All Aboard the Skunk Train!

We spent a few days in Fort Bragg, California recently. It was a birthday request of my Marcel's -- to ride the Skunk Train. I imagined we would ride the train one day and be hanging out in bookshops and cafes the rest of the time, which is fine with me. Little did I know how much else there was to discover in this sleepy little fishing town.

 

The 47 acre Mendocino Coast Botanical Gardens grows right down to the cliffs and is the only public garden in the continental United states that fronts the ocean. It rivals many big city gardens. I've been to some great ones over the years including Huntington Gardens in San Marino, California and Le Jardin des Paradis in Cordes-sur-Ciel, France and this one surpasses them in some ways -- the specimens, the setting, the calm. It's gorgeous.

 

 

A precious cemetery is cloistered within the garden. You can read about it here on Kathryn Hall's site.

 

 

You walk through gardens of rhododendrons, heathers, conifers, magnolias, ferns and then pop out at the ocean!

We had dinner one night at Piaci, a pizza pub. They make incredible combos of pizza using local ingredients and feature a dynamic brew menu. We had the Genoa pizza - spinach, carmelized onions and mushrooms on a crunchy thin, light crust; here's nothing worse than getting full on dough after your first slice.  I discovered a new favorite beer -- recommended by Diane, our server extraordinaire -- Old Rasputin Imperial Stout, brewed up the street at North Coast Brewing Company.

 

 

 

We had our morning coffee and our evening desserts at Headlands Coffee House which features live music nightly! What?! And they even have a payphone outside (note: this is important as I don't own a cell phone)!

 

 

There's more. Great small shops! A small city center; no chain stores, thank you. Next door to Headlands is a shop called Frame Mill Artworks that has the most finely curated inventory for a shop of this size that I've seen since, well since I was in Paris. How's that for a rave review. They have unique art gifts, letter press stationary, jewels, and design books that I haven't seen a hundred times already.

 

 

 

Some sweet shop fronts...

 

 

 

And don't let me forget about Glass Beach. This is getting long so I'll just include the Wikipedia link here. Some of my finds...

 

 

 

 

Wow. I forgot all about the whole reason we went. The Skunk Train! That was fun too!

Richard buying tickets while Marcel waits politely:

 

 

It's a four hour ride along the Noyo River. The narrative from motor man "Pepper" was so fascinating and rich in history. It's a great way to learn about a place. I really feel like I traveled back in time - to simpler times. There were small country camps with cabins -- some dating from the turn of the century -- nestled in the trees along the route. There were waterfalls and a 1,000 year old redwood tree. Here's a wonderful article from 1959 National Geographic if you want to learn more about the world of Skunk.

 

 

 

 

Skunk Train, circa 1959...

 

Click on the map to view the route...

 

 

Returning to one of the camps after grocery shopping in town (this lovely woman's daughter shared more details in the comments below)...

The thing is, I discovered exquisite elements of this small city (population 7,000) that I can't find back home (population 57,000). I really can't wait to go back to Fort Bragg and have some more of that pizza! some more of that brew! and good clean air! Did I mention that the people are incredibly charming? And with a streak of rugged individuality. Just like the food, drink, and landscape.