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Healdsburg, California 2024
  • Heinz Imhof
June 2024

Healdsburg, California 2024

This is our yearly visit to Northern California spending time with our daughter and son-in-law who live in Healdsburg. We love the cooler days in Sonoma County and Shelter Cove on the Pacific Coast where we plan to do some light hiking. Read more
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  • Trip start
    June 14, 2024
    Heinz ImhofTravelerHealdsburg, California 2024
    Sausalito, SF Bay AreaOutdoor patioLiving roomMaster bedroomGuest roomA visitor cat named Franklin

    Flying to California - Arrival

    June 14, 2024 in the United States ⋅ ☀️ 86 °F

    Our flight to Santa Rosa left with a 45 minute delay and was very smooth. But the plane developped a problem. As time went on, the temperature dropped to freezing and the pilots were unable make any adjustments. Ursula was shivering by the time we landed. I was smart to have packed a hooded jacket which I zipped all the way. I looked like a climber on Mount Everest!

    Anina's husband, Jeremy, picked us up on this beautiful, sunny 75 degrees California day! Fifteen minutes later we arrived at their home in the town of Healdsburg. It's a cute 2-bedroom with bright rooms. Anina served a tasty lunch (asian soba noodles salad). Yummy! I suddenly felt tired and took a quick nap before exploring the home and snapping a few pictures.

    Tomorrow morning we plan to visit the local farmers market and then head for the pacific coast where we have rented a cabin for the next 4-days.    Read more

  • Heinz ImhofTravelerHealdsburg, California 2024
    Jeremy's elecrtric bikeVisiting with JendalaAnina's homeRental cabin Shelter CoveCheers!1

    Healdsburg - Shelter Cove

    June 15, 2024 in the United States ⋅ ☀️ 75 °F

    After visiting the Healdsburg Farmer's Market we packed up and travelled North on Highway 101 for 3 hours through the coastal hills and forests to an isolated town called Shelter Cove.

    On the way, we passed through many Redwood groves where you would expect Big Foot around every hairpin curve of the windy road. The beach house we are renting is absolutely stunning, overlooking the beach, lighthouse and Pacific Ocean.

    As we toasted our arrival with a glass of wine on the porch, a young male deer greeted us with his impressive antlers.

    Tonight's dinner is a surprise we brought with us for Anina and Jeremy: Texas BBQ Spare Ribs! Yummy!!!    Read more

  • Heinz ImhofTravelerHealdsburg, California 2024
    Little Black Sand BeachPeek-a-boo121Beach treasure collection

    Shelter Cov - Little Black Sand Beach

    June 16, 2024 in the United States ⋅ ☀️ 61 °F

    We had a good night's sleep and woke up early to the smell of coffee drifting from the upstairs kitchen. As the first sun rays touched the beach homes below, we were visited briefly by Matt, an engineer friend of Jeremy, who will return in the evening with his family for a BBQ dinner.

    With a light breakfast in our bellies, we went exploring the narrow streets that crisscross the steep hillside of Shelter Cove. Most of the homes here are vacation homes. There are no businesses, except for the General Store, a handful of restaurants, a beachfront hotel, and a few bed & breakfast places.

    Having oriented ourselves and gotten a feel for the town, we parked the car at a trailhead and descended to Little Black Sand Beach. We walked for quite a while along this amazing beach, exploring the steep cliffs, interesting rock formations, black pebbles, driftwood, and surf. I watched a seagull devour an entire starfish. Jeremy captured some excellent footage of crashing waves with his professional Sony A7 Series 4.

    Arriving back at our cabin, our ladies prepared a quick sandwich and got busy with food preparation for tonight’s dinner. I noticed several small planes landing on the airstrip along the beach. It’s a beautiful, sunny Sunday, and the wind is not blowing as hard as yesterday.

    Matt and the dinner guests arrived soon and the Jeremy fired up the grill. We had bratwurst, beef ribs, and four healthy salads. It was very interesting to get to know everyone and learn about their simple lives in off-the-grid homes in the coastal hills.

    With only two hours of daylight left, Jeremy got inspired by the high tide waves and went out surfing - his passion. We picked him up with the car just before dusk. He didn't complain, but admitted that it was a bit on the cold side, even by his standards!    Read more

  • Heinz ImhofTravelerHealdsburg, California 2024
    116 Shades of GreenEucalyptus Forest1ElkBear Harbor BeachGyppo Restaurant

    Shelter Cove - Bear Harbor Beach

    June 17, 2024 in the United States ⋅ 🌙 57 °F

    After a leisurely breakfast and a late start, we drove to a nearby State Park for a six-mile nature hike along the Pacific coast, reaching Bear Harbor Beach.

    The trail wound through a mix of wooded and open areas, showcasing a diverse array of vegetation that, according to the park ranger, has remained unchanged for the past fifteen years.

    Upon our return, we enjoyed dinner at Gyppo, a laid-back local restaurant. The cold beer was particularly refreshing!    Read more

  • Heinz ImhofTravelerHealdsburg, California 2024
    1Shelter Cove light house
    Sea lions and sealsJeremy - Surfer Dude1Sunny side up (Poppy flower) !Black Sand BeachSunset Dinner

    Shelter Cove - Exploring

    June 18, 2024 in the United States ⋅ ⛅ 59 °F

    Jeremy got up before sunrise and went surfing. I slept until 7:30 and walked down to the beach to photograph the cute lighthouse. Strange (animal) sounds coming from the surf diverted my attention, and I spotted a colony of seals just off-shore on a rock, barking.

    Around noon we left and drove to "The Wedding Point", a spot high above town with a scenic view of the cove and Pacific, where we enjoyed the picnic that our ladies had prepared earlier.

    Then we stopped at the General Store for a few necessities and ended up at Black Sand Beach for a last intake of the beach feeling, sounds and smells. Jeremy noticed that the shape of the pebbles on this beach are rather flat vs. round and we all wodered what causes that. Ursula's theory was that incoming waves push them up on the sand, which cause surface erosion as they slide up and down. Seems logical.

    Our home made steak dinner was accompanied by a wonderful sunset - complimentary of the universe - what more could you ask for!    Read more

  • Heinz ImhofTravelerHealdsburg, California 2024
    Goodbye beach house 🥲Madrone treeAnina's wooden Hairpin

    Beach - Hike - Return Home

    June 19, 2024 in the United States ⋅ ☀️ 75 °F

    We enjoyed a homemade bacon quiche for breakfast, then headed to the beach where Jeremy had been surfing earlier.

    The weather today is a bit overcast with a slight fog over the Pacific Ocean. Even in this light, with its various shades of gray, my lens managed to capture a few interesting subjects.

    Afterward, we packed our things to meet the 11 o'clock check-out time and headed into the foothills for a final hike before returning home.

    We stopped at Otoro Sushi restaurant in Healdsburg for dinner. Anina tried out her beautiful wooden hairpin that she acquired at a sawmill on the way home.    Read more

  • Heinz ImhofTravelerHealdsburg, California 2024

    Healdsburg

    June 20, 2024 in the United States ⋅ ☁️ 79 °F

    Not much of interest to report today. Anina is working until tomorrow. and Jeremy is on his way to the Oregon coast for a camper van meeting until Monday.

    I took some photos of plants as we strolled through the neighborhood to a local grocer, where we picked up a few items for dinner. The ladies went out in the evening to a guitar concert.

    Ursula walked to the town square to explore the shops and will meet with Anina after work, while I spent three hours thoroughly cleaning Anina's car from "head to toe" 😂.

    Tonight's dinner will be a lentil dish and a mixed green salad. We also have a bottle of wine from Sonoma County waiting to be opened!    Read more

  • Heinz ImhofTravelerHealdsburg, California 2024

    Healdsburg - Ridge Winery

    June 21, 2024 in the United States ⋅ ☀️ 75 °F

    Another delightful day in Healdsburg.

    While Anina worked until 1:00 PM, I replaced the failing battery in her car. I want her to be safe rather than stranded unexpectedly.

    Later, Ursula and I visited Oliver’s, our favorite store, to shop for ingredients for tonight’s grilled Atlantic Salmon dinner. When I saw Chällerhocker, my favorite Swiss cheese, in the cheese section, I couldn’t resist buying a piece, despite the steep price.

    In the afternoon, Anina drove us to Dry Creek Valley to visit Ridge Vineyards for a wine tasting. The estate was beautiful, and our hostess, Jennifer, did a great job sharing the winery’s history and its 130-year-old Zinfandel vines. Although Zinfandel is usually my favorite, none of the four tastings excited me—perhaps it was just an off day for my palate, who knows.

    An affectionate cat named Franklyn visited us while Anina and I worked on our laptops, cuddling between us on the sofa. I’ve always preferred cats over dogs.

    Our salmon dinner with rice and zucchini was amazing, thanks to the chefs, Anina and Ursula!    Read more

  • Heinz ImhofTravelerHealdsburg, California 2024
    WeißbierBrown Butter ArtichockesSole FiletBeef Sort RibsHolstein Schnitzel

    More of Healdsburg

    June 23, 2024 in the United States ⋅ 🌙 61 °F

    Today was a leisurely Saturday that began with a late breakfast, followed by a relaxed day spent in and around Healdsburg. We revisited the farmers’ market and did some minor shopping.

    This charming little town on the Russion River and in the heart of Sonoma County was founded by Italian immigrants in the early 1900s. They initially farmed prunes and Grafenstein apples, but by the late '70s and early '80s, they began replacing these crops with grapes, finding them to be a more lucrative venture. Today, Sonoma County, along with Napa Valley to the west, Lodi County to the south, and Washington state to the north, is one of the largest wine-producing regions in the country. Healdsburg has roughly 12,000 inhabitants. There is basically no industry and the other than the shops and restaurants on the town square and along Healdsberg Avenue, it is made up of mostly single family homes of the typical California style. Every home takes pride in maintaining a meticulous front garden with plants and trees.

    In the afternoon, Anina's visitor cat, Franklin, paid us another visit. He seemed happy to lie on the cool kitchen floor as the outside temperature climbed into the upper 80s.

    We ended this beautiful and relaxing day with a lovely dinner at Tisza, a Hungarian-Czech restaurant on Healdsburg Avenue.

    This concludes our short trip. We are flying back to Texas tomorrow 🥲.    Read more

    Trip end
    June 23, 2024
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