Author: Ruby Williams

It was not my first time taking the train to San Diego. I love the train. I love public transportation; I’m curious and a people watcher. I’m also nosy, I admit. I was headed to Comic-Con and decided to make this a bit of a work trip; an exploration of sorts. Why not? I only had limited experiences of San Diego, even though I’d been there many times before. While waiting for our very late train on the Burbank platform, I met a young woman. She was amazing. I learned later what my instincts already knew: she was a superstar. She was a positive, bright-eyed lover of cosplay and make-believe, and known in that world as such. She made me believe that what lay ahead would be great. I was ready to activate my funny bone. Our journey became an adventure!! Our original train broke down, so Amtrak sent a local train to take everyone downtown to get another. We sprinted to get there and somehow found seats. The train was packed! Folks stood for the entire ride. It was a fun and exciting trip, and no one complained. We got lots of snacks on this overcrowded train, and I tried to do some work, but ultimately decided to enjoy the ride. We arrived in downtown San Diego just in time for dinner. 

The Lea family loves candy, and besides eating it all day, every day growing up (mostly behind Mama’s back), we’ve also made it a funeral tradition.  Somehow, rattling the papers and sneaking candy across the rows makes it all bearable, and we all manage to chuckle. Old Sacramento has many unique shops, and I genuinely enjoyed visiting them all. My favorite, however, was the candy store, Munchies. I had to stop myself from buying lots and lots of candy. Swedish fish, sour cherry balls, Chico sticks, Laffy Taffy, Now and Laters. This place had all the penny candy I grew up buying at the corner store. Old Sacramento is for those of us who enjoy walking down memory lane and learning about the history of a region that is new to us. 

Geoffrey, the manager of Eagle House, lived there during the pandemic and, like me, sensed a strong presence inside those walls. The Inn was built in 1886 and exuded old-world charm. It supports emerging artists, and its walls showcased extraordinary art. I slept peacefully through the night, which is rare for me even at home. The bed was cozy, tucked into a small nook. There was wine available, though I didn’t drink. It all just made me feel welcome. Geoffrey and I had a lengthy conversation about his experience at Eagle House and what brought him to Eureka. He came from a smaller town than this one; coming here was a leap. I shared that I was from LA and explained my initial nervousness about coming here because it was small. He admitted that LA frightened him just as Eureka had scared me. Our exchange was wonderful. I also enjoyed interesting conversations with patrons while sipping coffee and having breakfast. Nothing fancy to eat or to do in Eureka in general, but the time I spent there was perfect.

I love toodling. That means shopping or window shopping for things I don’t really need but fall in love with instantly and must have. Downtown Eureka has adorable bookshops, delicious coffee, and the best bagel I’ve had outside of New York City. The folks in town are lovely and welcoming, and Eureka is near California State Polytechnic University, which was reassuring, as I was unsure of the political ideology of the area. In learning that, I felt safe and was able to enjoy my time. 

I’d never heard of a windphone before. My daughters’ elementary schoolmates were killed in a car accident, and their parents created a windphone. It was one of the many ways they have honored their children. I needed to go to this windphone to understand it. What exactly is it? I needed to know, and I also wanted to honor their children and acknowledge their loss in a way that reflected their parents’ wishes. There was a long winding road to get there (it has since moved to a new location). The area was kind of residential, kind of desert open land. As I walked toward the phone, I saw a jackrabbit! I had never seen a jackrabbit! The wonders of nature. I went to sit down and planned to call Tim. I wanted to check in and see how he was doing up there, and whether he had seen Mama, Daddy, Nette, and Howard. I needed him to say he was doing okay and that they were all together. When I got to the phone, I sat down. I read the visitors’ book and then signed it. I took off my tiger’s eye bracelet that Sarah gave me after Tim passed and left it as a sort of offering. And then I picked up the phone and called. I didn’t call Tim, though; I called Mama. Funny how that worked. I talked into the phone and waited quietly for some answers to come to me.  Some answers came to me and some are yet to come, but it was fulfilling. It was an experience like no other.

A small hotel. Very warm, welcoming, old-school, charming. If you enjoy porches and people-watching with low expectations, meaning you can relax outside of a hotel and not buy food, you would enjoy being here. My favorite: in a world and a state that are eliminating bathtubs, I had the good fortune to take a luxurious bath in a very large tub. It’s downtown and within walking distance of restaurants and very good coffee. There was nothing not to like.

Twentynine Palms felt really far away. It was peaceful, though, tranquil. The home I stayed in was everything I needed. Comfortable bed and nice bathroom.  A kitchen with everything I could possibly need to make a meal, though I chose to order Postmates… which I was surprised they actually found me. I woke up early to have coffee outside (Joshua Tree Coffee, one of my favorites) and looked up to see a kettle of hawks. I thought they were swarming over something dead. I was fearful at first, but after Googling and realizing I wasn’t in The Birds, I knew I would be fine. They were just preparing to migrate. Who knew? Not I! So I sat in the front and drank my coffee. It was in Twentynine Palms that I realized my journey was at its end. Being here made me lonely, and I wanted to go home or be there with friends, family, and my dogs. The house was built for people to enjoy being with people. It screamed BBQ, pool time, and late-night jacuzzi. There were two fire pits on the property, which made me think of my girls, s’mores, and all the memories I had made and those I would make after all of this was over. 

Eureka literally means “I found it!” And I indeed “found it” in the Founder’s Grove. I was reminded that life has been happening and will continue to happen with or without me. I was in awe of the trees’ grandeur and felt renewed by breathing clean air. The peace, calm, and respect I witnessed among all the humans in the forest made the visit well worth it. It was a renewal. I was so happy to be there and couldn’t believe that this nature lover hadn’t been there before. The Redwood National Forest is one of the extraordinary gifts California offers, and one I am grateful to have experienced.

If you haven’t had a date shake, you’re missing out! I went to Shields Date Garden and couldn’t resist ordering the vanilla date shake. Even though my body and my doctors have all said “NOOOOO” to dairy for years, I had to do it. I just had to. The reason for the trip wasn’t actually for the date shake or the dates (though I left with a stock of them; they are God’s candy after all). I went for The Walk, a biblical garden in the back of the store filled with statues that lead you through the life and death of Jesus. The statues prompted me to reflect, reevaluate, and remember when I found Christ and came to believe in something bigger. On The Walk, I found myself having a little talk with Jesus, telling Him about my troubles and confusions, and thinking of the time when church, choirs, Mama, family, and being led by others felt right and good. There is something to glean from The Walk, no matter what you believe in; the sculptures are beautiful, and the stories are succinct and well told. If you venture to walk The Walk on a hotter-than-the-dickens kind of day, you will have earned that date shake at the end!

If you want to hike, you can always find a place to do so in California, and if you plan well, you can hike and see the water as well. This is especially true at Torrey Pines State Natural Reserve. Every second was worth it. I took an easy hike through Torrey Pines. I was carrying a lot emotionally, and I needed to talk to my brother, Torrey. I wanted to unburden myself. I wanted to free myself of any and all pain I may have caused him, knowingly or unknowingly. I felt free to do so on this trail. Nature, breath, air, and water pushed down the ego and opened the heart. I opened my heart in Torrey Pines and changed the relationship between Torrey and me. I cried. I cry a lot. Is he named after this National Reserve? Maybe? My dad was in the Army during WWII and was in California for a minute. Maybe he was here, and being here may have meant something to him. He always adored Torrey.