click here to watch 

Traveler Brandon Follett enjoys internet access by a cozy fireplace in the lobby of the Mendocino Hotel. The beauty of the lobby inspires him to check out room 2

Many people know that there are twenty-one missions in the California mission system. Perhaps the most famous of them all is located in the little town of Carmel-by-the-Sea. Though it is a tourist destination today, Mission Carmel was once the headquarters of one of California’s most well known historical figures and still serves as his final place of rest - Fr. Junipero Serra.

The second of the twenty-one California missions, Mission San Carlos Borromeo del Rio Carmello was originally founded by Fr. Serra on June 3, 1770 in Monterey. It wasn’t until the next year that it was moved a few miles south to where it is today in Carmel-by-the-Sea. To start your tour of the mission, you must first enter through the souvenir shop. Here you will pay the admission fee of $5 and receive a welcome and informational pamphlet about the mission.

Directly outside, the first thing you will see is a magnificent garden home to flowers of all shapes and colors. Also here is a symbolic statue of Fr. Junipero Serra carrying the cross in one hand and a mission church in the other.

The current church at the mission was completed in 1797. Inside you will find mostly the same items as you would find in any of the missions. However what makes this one stand out are who lie buried near the altar of the church. This is the final resting place of Fr. Junipero Serra himself. Also buried here are Fr. Juan Crespi and Fr. Julian Lopez on his left and Fr. Fermin Francisco de Lausén (2nd President of the California mission system) on his right. Nearby the four graves, you can also find the resting places of Commandante Hermenegildo Sal, of the Presidio of Monterey, and José Antonio Roméu, 5th Governor of Spanish California. Also in the church, you will find a memorial plaque honoring the 1987 visit of Pope John Paul II to Mission Carmel.

Directly outside and to the right of the church is the mission cemetery. Here you can find graves from various times in the mission’s life. Also, there is a large memorial cross honoring all the Native Americans and Spanish buried here.

On the left of the church is a large courtyard. Here you can find several statues, markers, and fountains. Perhaps most interesting of these is the Junipero Serra prayer fountain. On the other side of the courtyard are more buildings of the mission which you won’t be able to see as the mission also serves as home to the Junipero Serra School. Thus if your visiting, try not to make a lot of noise as there may be students in class.

There are three museums here on the mission grounds. Each carry artifacts from various eras of the mission and region’s past. However it is the third museum, and largest, you will visit is the Mora Museum located in the main mission building. Here you will see preserved rooms such as the mission kitchen, dining area, and quarters. Also of note is a sealed room which once was the first library in the state of California. However the most interesting room in the museum is the last one before the souvenir shop. This is the room that Fr. Junipero Serra once occupied and on August 28, 1784, passed away in.

Finally, there is the souvenir shop that you past through when you entered. Here you can purchase a wide variety of religious items and medals.

Mission Carmel is without a doubt the most well known example of place to visit for those wanting to learn about the California mission system. Its architecture, gardens, and most importantly, history make it a great place to stop, visit, and reflect.

Online Resources

Also from the California Beat: Read a write-up on Carmel-by-the-Sea: Small-town charm in huge doses: Upscale Central Coast enclave a perfect getaway spot. Find it here.

Google Map: Mission Carmel

Mission Carmel Official Website

http://www.greenwoodpierinn.com/

Greenwood Pier Inn & Cafe
California & Tex-Mex.
Address: 5928 S. Hwy 1, Elk, Ca. 95432
Phone: 707-877-9997
Toll Free Phone: 800-807-3423
Fax: 707-877-3439
Rates: $130-$300

We stayed in the Loverly Starfish room, double bed, jacuzzi tub, fireplace, ocean view from private balcony, microwave, fridge, cafe, pet friendly, no phone or internet access in room but in office... the next night, we stayed in the East Valley room, with two beds, a real fireplace, Internet access, and no ocean view...

http://www.greenwoodpierinn.com/inn/eastgallery/eastgallery.html

The folks here in Elk are very friendly, feel like we're back in Oregon again... :-) this is a small town about five miles south of the cutoff from Highway 101 to 128 and it is on Hwy 1. You can drive south all the way down to San Francisco along the coast... the weather was delicious and sunny, then rainy and cloudy and warm and cool... very peaceful and delicious food in the cafe... complimentary breakfast was scrambled eggs, country potatoes with toast, orange juice, fresh fruit, and tea or coffee, you could also get quiche of the day, there were three kinds, veggie, spinach and feta, and a tex-mex kind.

Cici met a few dogs along the way down the coast from Westport to here... a lab named Chester on the beach, she was kind of tired from her adventures with M the night before, but she did manage to chase Chester a bit down the sand... there was a couple from Austin, Texas with two schnoodles (poodle and schnauzer mix), who said hello, until cici saw the two kittens running around here, the dogs distracted her a bit...

here's a few photos of my royal dog lazing on the bed in the Starfish room ... pampered pooches, it's a dog's life, ya know...

from now on, when I talk about the various inns we stay in, will try to give them a new category such as:

furs class

pampered pooches

farm and country k9

doggone fun

affurdable

pack leaders special

ruffing it

whaddya think?

we think the Greenwood Pier Inn is four paws up, K9 approved and furs class, and special thanks to Mike, Steve and the innkeepers of this inn also have the Sandpiper down the road (not pet friendly), but thanks to Jaci for recommending us to Greenwood and they also own The Inn at 17 Mile in Pacific Grove...

they also do small weddings here, tomorrow is one and hopefully the weather will cooperate...

http://www.greenwoodpierinn.com/

When I was born I slept in a crib fifteen miles east of the Coast Road.

Within three years we moved far north where I roamed fields a quarter mile west of Redwood Highway.

In 1972
I could have rowed
across the channel
from the West Jetty
to the East Jetty
then walked a hundred paces up
to South Coast Highway.

1975
I slept in a high bed
on the same level
as the garage
of a long house
189 steps west
of Pacific Coast Highway.

PCH was 175 steps east of our house in 1976.

After that, it was years-upon-years during which I lived a distance, sometimes 1500 miles east, or, to the west 2000 miles, from this California corridor of Highway 1.

Here is an outing that everyone can enjoy: a trip to a farm or orchard to pick your own fresh fruit.  Provided that your career does not involve crop harvesting, you just might find this sort of thing an enjoyable use of a weekend afternoon.  You get to have the fun of hand selecting your own fruit, choosing only the exact quality and quantity you want, although going overboard on the quantity is not hard to do.  Searching through rows upon rows of ripening fruit becomes a scavenger hunt for the choicest finds, and there is always a temptation to pick just one more perfect piece.  It is no trouble at all if you do end up with too much- going overboard will not be nearly as costly as going overboard on your cell phone minutes.  Furthermore, a surplus of fruit makes a great gift for your friends and neighbors.

It should be obvious that this is a seasonal activity.  Different fruits ripen at different times of the year, with the warmer months of the year being the prime time.  Turning this idea into a winter activity may require a trip to the equator.  But even more important than when is where?  Of course there is a website to guide you: http://www.pickyourown.org.   I was pleased to notice the farm I recently visited-Swanton Berry Farms-was included on the pickyourown.org website.  This is a farm I have visited many times, and I'll give a description of my most recent visit.

Swanton Berry Farms, located several miles north of Santa Cruz, CA, is a favorite spot of mine. Most recently I visited the farm with my girlfriend to pick strawberries. Although it was mid September, the strawberries were still ripening; such is the benefit of living in a mild climate.  The way the self harvesting works is simple and trusting.  You grab a box from inside their little store and walk to a nearby field designated for self harvesting.  Once you have picked all you desire, you return to the store and weigh your strawberries on the counter-top scale.  Take your weight and multiply it by $2.50 per pound using the calculator sitting next to the scale.  Then enter your purchase into a  data sheet on the counter and place your money into an open cash register, taking money out if you need to make change.  There are employees who filter in and out and can provide assistance if needed, but this system relies upon the honor code.  The employees are usually busy getting shipments of strawberries ready and doing other business, but not running the store.  If you want to buy one of the truffles or other treats from the self service display case, then it's back to the cash register to complete the sale yourself.  I love this sort of trust and cruisy attitude, it's what makes Santa Cruz a special place.   Plus the strawberries at Swanton Berry Farms are organic, so what more could you ask for?  If you do go, bring a windbreaker.  If there is one thing about the northern California coast that you can count on, it is the wind.

The time went by fairly quickly, thanks to Stephen Colbert's, "I Am America, (And So Can You!)" audiobook, and before we knew it we were checking into the hotel.

We roamed the town and had a blast scoping out the sights and pretending to be the mentally impaired, yet charming, Forest Gump. 

We even made friends with a fearless, and slightly feisty, bird. Unfortunately, Nick no longer likes our feathered friends because of an unfortunate shirt soiling incident that occurred later on during the trip. 

After a bottle of Spanish Grenache we were in bed early and were driving through Big Sur on schedule the next morning. The views did not disappoint. 

Roooomance!   

We continued south, and then the strangest thing started to happen. A marine layer/fog began to roll in. It was the heaviest blanket of white I have even seen. Suddenly, the blue waves turned into an ocean of clouds. 

The drive along the cliffs became precarious as the white fluff started pouring onto the roads. Suddenly our cruise turned into a slow crawl. The road mileage signs became painful visual reminders of our slow progression. 

Eventually we found ourselves at Hearst Castle, former home of William Hearst, an American newspaper magnate (click here for a history lesson). Needless to say, Hearst's abode in San Simeone (one of many) was very luxurious. 

I imagine his lavish pool was the envy of all of his friends and the site of many scandalous evenings.

Lucky for those around him, he treated his circle well and build five star accommodations for their visits (very similar to the pull out couch our visitors are blessed with). No wonder the ranch became a getaway for the Hollywood elite. 

After two hours of living vicariously through Hearst's show of riches, we were heading back to the car (unfortunate bird incident happens here) and on our way south again. 

We drove and drove, through San Luis Obispo, through Pismo Beach and stopped at Solvang. The town is a little Danish getaway, made famous by the movie Sideways. We sipped and swirled, had dinner and roamed the streets. 

Like a long lost friend, we were thrilled to see our freeway exit later that night. It was a long and wonderful day with a perfect ending - an enthusiastic greeting from one very happy dog.  

There were many life lessons during this trip and I feel like I came away from it a wiser person. Because I believe in sharing knowledge, I have listed out the most important points below: 

• An Egg McMuffin will never cease to be excellent road food
• If you stare at the seaweed long enough, a sea lion will eventually pop its head out of the water 
• There is such a thing as too much salt water taffy 
• You can, in fact, drive off of the cliffs in Big Sur if you are not careful 
• Just because a winery has a tasting room, it does not mean that the wine will be good
• If you are able to parlay your money into a media empire and build a castle on a hill, do it. 
• A healthy marriage means surviving 15 hours in a car together without incident  
• The happiest cows really do come from California 

Corra de Cabazon! Corra muito! Cabazon fica na regiao de Palm Springs e foi la que encontramos um outlet que levou todo o dinheiro que eu nao tinha. O lugar eh gigante e tem todas as lojas que voce possa imaginar. Ao todo sao 130 - entre Guess, Gucci, Adidas, Gap, Puma... Um agasalho na Adidas, por exemplo, ficava por 40 dolares!!!! O problema eh comprar apenas um agasalho.

Como fica no meio do deserto, a regiao eh bem quente. Prepare-se para passar muito calor. Depois, vale subir pela a 15, entrar na 74 e subir pela 1, que vai pela costa da praia.

Agora estamos em Laguna Beach - a primeira praia da Highway 1. O lugar eh charmoso demais, mas tudo fecha muito cedo - as 23h voce encontra poucos lugares abertos. A praia nao eh das melhores e boa parte dela eh fechada.

Acabamos de chegar do Grand Canyon e ja vamos para Los Angeles. Assim que encontrar tempo e computador, escrevo sobre os dois.

Aileen, a good friend from my days at LifeScan, got married to Neil. The wedding was in Solvang, with the ceremony at the old mission, and the party afterwards at the Crossroads Estate across from the Firestone winery.
The wedding was fun, I got to meet a lot of old friends. The temperature made it interesting - it was 116 degrees!!! I met a 95 year old man, who had moved to Solvang after retiring 44 years ago - he mentioned it was the hottest day in his memory.

Since I was running late, I drove on 101 instead of highway 1. The drive was amazing; I did however drive all the way with the top down, so ended up getting nicely sunburned.

Map of Solvang

I found out another thing - when the temperature climbs above 100 degrees, any speed below 80 mph in a convertible means you sweat continuously.

I left Solvang around 9:30 pm. Since I didn't want to drive while tired, I again had to take 101. (Highway 1 takes an extra 1.5 - 2 hours). Having a new car has made me more careful - I even stopped at a strip mall after King City to take a nap. It wasn't the smartest idea; I had planned on napping for 30 minutes, then buying a coke from McD's and driving home. When I went to sleep, the strip mall was full and quite busy. I woke 40 minutes later, parked under the only street lamp that was still lighted, and with the entire area dark and deserted. I have to admit - I was awake and alert very fast.

Finally got home at 2:15 am. A long drive, and a very enjoyable one. I would recommend you all have a lot of friends, and buy a BMW 335i hard-top convertible. Then convince those friends to get married in Solvang. This gives you the setting for a perfect Saturday!

In California when I commuted from Marina to Santa Cruz, I drove up and down the Monterey Bay strawberry, artichoke, and spinach strip of Highway 1 daily. Out in the fields at harvest time groups of Hispanic workers carried colorful plastic boxes and filled them with fruits and vegetables. Mostly the fields looked austere and vacant. Their straight rows flew past, each precise in its line toward the coast.

These paddy fields are anything but empty. Men plow their muddy bottom, coaxing their water buffalo and cows with sticks as they guide the yoke. Women bend at the waist, plunking individual paddy stocks into the flooded sites. As we walk toward Dipendra’s village, the late afternoon sunshine on my face, a few women stop their work to watch us pass, while others keep their wiry limbs in constant motion and faces down toward the mud.

In Saptari there’s a distinctive posture-- it’s one of being bent over eternally. Old women look as though they’d fall straight on their face at a pat on the back. They watch their feet moving along the ground, seeing only the present without a glimpse of the future landscape ahead. Even young women seem to be slouched, from a short lifetime spent folded at the waist, planting and harvesting.

As I turn for a panoramic view of the layers of lush rice paddy, I feel privileged to stand upright, and fortunate that I am appreciating the beauty, rather than dwelling in the toil of this laborious land. Rather than only seeing the present-- the food I need to eat today, my feet moving along the uneven ground, the pile of seedlings drying quickly in the sun-- I have the luxury to pull my shoulders back and look ahead to the landscape of my future.

Though I had been shooting photography for about a year with the Nikon N65.  It wasn't till I got my first digital camera, the Sony DSC F707, did I really begin to understand the relationships between iso speeds, shutter speed, and aperture.

I initially shot color negative film only because it was really easy to get developed at a local color lab, however, by the time I got the results back, I had always forgotton what my settings were on the camera.  In hindsight, as recommended by experienced users, its always best to keep a pen and pad with you when you're out shooting so that one can understand the ins and outs of the cameras functionality.

Once I did start shooting digital, the first thing I did was leave work a little early and headed out across Highway 84 towards Highway 1.  The image below is one of the first images I took with my Sony camera.  It was taken around November of 2001 at Pigeon Point Lighthouse, a place where I have come back numerous times to film over the years.

State Route 1, often called Highway 1, is a state highway that runs along a large length of the Pacific coast of the U.S. state of California. It is famous for running by some of the most beautiful coastlines in the world, leading to its designation as an All-American Road.

Wikipedia

Amongst the major cities that Highway 1 passes by are:

• Beach Cities (includes Manhattan Beach, Hermosa Beach and Redondo Beach)
• Long Beach
• Santa Monica
• Oxnard
• Santa Barbara
• Lompoc
• Santa Maria
• San Luis Obispo
• Morro Bay
• Hearst Castle (not a city but marked as a control city)
• Carmel
• Pacific Grove
• Monterey
• Watsonville
• Santa Cruz
• Half Moon Bay
• Pacifica
• San Francisco
• Golden Gate Bridge (not a city but marked as a control city)
• Mill Valley
• Stinson Beach
• Fort Bragg

Things to do in State Route 1

• See Santa Cruz.
• See sea lions near the Fisherman's Wharf in Monterey.
• Visit the Monterey Bay Aquarium ($25)
• Drive the 17 Mile Drive.
• Swim in Point Lobos or visit the Mision of Carmel.
• Enjoy the scenery of Big Sur.
  WARNING: As of early July 2008, Highway 1 through the Big Sur is closed because of a large, fast-moving forest fire.
• Visit Hearst Castle ($24-$30 depending on the tour)
• Visit Solvang and it's dutch-ambiented architecture. Wine tasting.
• Visit Santa Barbara.

I must be getting a bit anxious to have my first race because I've moved up my first race by nearly a month.  Granted, it's just a sprint race and I'll be treating it like a training day rather than an actual race, but still, it's a race.  My first race will be the Santa Cruz sprint triathlon on August 10.  

You might be asking, why?  Well, I have a few reasons.  

First and foremost, my two races in September are preventing me from taking a "bar trip" of any substantial nature.  I can't exactly take off to Thailand for three weeks and then come back and race.  All my training would have been for naught.  I plan on combining the travel to this race with a mini-vacation in San Francisco with some riding in and around the bay area and then to travel slowly down Highway 1 after the race until I hit just north of LA (then I'll jet home).  

Second, I plan on getting my bike fit using the Retul 3d bike fit system in San Francisco a couple of days before the race.  This system looks awesome and I can't wait to do it, the only problem is that the closest places that do this are either in (a) Tucson or (b) San Francisco.  If this were winter, I'd be Tucson all the way, but it's not.  It's 100 in Tucson right now and I don't do 100.  Plus, I love SF.

Finally, I simply need to get away from San Diego for a bit.  Yes, I know, it's San Diego, but no matter where you live, it's always nice to get away for a while if for no other reason than to make you appreciate where you live that much more.

So I'll be looking forward to that race.  I don't have too many expectations for it other than to simply make it a hard, fast training session so it should be fun.  If nothing else, I guess it will give me a chance to work on my transitions.

Keep on triing....

So, everything seems to be working itself out okay and San Francisco is a great city. I can't wait until we get settled in a bit more and I can return to steadily working on The Zen of South Park, my project which misses me a great deal. And I miss it. I'm also looking forward to providing you all with regular and quality posts once I get settled properly. Don't worry - we'll return soon.

We drove up Highway 1 the entire way to get there which was very beautiful but the curves got old after the first couple hours. It was a fun drive in the Acura through, for those with a strong stomach... I would definitely recommend taking this route if you've never done Highway 1 (as we hadn't), and especially if you have a fun car. But it does get to be a bit much for a long road trip, we ended up taking 101 back home (which was still very pretty).

We stayed at the J.D. House, a bed and breakfast. You have to check out their website to see how beautiful this place was. We stayed in the Captain's room which had an amazing deck. The house was built in 1870, and as a result was a little rickety but it had been updated well. When Griffin walked across the room the entire floor shook. The view from the deck:

While we were there we didn't do a whole lot, mostly just lounging around, dining about, enjoying the scenery, and a little bit of exploring. On Friday evening we had dinner at The Moosse Cafe as part of a package from the B&B. The old house has been converted into a restaurant on the bottom floor and a small inn on the top floor. The food was pretty good.

On Saturday we drove to Fort Bragg, a slightly bigger town about 10 miles North of Mendocino on the coast. While there we visited a succulent nursery and bought a few plants (a yellow jade and a aloe) that are supposed to do well in full to partial shade (the conditions outside our back door under the deck). More on them later. We also visited a small lighthouse (Point Cabrillo, if I remember correctly).

Overall the town of Mendocino is very pretty and "quaint." We enjoyed staying at the B&B (in particular the breakfast scones each morning, I think I ate 7 of them while we were there... yum). But the town got so quiet in the evenings it was a little boring for us. All the shops closed at 5pm and most of the restaurants were very upscale and expensive ($25+ for an entree). The average age of the patrons there was a solid 10-20 years older than us. So while we enjoyed the vacation and seeing the Northern coast, it wasn't something we are super anxious to repeat.

We drove back on Highway 128 to 101 which was a very pretty drive. Coming out of Mendocino you wind through a huge redwood grove which opens up into the Sonoma valley.

Adventures with my parents included, but were not limited to:

• potting plants
• shopping (Bay Street in Emeryville and Ikea)
• touring the Sharffenberger Factory in Berkeley
• driving North on Hwy 1 to Point Reyes
• touring the refinery
• cooking chocolate protein pancakes from my extended family to mixed reviews
• attending a CWO/SFGMC rehearsal/mini-performance of U.S.S. Metaphor
• visiting the Rodin sculpture garden and Arizona Cactus Garden on the Stanford Campus
• touring Griffin's lab
• a birthday scone
• eating lots of really good food that was not on my diet

Instead of an Ara Pacis Friday Foto, It's a Sunday minisite - dubbed HellaCali, it is a compilation of photos (and a few YouTube videos) that document my journey in the SF Bay Area the first week of June. Those who live and/or work or visit the Bay Area often probably won't be too impressed, but whatever. Give it a look if you wish, and enjoy.

Interstate 380 bridge over Iowa River to close by 6 p.m. Friday

The Interstate 380 bridge over the Iowa River will be closed by 6 p.m., forcing the road to close between the North Liberty and Swisher interchanges.

The water is already approaching the roadway and the road may need to be closed sooner. Anyone who needs to use the road for an evacuation should do so immediately.

The closure will last for a week as water will cover lanes in both directions, officials said.

Other closures
Cedar Rapids
All streets within 500 year flood plain are closed. Interstate 380 bridge is the only way to cross the river (left lane restriction remains in effect). All downtown ramps remain closed. In addition, the northbound exit at Diagonal Drive and southbound exit at H Avenue are closed.

Iowa City
Interstate 80: Southbound Dubuque Street interchange in Johnson County is closed.
Rocky Shore Drive: Closed between Highway 6 and Park Road.
Park Road: Closed between Dubuque Street and Rocky Shore Drive.
Dubuque Street: Closed between Interstate 80 and Park Road.
Highway 6: Closed between Highway 1 and Gilbert Street.

Coralville
Highway 6: Closed between Sixth Avenue to Rocky Shore Drive due to rising flood water.
First Avenue: Closed between Fifth Street and Iowa Interstate railroad bridge south of Highway 6. First Avenue is available to local traffic between Fifth Street to Sixth Street.
First Street: 100 block of First Street closed.
Fifth Street: Closed between First and Third Avenues.; Open to local traffic only between Third and Fifth avenues.
Fourth Avenue: Highway 6 to Fifth Street closed.
Edgewater Dr.: Road closed; Shadow Lane also closed.

Linn County
Highway 30: Closed in both directions between Interstate 380 and Highway 1 in Mount Vernon.
Highway 1: Road closed between Highway 30 to Solon due to flooding
Highway 13 (Highway 151): Closed just north of Highway 30 to Mount Vernon Road.
Highway 151: Road closed between Iowa 220 and Highway 6 between Amana and Homestead.

Johnson County
Black Hawk Ave: Closed south of Black Diamond Rd (Old Man's Creek)
Black Diamond Rd: Closed west of 450th St SW (Old Man's Creek)
Hoosier Creek Rd: Closed between Naples and Ely Rd NE
Naples Ave.: Closed between 120th Street and Hoosier Creek Rd
Cemetery Rd NW: Closed between 250th and Grabin Road
Sandy Beach Rd.: Closed east of campground to just south of 3413
140th Street: Closed between Ely Road and Naples Ave NE
Sand Road: Closed between 560th and 580th SE; 580th and Highway 22
River Junction Rd.: Closed between Sioux Ave and Otter Creek Rd.
Grabin Road: Closed between Alpine and Cemetery Rd
Blain Cemetery Rd.: Closed between Amana Rd and Seneca Rd NW
Izaak Walton Rd.: Closed from Oak Crest Hill Rd
Amana Road: Closed between Hwy 965 and Greencastle Ave NW; closed between Falcon Ave. and Greencastle Ave. NW; Dupont Way and Baxter Ave. NW
Chambers Ave NW: Closed between 140th and Amana
Tri-County Bridge Rd SE: Closed between Iowa River and 670th Street
560th Street: Closed between Sand Road and Sioux Ave
Taft Ave Speedway: Closed west of Dubuque St.
N Madison St.: Closed north of W. Market St.
Derby Avenue: Closed between Plotz Road and Amana Rd NW
Swan Lake Road: Closed between Half Moon Ave and James Ave NW
Swan Lake Ave. Closed between Half Moon Ave. and James Ave.
Half Moon Ave.: Half-mile portion south of Swan Lake Rd NW closed
Sutliff Road: Closed between Vega Rd. and Lisbon Rd.
Lisbon Road: Closed between Sutliff Rd. and Johnson County line.
White Oak Ave. NE: Closed at intersections of 145th St. and 120th Street

Additional road closure information available online at: www.johnson-county.com/website/roadclosings/viewer.htm

Other areas
Interstate 80: East and westbound lanes of I-80 are closed at milepost 266 (west of Iowa 38 interchange) because of water over the roadway. Local traffic will be allowed, except for at milepost 266. Traffic going across Iowa should detour at U.S. 61 north to Highway 20 west to Interstate 35.

Highway 22: Reduced to one-lane traffic at this time from Iowa 923 to Iowa River due to flooding. Floodwater is rising at this point and roadway is expected to close. Washington County Sheriff reports the bridge will likely close by noon today.

Iowa 22 is reduced to one-lane traffic at this time from Iowa 923 to Iowa River due to flooding.

Highway 63 south of Tama: Closed because of Iowa River flooding.

Need help with a route?
The Iowa Department of Transportation temporary service line is open until 9 p.m. Friday. Call (866) 452-8510.

Visit the Iowa Department of Transportation website at: http://www.dot.state.ia.us/

Zum Anwesen gehört auch ein wunderschönes Kliff, das vom Strand aus zu besteigen ist. An dessen Spitze schaut man über die Bucht, wilde Blumen blühen in allen Farben, 40 meter tiefer gräbt die Brandung Höhlen ins Gestein - ein herrlicher Ort!

Etwas weiter nördlich eine der wenigen Brutstätten der Elefanten-Seelöwen.

Keine Angst, die leben noch. Sie führen nur ein eher träges Leben, wenn sie an Land sind. Sie schlafen, kuscheln, oder beschaufeln sich mit Sand und machen dabei einen äußerst friedfertigen Eindruck. Wahrscheinlich ruhen sie sich für ihre monatelangen Touren durchs Meers aus, die sie übrigens allein und nicht in der Gruppe verbringen.

Danach die ersten Kilometer der wirklich schönsten Straße, die ich Kenne, die alte zweispurige Route 1. Man möchte hunderte Fotos machen und weiß gleichzeitig, dass keines die Schönheit der Landschaft abbilden wird. Der würzige Duft der Natur, die steilen Berge, die ins dunkelblaue Meer stürzen, jede Kurve offenbart einen neuen Höhepunkt und so jagt man von Blick zu Blick und kann sich gar nicht satt sehen. Ich möchte, dass sich jedes Panorama in mein Gedächtnis brennt, aber nach jeder Kurve ist das Bild ist schon ersetzt durch ein neues, genauso wunderbares.