7-14-2021 FORT BRAGG, CA

 

Does that tree on the left look big
enough for you?!

Again, the route to our next stop was not so far, 195 miles, but it was more than a 5 hour drive.  The signs alerted us to twists and dives and Noobee was slowed sometimes to 15 mph.  At the same time, the stunning, majestic redwood trees took our breath away.  Really a love-fear situation.

 

Our new campsite at Hidden Pines in Fort Bragg has it all over the last few camps.  First of all, Barry Murphy, our park baby-sitter, was a delightful, crusty old soul who looked like an old miner to me.  He never left us alone for a minute, couldn’t, had to help, and talked the whole time about this and that. 

Hidden Pines RV Park

Turns out he was, in his words, “nearly a professional chef at one point, by golly!”  On the spot right there near the bath houses, he gave me all the particulars of his signature French onion soup.  My mental tape recorder was running.  Do you want it?

My buddy, Barry Murphy

 

My Signature French Onion Soup by Barry Murphy, Nearly-Professional-Chef

 

In a baking pan, lay a big pile of meaty beef bones and beef scraps, onions, celery, carrots and whatever other seasonings you use.  You know, the usual.

Bake this in a 350F oven for 8 hours.  The meat will make a lot of juice.

Pour all of this in a soup pot, cover with water, bring to a boil and then reduce to a simmer for an hour.

Turn the heat off and let the pot stand overnight on the pilot light so all the flavors can get familiar with each other.  The next day, bring it to a boil and reduce to a simmer for another hour.

Strain it, saving the broth and throwing the rest of it out.  Keep the broth hot.

Caramelize a lot of onions.  Add them to the broth.

Ladle into hot tureens.

Put a chunk of toast or croutons on the surface and cover with a slice of cheese.  Ready to serve.

(Me:  “But Barry, don’t you have to put it under the broiler for a few seconds to melt the cheese?”  Barry:  “Well, of course.  That’s just common sense.”)

 

An Indian tribe called the Pomo inhabited this area centuries ago.  They were basically hunters and gatherers and a peaceful people.  The Spanish missionaries came along in the early 1800s and convinced a lot of the Pomo to put on clothes and Christian up.  While they were at it, they pillaged a lot of the Pomo land, sea and hunting grounds, brought unfamiliar diseases to the tribe and pretty much decimated them.  Near the town of Fort Bragg, the sea meets the shore at a stormy area called Pomo Bluffs.  The name Pomo is sprinkled all over but that is about all that is left of the Pomo Indians.

Roberto on the Pomo Bluffs

 

The Point Cabrillo Light stands five miles south along the rocky coast.  The third order Fresnel lens is still intact and the light is still functioning to alert mariners, assuming the fog ever lifts, which it hasn’t since we arrived.  The original timer-clock has a 92 pound weight attached and it unrolls a cable which turns a set of gears that causes the light to flash about 15 miles out to sea every 10 seconds or 40 seconds per full revolution of the lens.  The lightkeeper had to rewind the cable every one hour and forty five minutes. 

Point Cabrillo Light

The lighthouse clockworks -
The weight attached to the rope
(or chain) turns the barrel that
turns the set of gears -
the top one rotates the light

Model of the ship Frolic

 

On July 25, 1850, a cargo ship, the Frolic, was sailing nearby and the first mate saw breakers.  He alerted Captain Faucon who said that was impossible.  The mate was right, the captain was wrong.  The Frolic was dashed upon the rocks and destroyed.  It was loaded with precious cargo and this was its last sail before they were to retire the ship.  (Never, ever say, “This is my last run.”  I learned this in downhill skiing.  You always say, “This is my penultimate run!”)  Well, as the ship foundered on the rocks, Captain Faucon managed to save 4 bottles of wine, 2 bottles of brandy and some crackers (for the appetizer).  At least the guy had his priorities in order.  Anyway, that took place in 1850 and it took 58 more years for the government to see the light, as it were, and construct a lighthouse on the point.  It was decommissioned for 27 years but then, it was wisely activated again in 1999.

 

This evening, an excellent seafood dinner at the Harborview Inn Restaurant.  We will now head east toward home.  Next stop, Grass Valley, California and maybe some sunshine.