road trip: northernmost
The following is a photo diary of the most stunning, most delicious, most laughter filled, wine buzzed, campfire smoked out, road trip I have ever experienced. With a literal truck load of wine, Wagyu, a few Yetis full of fresh produce, cooking equipment and a couple of my best mates, I set out from Sacramento to explore the Northernmost reaches of California’s coast and beyond. Photos by Mike Battey (and a couple of my own 35mm shots).
Our first stop, Point Reyes, was for oysters and abalone at Hog Island, followed by a beautiful cook up on the beach with friends from nearby San Francisco. Hog Island and the entire Point Reyes area is one of my favorite escapes from Sacramento and immediately brings back memories of exploring as a child with my adventurous parents. Cruising through foggy, floral, wild Elk studded hills, we made our way down to the beach to get cracking on a fire (and some bottles of chardonnay). While the massive fire burned down to a manageable bed of coals, I popped out to the surrounding bluffs to forage some cress, flowers, and beach herbs. I returned to the fire and friends to quickly produce some cold oysters with chili lime mignonette, and a comforting corn chowder with grilled abalone and the aforementioned wild herbs.
Heavy fog and mist descended upon us as we cleaned our chowder bowls and packed up. The dark and windy road lead to our camp site in Bodega Bay, but not before a pitstop at my favorite bar, The Old Western, in Pt. Reyes Station for some fireside live music, frothy beers and potato chips. Our time at our campsite in Bodega Bay was short lived; just enough time to rest, have some coffee, a planning sesh, and a quick breakfast.
Camp coffee is always the best coffee
A short drive up sunny Highway 1 took us to Goat Rock Beach just outside of Jenner, where the mighty Russian River spills into the Pacific. My secret spot along the river, protected from the winds by a giant cypress grove, served as our spot for Wagyu Burgers, a few wines, and my first “shower” of the trip. I was actually able to make it the entire week with only bathing in the native waters, thanks to Nomadix - a producer of some super cool micro-fiber towels that dry quickly and pack away to practically nothing.
The next leg of the journey to Jug Handle Creek Farm in Mendocino was definitely not a short one. We stopped off in one of my favorite towns, Point Arena for a quick refresh for the ice chests and bellies, and kept chugging along. The campsite on the coastal farm was nestled right into the Redwoods, with large private sites with plenty of room for us to spread out and create our own zones. After grilling up some venison racks and smashing some Oregon Pinot we explored the completely empty nearby beach. The lantern lit the trail that started in the Redwoods and ended in gnarled, coastal cypress, which gave way to a beautifully open, sandy blue beach. Our morning after at Jug Handle was celebrated with an epic breakfast skillet and plenty of coffee to shake the wine fog before hitting the road once more.
Before heading inland from Mendocino towards our friend’s organic farm in Humboldt County, we stopped along the coast for a quick tailgater in one of the most swoon-worthy spots of the entire trip. We played around on the beach and river banks as we smoked a tri-tip and a few joints - the Barebones All in One proved once more to be the hero of the trip, this time taking the form of a grill and smoker.
After leaving triple digit heats at home I didn’t think we’d look forward to leaving the coast, but heading inland away from the coastal chill and diving into the mountains, Redwoods, and warm rivers of Humboldt County was most welcome and damn near utopic. A stop at our friend’s organic farm, High Totem, offered a full Cowboy Barbeque setup, camping and fishing right on the Trinity River, and plenty of goods from the farm. We nearly shed a tear when we were greeted by warm hearted new friends with gifts of fresh Humboldt oysters, peaches, produce, and a couple cold ones to drink on our way to the river. This all led to a night I’ll never forget. That night we gathered and feasted on grilled summer squash from the garden, and grilled steaks with chimichurri and roasted potatoes with fresh spring onions. S’mores and more wine sealed the deal before passing out with a view of the heavens.
Thank you, High Totem, for the most gorgeous spot and endless hospitality!
We were reluctant to leave, but the road back to the coast included plenty of foraging, gathering, and general tomfoolery.
Our last stop at Big Lagoon in Trinidad was so ideal we decided to stay an extra night rather than continue North, which proved to be the best decision ever. Situated on a giant salt water lagoon warmed by the sun and shallow waters, our camp site had everything we needed. Kayaking, swimming, cooking, picturesque trails, and the comforting fact of not having to hit the road the next day led to some of the trips best moments and meals. The beach near our campsite was home to my favorite “kitchen” set-up which produced a rockfish ceviche and blistered shishitos for a sunset happy hour, a surf and turf dish from a dream, and a miso glazed halibut dinner, all washed down with the remaining stock of wines from Union Wine Company. I can’t wait to revisit the Big Lagoon campsite and simply sharing these stories make my heart yearn for more time in the warm water of the lagoon.
The cherry on top of our trip was some time spent together in Trinidad before hitting the road back home. We enjoyed the “luxury” of a restaurant with endless hot coffee, a bit of relaxation, and some time to be grateful for everything we had done and everyone who made it all possible. This trip wouldn’t have been possible without the help from Union Wine Company, First Light Wagyu, Nomadix and High Totem. Barebones Living and Cobram Estate layed the foundation for all of the dishes we cooked, and last but not certainly not least a - a huge THANK YOU to Mike Battey for capturing it all and Ben Leibold for somehow functioning on the level of a three person support crew all by himself.
