March 16: Lodge Guestbook Entry

We just spent three days and two nights in Ft. Bragg at the Lodge at Noyo River which was BEAUTIFUL! The people of Ft. Bragg tend to write books when they go places. There was a journal in each room to record people's thoughts, which is downright nifty. You get a real sense of the individuals who stayed there before you. I was amused to note one restaurant also did this. Anyway, this is what I wrote in the Room 5 guestbook: (footnotes added later)

My son-in-law drew me for the Christmas exchange and a two night stay here was his present. I have been very excited about it. I've been hearing about the beauties of the Mendocino Coast and I was also eager to have a romantic weekend. The literature says "relaxation tubs" so I invested in some, uh, "interesting" bath oil. Imagine my disappointment to arrive in a rainstorm and discover no bathtub! Even the shower is too small for two! (I should have known, right? My daughter wouldn't be that eager to get her folks off on a ROMANTIC weekend, now would she? Actually, I suspect they picked what others have called the "best room at the Lodge"!) Anyway, I figured we darnwell better see the ghost now.*

The rain cleared, we saw whales, marsh hawks, and black oystercatchers(!) We rode the Skunk Train. Glass Beach* was fun for beachcombing.

I like those monster cups of coffee at breakfast! We ate at the North Coast Brewing Company, the Main Street Diner, and Carine's. Good food! (Mama Carine doesn't take credit cards but she didn't make us wash too many dishes!)*

This is our first American B&B, though we've been to them in England. Very pleasant. Pretty nifty Christmas present!

Somebody should name the bear, though. I called him Oliver.
And how on earth did people put any clothes away in that tiny (though gorgeous) wardrobe?

Oh, yes, the romance part was good, too. 33+ years, we still have that spark! I don't even mind not seeing the ghost! (What does it do, the legendary piggyback ride?)* Anyway, thanks Mark and Monica! May you continue as happy as we are.)

Footnotes: *The ghosts, we finally found out, are a honeymoon couple from the 40s, he in light slacks, she a blonde in a red dress, who were staying in room 5 and killed on highway 1.
*Glass Beach was a dump from 1949 to 1967 so there are heaps of rusted-together iron and stuff there. It also was the site of a glass factory. Instead of pebbles on the beach, there are ocean-smoothed glass and pottery bits. Beachcombing is wonderful. (I found it hard to believe that as recently as 1967 people were just flinging their trash into the ocean.)
*Joke.
*In one of the diaries that has been put away, apparently, 9-18-92, the residents recorded their activities and it seems to have included a nude piggyback ride. I call it "legendary" because a lot of other people mention it, mostly saying they didn't try it. Nor did we. (I've been recording my efforts at weight loss, right?)