Saturday, April 01, 2006

Jenner Grade- need I say more?


I love my drive to and from Menocino County. Hwy 1 is one of the most enjoyable roads to drive on. Spectacular views, ocean, sky, seals, gulls, cows, green pastures....and Jenner Grade. This is a strectch of the coast that is particularly elevated and riddled with hair-pin turns and cows in the middle of the road. Needless to say, every year a small number of unfortunate souls end up going off the road into the ocean. On my way up last time, I got off the freewy in Pataluma, per usual, and got onto my back road- behind a Coroner's truck. I followed it patiently, morbidly thinking about that fact that those trucks don't need sirens t get to where they're going. When we got to where it was going. A particularly sharp hairpin turn on a steep grade. They were pulling what could have possibly once been a car out of the ocean with a tow truck and a winch, and I saw why the coroner's truck was there. Meanwhile, I am stopped, waiting in my car for the various response vehicles to maneuver to stop obstructing traffic. By the time I left, I was shaking and in tears, and was extremely happy to not only reach my destination, but to have my guy waiting there for me. A little brush of mortality goes a long friggin' way.

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

Yes!! Be carefull (>_<)! You can never get too used to it!!