The Chevy Leaves the Levee
After our initial visit, we returned to Mendocino every Summer. Not only was it a respite from the Central Valley heat, but also, it was inexpensive! Most of the places we stayed over the years were between $25 and $35/week. When I interviewed Bill Zacha, founder of the Mendocino Art Center, in 1989 for the Mendocino Beacon, he described the 1960s as “… the days when you could rent a house in Mendocino for $35.” Charming and cheap — can’t beat that!
For our annual sojourn from Tracy (by the levee) to Mendocino, my Father always wanted us to leave in the dark. I have no idea what time it was. It could have been 6:00 a.m. or midnight — all I knew was that it was dark out. My Mother would pack the station wagon — a green 1957 Chevy station wagon with fins that we dubbed “the green latrine” — with groceries and clothes the night before.
Parents in the front seat, four, then five, children and Pepé the poodle in the back, sleeping bags, blankets and pillows everywhere. We’d usually stop at the
Owl Cafe in Cloverdale. Going out for breakfast — or any meal — was a total treat for us. We just didn’t. There seems to be some dispute among the siblings about what meal was served, and when and where it was eaten. Donuts and hot chocolate? Or hamburgers and milkshakes (for breakfast?). Primarily a break for the driver I’m sure.
My brothers got carsick on the curvy roads. We’d always have to stop at least once somewhere on Highway 128. Someone (not me) would throw up, and if we didn’t pull over immediately, someone else (not me) would follow suit, hitting the dog. Pepé the poodle would start to shake… you can imagine the rest. By this time, my Dad was out of the car, on the side of the road, lighting a cigarette.
“Pat, handle it,” he’d say. My Mother was already on it — no complaints either… I take umbrage if my husband asks me to vacuum!!
On we’d go, through the beautiful redwoods, wide awake for our first glimpse of the ocean. Such a change from home! No one was more excited than my Mother. It was as if she’d been released from jail… cool ocean breezes, crashing surf, cypress and redwood trees… she loved it. We all did!
