Santa Rosa and Piercy, CA (3/18 through 3/22/2020)

Santa Rosa is the largest city in the California wine growing region with roughly 178,000 residents.  It is fairly close to Calistoga, separated by a small mountain range that is easily crossed.  I visited there primarily because I had quickly seen everything still open in Napa Valley.  In other words, it was simply an exploration.  I found some interesting buildings, art and parks, as well as the home of the famous botanist Luther Burbank.  During his 55 year horticultural career, Burbank developed more than 800 varieties or strains of plants...flowers, fruits and vegetables...before he died in 1926.

Coincidentally, while I was in Santa Rosa, I received a phone call from my son, Randy, who asked if I had seen evidence of the fire.  Since I didn't know what fire he was referring to, he explained that a huge wildfire had occurred there a couple years ago.  Driving back to camp later, I looked for signs of the fire and saw some trees with charred trunks, but not what you would expect.

My curiosity aroused, I did some research and learned quite a lot about the "Tubbs Fire", as it was named.  Starting near Tubbs Lane in Calistoga on Oct. 8, 2017, the fire  wasn't contained until Oct.31.  Fanned by strong winds, the fire raged down the mountain into Santa Rosa, burning 37,000 acres and destroying 5600 homes.  There were 22 fatalities and damage was estimated at $1.3 billion, the most destructive fire in California history.  (The "Camp Fire of 2018 superseded it, however.)

Much of the damage to forest was in ravines  and canyons, where the winds were strengthened by the funneling effect of the terrain.  Most of the badly burned trees have since been removed, those simply charred appear to be recovering nicely.  The fire's worst effects were in a couple of Santa Rosa neighborhoods.  Fountain Grove, an expensive neighborhood on a hill, was totally destroyed.  Restoration is underway, delayed by some problem with the water supply.  Many lots are still bare or have only foundation remains, while some new houses are now under construction and some have been completed.  I saw a few RVs being used as living quarters.

It was widely assumed the fire was caused by faulty equipment owned by Pacific Gas & Electric, since that has been the official cause of other California wildfires.  However, after a year long investigation, CalFire concluded the fire was caused by substandard electrical equipment on private property.  That finding as a complete surprise, since any evidence of this was actually destroyed by the fire.  Subsequently, evidence of sparking in PG&E power lines was presented as the real cause.  The case is ongoing in the courts, but PG&E declared bankruptcy in the face of $30 billion in fire damage claims over several years.

The morning I left Calistoga was bright and sunny.  Fog in the valleys was lifting as I drove by, which I thought made a cool scene.

Next, I spent four days in Piercy, a place too small to be called a town, near several groves of coast redwoods, including a 31 mile stretch called the "Avenue of Giants".  These massive trees make dense forests, thought by many to be the home of Bigfoot.  It is definitely the home of cheesy attractions where one can walk or even drive through large redwoods, or where someone has made a "house" in a tree stump or log.

By driving a narrow, twisting road through the forest,  I visited a community known as Shelter Cove in an area called the "Lost Coast".  This is because the King Mountain range that surrounds it was deemed too difficult to allow construction of the highway being built along the rest of the coast, so it was bypassed.

The coastal cliffs here are a combination of volcanic basalt and several layers of sedimentary rock, including dark sandstone.  The sand created by erosion has resulted in black beaches throughout this region.

The rocky shore is a favorite resting area for harbor seals that can be readily found sunning themselves..

There is a lighthouse, actually moved from its original location up the coast and restored here.  The lens was removed and replaced by some creative lighting.

I was surprised by the number of houses in such a remote location.  Locals explained that most are vacation homes, B&Bs and lodges.  It must be a popular place for the wealthy to fly in to the small airstrip to "get away from it all".  While I was there, an ultralight plane took off and began circling over the coastline.

Next to my campground, a thicket was home to a large flock of California quail.  These birds are similar to Gambel's quail seen widely in the southwest, but with slightly different coloration.  About 100 or more of them came to the campground each morning to scratch for food.