Article and Photos by David Spenser, new member
The 3rd annual Redwood Region Whale to Whale Tail Rallye was held on March 23rd. About 25 drivers and riders in 15 or so cars met at the Cafe Mocha to begin the day. Following introductions by Bob, Anita, Don and Vern, a brief history of the Whale to Whale Tail Rallye, and a rundown of the ground rules, the group set out for River Road and the run to the coast.
Before reaching Jenner the group made a quick pit stop in Duncan Mills. This was a well thought out and strategically placed stop to allow everyone the opportunity to get rid of some of their morning coffee before we hit Highway 1; there aren't many stops along the way. It also gave members the time to check out the variety of vehicles. I actually saw people getting down on the ground to check out the exhaust system on one of the 911s!
With the coffee gone, we set out once again. Upon reaching the coast and traveling a ways further north, we made another stop at a bend in the road large enough to allow all the vehicles to pull off the road. There we learned a bit more about the various whales we might see migrating along the coast. A bit more talk, a bit more ogling, and back to the road. Next stop, Point Arena.
The drive along the coast was beautiful. Following the recent rain we had a clear, crisp, sunny morning . I was particularly impressed with the number of intrepid souls driving with tops down. But then, what's the point of driving a convertible with the top up? On a personal note, I'm a newbie Porsche owner and I've got a lot to learn about driving my Boxster. Traveling behind more experienced drivers brought that point home quickly. Those drivers seem to have an aversion to using their brake pedals, opting (I assume now) to use their gears to control speed when going into turns. I, however, was making constant use of that pedal. A good argument for participating in future track events.
We finally reached Point Arena about 11:30 in the morning. Although clear, it was cold and windy at the Lighthouse. With some minor technical difficulties (The wind was knocking over the Jeopardy basket), we were able to play a spirited game of Rallye Jeopardy. The winners received some fabulous prizes that Anita and Bob had obviously spent a lot of time obtaining.
Winners of the jeopardy game:
Bob Sherwood
Mac and Becky Cranford
John and Libby Fitzgerald
Robert Porter
With the game over the Rallye officially ended. Some members had brought lunches and so sat down to eat. Others toured the museum or climbed the steps to the top of the Lighthouse. With appetites and curiosity satisfied, the group slowly disbanded and began the trip home.
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A brief history of the Lighthouse. It was first constructed in 1870. The 1906 earthquake damaged the lighthouse and Keeper's residence so badly that they had to be demolished. A new lighthouse was constructed by 1908. It's 115 feet tall and has a 1st Order Fresnel lens. The lens is over 6 feet in diameter and weighs more than 6 tons. It flashes twice every 6 seconds, and was built in France.