Healdsburg......something new.......... and revisiting a couple of our favorites!

Riverfront Regional Park near Healdsburg

We're enjoying our daily visits to check in with Sarah, Joey, James and Emma Joy.  They are getting along great and are requiring very little help as they all get acquainted and adjusted.
This has given us the opportunity to explore a couple of new places, as well as revisit some of our favorites from previous times we've been in this area.  In addition to Angel Island, which I wrote about in the previous blog, we also visited Healdsburg for the first time.
Healdsburg is a small city of around 12,000 that is located in Northern Sonoma County.  Known for it's numerous wineries, Healdsburg has been recognized numerous times as one of the top 10 small towns in America.  After visiting for a day, it's easy to see that the recognition it has received is well deserved.
Healdsburg
We had received a gift certificate for a wine tasting at the Michel-Schlumberger winery from Sarah and Joey that we were anxious to redeem.  It was a short 45 minute drive to reach Healdsburg, and we had a few other things on the itinerary before the wine tasting.  First up was a hike at Healdsburg Riverfront Regional Park.  This park, which features a small grove of redwood trees, is located adjacent to the Russian River, just a few miles out of the city of Healdsburg.  It had a nice two mile trail around one of the two small lakes in the park that we enjoyed, even though we had to occasionally tip toe around mud puddles left over from recent rains.

From the hiking trail at Riverfront Regional Park

Bald headed guy walking through the redwood grove.

After the hike we had time to enjoy a nice bbq lunch at KINsmoke BBQ which is located on the square in downtown Healdsburg.  When I think of really good BBQ, I don't typically think of California as a mecca for smoked meat, but we both agreed that the brisket and pork, as well as the sides, were all very good!

Brisket, Pork, Fried Pickles, Collard Greens and Cornbread......it doesn't get much better than that!

KINsmoke
We still had a little time before our reserved time at the winery so we enjoyed walking around the town square.  Although it was smaller than Sonoma's town square, we both felt that it was more diverse in the number and types of restaurants and shops, both on the square and in the surrounding blocks.
The winery was a few miles out of town, and was surrounded by acres and acres of grapevines in every direction.  It was an impressive sight, even though the vines are dormant for the winter.  We enjoyed a tasting of six different wines as well as charcuterie board of meats and cheeses.  We're certainly no experts when it comes to wine, but the tastings are always fun.

A beautiful afternoon for a wine tasting!

Cheers!

Michel-Schlumberger Winery
We had only one disappointment on our visit to Healdsburg.  Beth had found a place called Amy's Wicked Slush that looked amazing.  Although the website said it would be open, unfortunately it was closed.  I guess we'll have to go back sometime soon!

We sure wish this place would have been open!

Amy's Wicked Slush
During the week we also enjoyed revisiting  Bodega Bay and Stinson Beach.  It was Stinson Beach where we rang in 2019, not having any idea of the precious gift we'd get on the last day of the year!

Bodega Bay, a little windy and chilly but always scenic

Bodega Bay

Stinson Beach is long and wide and on a weekday in January pretty much empty!

Twelve Days Old!

Angel Island State Park

Ayala Cove.  It was previously known as "Hospital Cove" because the first quarantine hospital was in this area.  It is now the ferry terminal and park headquarters on Angel Island

In spite of having visited the bay area numerous times, we had never been to Angel Island.  The 1.2 square mile island is located in San Francisco Bay.  To the south of Angel Island is Alcatraz Island and San Francisco.  North of the island is the city of Tiburon, which is located in Marin County.
Unless you have wealthy friends in the bay area who own a boat,  you'll need to take a ferry to reach Angel Island.  Ferry service runs from both San Francisco and Tiburon.  If you're visiting from San Francisco it would be using the Blue & Gold Fleet Ferry Service.  From Tiburon you would use the Angel Island Tiburon Ferry Service.  The schedules vary throughout the year so make sure you are looking at the appropriate schedule if you are planning a visit.
Blue & Gold Ferry Service San Francisco to Angel Island
Angel Island Tiburon Ferry Company
If you're looking for great hikes in a historic setting away from the hustle and bustle of the city, Angel Island is the perfect place to spend a day.  Even though we visited on a weekend, it was off season so the ferry and the island itself were not crowded.  Although some services on the island (bike rental, café, shuttle tours) were closed, we found that to be a small trade off for the peacefulness we were able to enjoy.  The small visitors center/museum was open and is well worth investing 15-20 minutes of time at the beginning or end of your day.

Angel Island Visitors Center

Angel Island
The land that now makes up Angel Island has a long and interesting history.  If you go back ten thousand years it wasn't an island, but a part of the mainland.  It was cut off by the rise in sea levels from a previous "global warming" event, known as the end of the ice age.
Jumping forward a bit, in 1863 during the Civil War, the US Army built an artillery on the island to help defend San Francisco in case it was attacked by confederate troops.
In the 1880's the army designated the entire island as Fort McDowell.  In addition to a traditional fort, facilities were built to serve as a quarantine station as well as a discharge depot for troops returning from the Spanish-American War.  The quarantine station was an attempt to reduce the threat of Bubonic plague from Asian passengers prior to them being allowed on the mainland.  It continued to serve as a transit station for troops during World War I and World War II.  During World War II it also was used as a detention station for Japanese, German and Italian immigrant residents of Hawaii who had been detained as well as Japanese and German prisoners of war.
From 1910 to 1940 a part of the island known as China Cove was used as an immigration station.  Immigrants from 84 different countries were processed here, however, for the approximately one million Chinese immigrants that came through Angel Island the journey was a difficult one.  Because of the Chinese Exclusion Act immigrants from China were put through a rigorous background check, physical examination and disinfection process. Sometimes this process was only a couple of weeks in length but other immigrants were detained for up to two years before being admitted or denied entry into the US.  The housing conditions for these immigrants were described as being deplorable.
While many of the buildings in the immigration station were destroyed by fire in 1940, some buildings remain and are now open to the public as a museum.  There is a small admission fee (currently $5) for the museum.  Unfortunately due to time constraints we decided to save the museum for another visit.

Immigration Station Museum

In 1955 the California State Park Commission purchased 38 acres of land around Ayala Cove which is where the ferries dock.  This was the original Angel Island State Park.  Additional acreage was purchased in 1959 and the park was expanded.  In 1962 the last of the Department of Defense operations were removed from the island and in December of that year the entire island became Angel Island State Park.  From what I have been able to learn, there are a few tent campsites on Angel Island, but these sites are very popular and extremely difficult to book.  For all practical purposes Angel Island State Park is a "day use" facility.
We took the ferry from Tiburon ($15 round trip which included park admission), which is a short fifteen minute ride.  Along the way we had great views of the waterfront area of Tiburon, Alcatraz, the San Francisco skyline and were entertained by numerous seals and sea lions playing and feeding in the chilly water.
The ferries dock in Ayala Cove where the park headquarters are located.  There are restrooms, visitors center, and picnic tables located in this area.  During busier times of the year the café and bike rental station is located here as well.
There are numerous trailheads that can be accessed from Ayala Cove.  Some of these trails traverse the inner section of the small island and pass over Mt. Livermore, which at 788 feet above sea level is the highest point on the island.  We opted for the longest (5.5 miles) and flattest trail, the Perimeter Road trail.
As the name implies, the Perimeter Road trail goes around the entire island.  Also, it's actually a road so it's paved surface would be good for bicycles as well.  A short walk up a somewhat steep path will lead you to the Perimeter Road trail.  Don't be intimated by this section, it's by far the steepest grade of trail you'll encounter.

Near the Perimeter Road Trailhead.  In the background is Ayala Cove

Once you reach the trail, you have two options, left or right.  We chose to go left (counterclockwise) which means our 360 degree view out from the island went from looking back at Tiburon to Berkley/Oakland, the Bay Bridge, San Francisco, and finished with the Golden Gate Bridge.  The views were nothing short of spectacular the entire time.  We made a couple of diversions off the trail to spend a little bit of time in the immigration station area where there are numerous informational displays (don't miss the memorial wall) and Quarry Beach.

Quarry Beach.  The Bay Bridge and San Francisco Skyline in the background

Nice looking buck grazing alongside the trail.  There is a large, managed deer population on the island.

If you're planning to hike the entire Perimeter Road trail you can't go wrong going in either direction.  If you are going to do just part of the trail, the views going clockwise are probably a little more dramatic.  If you're interested in the immigration station museum, a counterclockwise direction will get you there first.  Below are a few more photos from along the Perimeter Road Trail.

Tiburon, with Mt. Tam in the background.

Quarry Beach, with Berkley/Oakland in the background.

Alcatraz, with the San Francisco skyline in the background.

Golden Gate Bridge!

We caught the last ferry (currently 3:30) back to Tiburon.  Our only regret for the day was that we had not gotten an earlier start and taken one of the first two ferries to the island in the morning instead of the 11:00 ferry.
Angel Island was a very pleasant surprise and is a place we look forward to visiting again in the future!

New Years Day at the San Francisco Zoo

James loved the animals, but the playground was just as much fun!

We kicked off the new year in San Francisco.  While much of the city seemed to still be recovering from their New Years Eve celebrations, Beth, James and I were up and moving early.  First up was a visit to the hospital to spend a little time with Sarah, Joey and Emma Joy.  The trio had a nice first night together.  Sarah's hospital room overlooked the city and she said they were able to see some of the city's fireworks.  While most folks think the fireworks were ringing in the new year, we know they were really announcing the arrival of Emma Joy.

James wishing Emma Joy a Happy New Year!

Brother and sister are already bonding

After a short visit to the hospital, Beth, James and I were off to the San Francisco Zoo.  We had enjoyed previous visits to the Oakland Zoo, which is quite nice, but this was our first time at the San Francisco Zoo.
San Francisco Zoo
The zoo is in an incredible location.  It's a 100 acre tree filled park located a short 3-5 minute walk from the very scenic sand and crashing waves of Ocean Beach.
The zoo itself is really nice, with a wide variety of animals.  Among our many favorites were the grizzly bear and outdoor penguin displays.  James also really enjoyed the "bug exhibit", racing from one display to another looking at spiders, Madagascar Hissing Cockroaches, beetles and more.  He also loved the huge playground that was full of all types of playground equipment that was themed for various regions around the world (rainforest, desert, polar region, etc.).  The zoo was so nice and so large that we enjoyed it for longer than we had originally anticipated.  If you're visiting San Francisco, it's a great place to spend a few hours or an entire day.  The close proximity to the beach is an added bonus.

The Zoo Christmas Display was still up and added to the festivities of the day.

The carousel at the zoo is the last one hand crafted by William Dentzel.  The horses were all carved by hand.  It's been enjoyed by young and old alike since 1921. 

Enjoying a ride on a John Deere in the petting zoo area.

He asked me to climb through the hole......…..I passed!

It was hard to get him off the playground!

Below are a few ideas/suggestions if you are planning a visit:

• Admission is reasonable.  Currently $22 for adults.  Children 3 and under are free.  If you have a zoo membership elsewhere, check to see if it is reciprocal with the SF Zoo.   With our ZooTampa membership our admission was half price.
• Parking is $13 in the zoo parking lot.  There is free parking up and down Sloat Blvd. which runs along side the zoo.  We got there early enough that we found free parking just a few blocks up the street.
• Food and beverage is expensive, but you can bring your own.  I would advise you to do so or be prepared to pay "stadium prices".
• Check the hours.  The current hours are 10:00-4:00 but they may vary throughout the year. 

After the zoo we pulled into a nice parking space overlooking Ocean Beach.  Unfortunately it was a little too windy and chilly for us to get out and on the beach.  Beth and I sat for a few minutes enjoying looking out at the large waves and kite surfers, who with full wet suits, were enjoying the windy conditions.

Looking north along Ocean Beach Boaardwalk on a chilly, windy afternoon.

As for James, he missed it.  He fell sound asleep on the one minute drive from the zoo to the beach, slept while we were parked at the beach, as well as on the entire drive back to Sarah and Joey's house.

Emma Joy!

Emma Joy!

On Tuesday December 31 at 1:11 PM the big moment arrived.  Miss Emma Joy was born (7 pounds 6 ounces, 20.5 inches)!  She's named after her Great Grandmother (NaNa), whose actual name is Emma Joyce, but has always been known as Emma Joy.
It wasn't an easy pregnancy for Sarah or Emma Joy, but I am so grateful to report that they are both home and doing well.
For Sarah, Joey, James, Mimi and Pop it was love at first sight, and we've all competed with one another the past few days to hold her.  James has been the perfect big brother, watching over her intently, helping, loudly and laughingly proclaiming "she did it again" every time she poops!

Dad escorting "Big Brother" to meet "Little Sister"

Love at first sight!

Beautiful mom with her two beautiful children

Beth and I feel very fortunate that we've been able to be here to help out as Sarah recovers and everyone gets used to the new and precious member of the family.

Mimi!

 I'm also thrilled that I now have a birthday buddy!  We're just separated by 62 years!

Birthday Buddies!

A Tucker Family Christmas..........California style!

My early birthday celebration.  Carrot cake and we're all together...….real good stuff!

This Christmas was unlike any previous Christmas for Beth and I.  Although we have often traveled on Christmas day, it was the first time that we hadn't spent at least part of Christmas day in Florida.
It was also the first time in several years that our entire immediate family was together on Christmas day.
To make this happen we traveled 3,000 miles cross country on Christmas eve to California to be with Sarah, James and Joey.  As usual, we relied on our favorite, mostly domestic airline, Southwest Airlines to get us here.  Which also as usual, they did efficiently and with smiles on their faces.
Our route was through Dallas, where we were joined by Ben, who had driven from Pennsylvania a few weeks earlier to visit with friends.

Food, Family and Fun!

Christmas mornings are so much more special when there are small children.  We all enjoyed watching the festivities unfold as James enjoyed opening packages with unbridled excitement.  It was wonderful to experience through his eyes while we were all under one roof.

No lumps of coal for this guy!

Ben was with us until early morning on December 31, when he flew back to Texas.  I'm a little behind in my blogging.  He has since made the drive safely back to Pennsylvania.  We were grateful that he had a friend join him and his dog Allie for the ride back.

Ben teaching James the finer points of running the bases

Boxcar Fried Chicken in Sonoma...…...it's excellent!

Ben instructing Sarah on the fine art of Chalk Couture...……...he had plenty of previous experience

Mimi and James making playdough pizzas!

Three Amigos!

Downtown Petaluma

Sunday morning stroll through Sausalito

The days were so special.   They were mostly filled with just simply spending time together...…. laughing, eating and waiting on a very special delivery!