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| Occidental.......the halfway point on the Bohemian Highway |
There is a 10-mile, very winding drive between Monte Rio and Freestone that is known as the Bohemian Highway. It is frequently listed as one of California's most scenic drives, which is high praise since the state has so many beautiful drives. I did a little research and tried to find how many curves there were in the ten-mile journey, but I couldn't find a definitive answer. The sources that I checked all used terms like "a lot" and "many". Trust me, they're not exaggerating. If you've ever driven Hawaii's road to Hana, think just as curvy, only shorter in length.
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| It even looks winding on Google Maps! |
Approximately mid-way along the journey is the small village of Occidental (pop. 1,100). It's a great place to stop, stretch your legs and let your body and brain get back in sync before taking on the second half of the drive. Along the Bohemian Highway in Occidental there are about 2-3 blocks of shops and restaurants. We were excited to discover El Mariachi Cafe, a small Mexican food restaurant that was described as "inexpensive". The word "inexpensive" is rarely used to describe anything in California. We were thrilled that it was not only very good, but that it also turned out to be inexpensive. We enjoyed a nice lunch for two for fifteen dollars.........not bad anywhere, but especially out here!
Near the Freestone end of the Bohemian Highway is Wild Flour Bread. We learned about Wild Flour Bread from Sarah. She had learned about it from a friend, proving once again the power of word-of-mouth advertising.
Wild Flour Bread
There's a good chance you may start smelling the bread and other goodies baking in the brick oven before you actually see the small bakery. You'll also know you're there by the cars filling the parking lot and parking alongside the road. We were there mid/late on a weekday morning and the line (which moved quickly) was about 20 people deep. There is no indoor seating at Wild Flour Bakery, but there is a small garden that has tables and chairs where you can relax and enjoy the amazing goodies baked up by the friendly staff. The bakery is open Friday-Monday from 8:00-6:00. I'd be surprised if there is much left late in the day. The day we were there several items were already sold out............but don't worry we found plenty! We walked away with a loaf of the Occidental Bread, a sticky bun, and two scones which we enjoyed over the next several days.
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| Waiting patiently |
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| The breads are on display through the large front window. Your order is filled as it is placed so the line moves quickly. |
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| The menu of breads stays pretty much the same.......... |
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| the scones and cookies change a bit from day to day. |
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| The garden behind the bakery is worth taking a few minutes to explore.......... |
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| .....or to enjoy a tasty treat, fresh from the oven.. |
The Bohemian Highway is a lot like life itself. It's a beautiful journey that throws a bunch of curves at you along the way, but there are also adventures and treats to savor...........enjoy the ride!
