North Coast Travelogue: 3/1-3/2

We went to UCSF Medical Center again on Sunday.

Glad I thought ahead and took the time to clean the windshield and apply Rain- X. That stuff really helps a lot with driving in the rain. I've found a lot of the time you can drive in the rain without using your windshield wipers when you have Rain-X applied.

No cure- all, and it still got kind of hairy Monday morning driving into The City when the mist from the cars ahead of me made it so hard to see, even with Rain-X and wipers going. Got a little hairy coming back up through North Mendocino and Southern Humboldt, too. Still, it would have been much worse without it.

*******

I was surprised, Sunday morning, at the Eel River as we got into Mendocino County. You'd think, with the rain we've had over the last week, the river would be all muddy. In North Mendocino the Eel was almost clear green. I'm guessing it should be muddy now?

***********

I keep hearing of people making reservations for lodging online. I'd become a bit skeptical since the last time we stayed at Day's Inn, Novato, I ended up paying $12.00 more making reservations through Wyndham Rewards than I would have if I would of made reservations directly through the motel.

Of course, I don't know that Wyndham Rewards claims to provide good rates. They just give you a free stay after you've acquired so many points through them. Still, I was wondering what the difference would be between making reservations online or just using the hotel's 800 number.

So, this time I went to the Day's Inn web site and brought up Day's Inn, Novato. They had the room we usually stay in for around $69.00 a night. Sitting at the computer, I called their 1-800 number and told them I was comparing prices. She told me she could give me the room for around $62.00 for the night.

Cool. I made the reservation directly through her and will continue to do so in the future. You might want to check on making reservations directly through the hotel if you normally make them online. You might save some money.

************

Coming back Sunday night the rain got heavy at times in North Mendocino and South Humboldt. I'll be the first to admit to finding driving at night, in the rain through curvy forested roads, frightening. I find Richardson Grove scary even during the daytime. It was real scary to me last night. Straightening out the road there still won't make it easy, but anything will be an improvement.

*****

On a slight different take on the issue; Well said, what Kitt Mann wrote: Maintaining the restriction at Richardson Grove would be sort of like only allowing people to use dial-up Internet access or cars built before 1989 -- less efficient and less effective technologies.