Sunday, October 16, 2011

Heading Inland

We said goodbye to the West Coast but not before I visited Glass Beach. Years ago when I was in the area and looking for things to do, I read that there was a beach in Fort Bragg, CA, that was famous for sea glass. How cool! I went and was amazed by all the pretty glass and I was not alone. There were people there gathering it up in buckets! Later I learned that the glass was actually from an offshore dump that was in use from 1949 to 1967. Wow! What a gimmick! Get the tourists to clean up the beach! Although I have to wonder what happened to the rest of the trash? All you see on the beach is glass. Where is all the metal and plastic from the dump? Is there a Metal Beach or a Plastic Beach?

Here's my sunset shot of the coast at Glass Beach.


And here's a closeup of the beach. Understandably, it doesn't have nearly as much glass as when I was there about 8 years ago, but if you come at low tide, you can still find it.


In fact, they have turned part of the beach into a state park and don't allow scavenging, but I went outside the park and got a handful.

So here's my other thought. Since it's obviously a tourist attraction, why doesn't the Fort Bragg Chamber of Commerce start throwing their city's glass recyclables out in the ocean? (I bet you're wondering if I'm kidding.)

We also spent a lovely evening with friends of Ron's who he knew from high school. The wonderful thing to me is that Mary and Bob met in the first grade and were high school sweethearts. They are a special couple and I thoroughly enjoyed meeting them.


We zipped across California (so unlike us) and landed at a casino in Sparks, Nevada, for a few days. Close by was a wonderful bike path along the Truckee River.


We took it from Sparks to Reno (not as far as it sounds) where we admired the pretty downtown.



We're back to the desert with its colorful sunsets.

7 comments:

  1. That's very interesting about the glass beach.

    My brother lives in Reno so your pictures of the Truckee River looked very familiar. I love those hanging baskets on the pedestrian bridge. Thanks for the memories!

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  2. The beach glass is a good decoration and how the sea and pebbles have rounded it over the years. The bike trail looks good and a beautiful sunset shot. You certainly get to throughly appreciate your country.

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  3. Love the glass beach! Was I there? If I didn't take a picture, I don't remember...

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  4. We have a couple of jars full of beach glass. Some years back we lived on the beach outside of NY harbor and picked up glass often, as well as some really old bottles still intact.

    They are really pretty when light shines thru the jars.

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  5. I used to pick up tiny bits of glass on the beach in Brooklyn..it was like pea sized...SO COOL and I know you are kidding right?LOL
    I recall that song Darcy Farrow...one line says "They dream of her beauty from the Truckee river...they dream of her beauty in Virginia City too...at dusky sundown to her name they drink a round and to young Dandy whose love was true."
    You didnt know I could sing eh?
    teehee.
    awesome sundown shot...besse

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  6. Glass beach is cool. It isn't cool here in Phoenix. Take you time coming inland.

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  7. Beach glass is so beautiful. I actually have one of those glass float that a friend gave me last year. I haven't been lucky enough to find a whole one myself, so I'm glad that he was willing to share one from his beach-combing collection.

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