Mendocino County is located in the northern part of California, a hidden gem! First stop was the city of Ukiah, one of the main towns in the Upper Russian River Valley area.

Itinerary had us going to a place known as the City of Ten Thousand Buddhas. Quite a serene atmosphere and lots of acres. It is composed of an educational facility for one’s entire schooling, if one wishes, as well as areas of worship, dining, a gift shop and even a separate vegetarian restaurant. The main building of worship is where the ten thousand Buddhas are housed.

That evening we ate at a fabulous restaurant called Branches. There are three areas. The first is when you enter to view the delicious pastries in the bakery. Abutting the bakery is their butcher shop for those who want to purchase a fresh cut of beef, pork, or chicken, as well as getting a sandwich to go. The restaurant portion actually houses two “restaurants” with the main dining room and a separate Irish sports bar facing the front, where you can get what’s on the dinner menu or some “pub” food.

Our next destination was the Point Arena Light Station, with both its museum and Point Arena Lighthouse. We left Ukiah and first traveled some roads that went past the ancient redwood groves of Montgomery Woods State Park. The redwood trees are huge and well worth stopping a few times to view and compare your height to them.

Now we are at the Point Arena Light Station, in the area known as the Southern Coast, where there are two structures, of which the station that houses the history, First Order Fresnel lens and other displays. One of the rooms lends itself as a sheltered place to watch for whales and sea birds.

Then there is the lighthouse itself. Nancy climbed the steps while I looked around to see a gazebo in the north corner of the station. That gazebo was the remaining piece of movie set from “Forever Young”. BTW, the Point Arena tower is the only Pacific West coast lighthouse of significant height (115 feet) that you can climb to the top!

It was the seventh of June. A baby sable is one day old and this adorable animal, in the family of antelopes, has to be vaccinated and tagged.  Frank Mello, co-owner of B. Bryan Preserve in Point Arena, drives his truck into the gated field to spot the newborn.  The adults are far away and do not appear upset with Frank picking up the calf, bringing it into the truck and returning it back to the where it hid itself. I was in the truck to see it all and sneak in a little petting.

The B. Bryan Preserve is what I would term a “private zoo”. Frank and his wife Judy have been into breeding and preservation of African Hoof Stock for the last five years. Animals, ranging from endangered to critically endangered, include various species of zebra and antelope. Thus you have roan antelope; greater kudo; sable antelope; Grevy’s Zebra and Hartmann’s Mountain Zebra.

Open to the public for tours and overnight stays, the animals are fenced in within their specific species. Frank feeds his “friends” but not close enough for contact, as well as naming each one of them (suggested by the guests). They are wild animals and this is not a petting zoo.

Cottages are fully furnished and the only food on the premises is fresh eggs from the hen house. Breakfast and off to Santa Rosa. For further information go to www.visitmendocino.com.