fter pulling off Highway 1 and
drifting down Lansing Street be
L JLtween beautiful houses and a
rocky cliff above the Pacific Ocean,
Mendocino, Calif., unfolds.
Lansing Street seems to drive straight
into the picturesque seascape of Men
docino Bay, juxtaposed surrealistically
behind the village and invoking the in
stinct to pull out a camera.
The Mendocino area, or just "Men
do" to the locals, relies heavily on
tourism centered on the area's histori
cal roots and coastal beauty.
Mendocino Bay sings a sirens' song
to shutterbugs who want that perfect
crashing wave shot or close-ups of tide
pool creatures. But photographers are
warned to stay aware of their surround
ings and watch for sneaker waves.
The history of the area is meticu
lously documented. The Kelley and
Ford Houses offer libraries of jour
nals, photos and other records about
Mendocino's origin. Mendocino,
founded in 1852, still retains a num
ber of old houses. Most noteworthy
are those dating back to the 1870s
and 1880s.
To keep the intimate atmosphere of
the village alive, supermarkets, fast
food restaurants and motels are com
pletely absent. There is a nice hotel or
two in the village, but the nearest Safe
way is 11 miles north in Fort Bragg
The largest town in Mendocino
County with a population of about
6,000, Fort Bragg also has its roots in
the 1850s when it was created as a
temporary military outpost.
More than 60 silent films, advertise
ments, educational videos, TV series
and movies have been shot in Mendo
since 1904. A brief scan of the book
outlining these films will reveal titles in
cluding "East of Eden," "Cujo," "Karate
Kid — Part III," 'The Fugitive" and 'The
Majestic." The house used in the televi
sion series "Murder, She Wrote" also
stands in the center of town.
The numerous festivals in the Men
docino area celebrate everything from
whale watching to wine tasting. Most
notably, the Fourth of July parade —
voted best parade in the nation by
Newsweek— music festivals, wine fes
tivals and whale watcher gatherings at
tract the most people. Also popular is
the gallery scene within the village. A
heavy art culture spawned in the 1970s
has developed throughout the decades.
The North Coast Brewing Company
1566 W 2nd * Eugtrii
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Mendocino
Estimated Distance: 450 miles
to Mendocino from Eugene
Estimated time: 8-9 hours driving
Estimated expenses: Vanes greatly
depending on activities, but about
$40 per day minimum including gas
in Fort Bragg has been hailed by the
Beverage Testing Institute of Chicago
as "one of the 10 Best Breweries in the
World." It offers daily tours and sam
ples of their award-winning brews
such as the dark Old Rasputin Russian
Imperial Stout and the Belgian-style
PranQster Golden Ale. Across the
street, the tap room and grill serve
tasty lunches and dinners at reason
able prices.
Mendocino County has a lot to of
fer in available campsites and outdoor
activities. The Outdoor Store in Fort
Bragg provides everything one would
need, and a number of pocket books
Courtesy Damien Sherwood
Picturesque Mendocino Bay’s sporadic weather rarely deters the multitude of outdoor
enthusiasts and photographers who visit each year.
by Bob Lorentzen detail all the major
parks and trails in the area.
"(Lorentzen's) a local guy, so his
maps are accurate," Outdoor Store
employee Brian Miller said.
He added that non-local authors
don't detail their maps as intimately. A
resident for almost a year, Miller says
his favorite place to hike or bike is the
Forest History Trail seven miles east of
Mendocino on Little Lake Road.
"It's pretty rugged," Miller said of
the trail. "The biking is intermediate
to advanced. Probably leaning more
toward advanced."
Miller also recommends anywhere
you can stop for beach walks, but says
MacKerricher Park and Ten Mile
Beach, located just a few miles north
of Fort Bragg, are definitely the best.
If campers are looking for a real
outdoors experience, though, the best
place to stop is the Lost Coast, about
an hour north of Fort Bragg. It gets its
name from its location in the middle
of the Sinkyone Wilderness State Park,
miles from any highway. Hikers pay
$3 per person per night when they
register to camp and begin an adven
ture that takes them through about 17
miles of coastal canyons, forests and
beaches. It takes around two to three *
days to reach the end of the trail, but
serious campers love it.
Another popular but more expen- *
sive activity around Mendo is at Catch
A Canoe & Bicycles, Too! As the name
suggests, tourists can rent canoes,
kayaks, outriggers and all sorts of bi
cycles. Boaters have the choice of tak
ing a trip into the Mendocino Bay or
following Big River inland. Big River
winds through a canyon and stays
tidal for about eight miles, making it *
the longest unspoiled estuary in
Northern California.
"Since we're in an estuary, it doesn't
really get crazy," resident Jim Rae said.
"People that don't go boating all the
time can have a really great time."
Damien Sherwood is a freelance
reporter for the Emerald.
VEGAS
continued from page 4B
more dangerous for tourists. I parked
the Vespa at the casinos, and after
losing almost $100 at blackjack be
tween the Tropicana and MGM
Grand, decided to take my money to
the sports bar and treat my four com
panions to beers.
We relaxed and cleaned up for our
final night and waited at Rain, a club
at the Palms. Rain sits kitty-comer to
another popular nightspot, Ghost Bar,
where MTV was filming its spring
break special that night. Two lines of
eager clubbers circumscribed the casi
no, creating what seemed like a three
hour wait. Being the impatient crew
COAST
continued from page 3B
housed this mammoth mammal for
two years before scientists and
researchers moved him to Iceland.
His former tank has been transformed
into aqua tubes where visitors can
walk through a variety of ocean
ecosystems, including one teeming
with sharks.
Admission to the Oregon Coast
Aquarium is about $10, which in
cludes access to extensive exhibits
featuring jellyfish and seahorses as
well as native species of fish, birds
and mammals.
The Mark Hatfield Marine Science
Center has a suggested donation of $4
and is located around the comer from
the aquarium. The center is part of
Oregon State University's marine sci
ences program and is home to a vari
ety of tanks and hands-on exhibits.
The octopus tank is a family favorite
and thrills children who Diace their
that we were, we walked up to the VIP
line and trotted right in, although still
not bypassing the $20 cover. We were
within the first 100 people in the dub,
allowing us to run to the elevated
dance floor and take advantage of its
quickly dissipating vacancy. This club
won my vote.
Outside we found another bar, an
other deejay and another dance floor v
garnished with a deep blue swim
ming pool and lounge chairs at its
trim. After purchasing a Long Island •*
for $7,1 was unexpectedly greeted by
the Black Eyed Peas performing on
the back stage — an event that com
pleted my night and my trip.
Jenny Sherman is a freelance reporter
for the Emerald.
faces against the tank.
Newport's historic bayfront is an
artist's gallery of murals and shops
along a one-mile stretch of waterfront.
This may be the only place to view
"Al" the half-man, half-alligator, now
preserved in one of the bayfront gift
shops. The Wax Works and Ripley's
Believe It or Not are also interesting
attractions. Restaurants are plentiful
along this stretch and offer fresh
seafood and chowder.
"I like to fly kites and get my toes
wet, and sometimes I fall and get wet
but that's OK because mommy has
more clothes for me," Madelyne Fitts,
5, of Milwaukie, Ore., said about her
time on the beach.
Whether skipping class or looking
for a weekend adventure, a drive to
the Oregon coast can make a memo
rable trip. Just remember to pack a
wind breaker and a change of shoes.
Sheldon Traver is a freelance reporter
for the Emerald.
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