Today we elected to do some exploring although my miserable, disgusting body wants me to whine. I am still sick but I believe the bizarre and exotic wheezes, whistles and repugnant gurgles emanating from my body are calling to me and telling me to go outside. It is drizzling outside.
We took off for a place called the Geysers although there were never any geysers, just fumaroles or holes in the sidehill emanating foul odors and steam laced with various sulfur compounds. Back in the early 1900s, there were some resorts in the area but they are long gone. Now the main canyon is laced with steam piping collecting potential energy and releasing it in some power plants where I imagine they turn steam turbines to generate electrical power.
The road from Geyserville toward the (not really) Geysers is narrow to start with and skinnies down somewhat later. There are many very tight corners and most of the road is one lane but the scenery is absolutely gorgeous. The Geysers power facilities are closed to mortals so we turned around at the gate and exited the canyon by driving down Geysers Road back toward our campground in Cloverdale. Again, this road from the Geysers to Cloverdale is a tortured, sinuous drive with more tight corners, steep slopes, marginal paving with world-class potholes, abundant gravel sections where slides have occurred and spectacular vistas, at least for the passenger. The driver taking these roads should not take his eyes from the road unless interested in getting mired cars unstuck or taking fast, exciting but ultimately terminal rides into the Sulfer Creek below.
At the bottom of the canyon, the signs of civilization, like Dogpatch enclaves and cows, start up right after the road turns back to what most people consider “a road.” Within a mile Sulfur Creek empties into the Russian River. At this location we turned back toward our camp site at Russian River RV Resort.
The roads into the Geysers are very challenging, particularly if driving a twenty-some foot long Ford F-250 King Cab Pickup. Even smaller cars would require the driver to pay close attention but the scenery along these roads is truly amazing. I’m glad we decided to take this drive despite my body voting NO.
Some pix of today’s fun can be seen by clicking here