent cemetery built on a steep hill that we’d never be able to get the truck up. But the walk was worth it. It was wonderful. The view of the town from the top was great. Some of the film Salem’s Lot and Majestic was filmed here and parts of Outbreak and Salem’s Lot was filmed in town. A few miles north in Loleta we visited the Loleta Cheese Factory with great cheese and beautiful gardens in the back. The factory wasn’t open because they’re renovating. So we went to Bear River Casino, a native American casino, quite new, nice machines and not much smoke. They gave us each $10 in free play and we came out $75 ahead. That pays for four nights in campgrounds. Back to the RV for dinner and pack up to leave tomorrow.