Escape to Stinson Beach

I know this post is four months late, but I want to get through the backlog before getting ahead of myself... and the pictures were nice. Please enjoy this window into the recent past : )

On Black Friday, we escaped.

Sunset over Bolinas Lagoon.

While others were lining up outside Best Buy at 4am, or preparing for another night of roaming protests in the East Bay, or possibly experiencing a combination of shopping and protesting hordes in Union Square, we drove out to Stinson Beach for some peace and quiet.

Bench at Divide Meadow, Point Reyes National Seashore

Which we found in abundance. On Friday we drove up the divide to Point Reyes Station for lunch, and on the return trip down to Stinson Beach we stopped off at the Bear Valley visitors center for a short hike in the Point Reyes National Seashore, although we didn't see any seashore on our hike, just lovely trees and meadows.

Divide Meadow, Point Reyes National Seashore

The sun sets early in late November, and by the time we returned to Stinson Beach it was completely dark. Apparently the Stinsonites don't care much for streetlights or sidewalks, making the foray out for dinner somewhat fraught but memorable.  After a good night's sleep and satisfying breakfast, we headed out for Muir Woods, thinking the chill might just maybe keep some of the tour buses away (don't bet on it). On the way we had to stop for this view...

Blues, greys and greens. Marin Headlands

 Muir Woods is Muir Woods.  My favorite thing about Muir Woods is the smell- of dirt, trees, mulch, plants, damp and green. It smells fresh and old at the same time. Sometimes folks get off the tour bus with their white white sneakers and sweatshirts with crease lines on the sleeves, and they brush past in a hurry and a cloud of overpowering cologne. They came to see the trees maybe, but I think they missed the best part and they'll never know. 

Mist lurks above the trees. Muir Woods

Dubbed the "Magic Tree." Muir Woods

Classic shot. Muir Woods