Ferndale, California is the western most city in the continental US. Just five miles west of Highway 101 (across a very long, very narrow bridge), five miles from the Pacific ocean, and at an elevation of fifty feet. And it is a darling town with NO chain (corporate) stores!
Only about a forty minute drive from our last stop in Samoa, the Victorian Village has its entire main street registered as a National Historic District.
We first heard about this town from watching California’s Gold with Huell Howser.
“I want to go there” and “Maybe we can move THERE” were my comments while watching the show several years ago. Then on a road trip in 2015 we first visited the town and fell in love.
So we knew what to expect on our return visit: large camp sites at the Humboldt County Fairgrounds, walking distance to town, great pizza place, and amazing Victorian homes.
The pizza place was still there (and still delicious!) but there were some sublet changes. The fairground fees had gone up (from $25 per night to $28), I didn’t see the kids playing outside that so fascinated me last time, the rhododendrons weren’t in bloom this time, and there seemed to be more empty storefronts downtown.
Which always leads us on discussions of the plight of small town America and what needs to be done about it. (Of course we have all the answers – not!)
We had another couple of very relaxing days there. Maybe it’s good that we don’t have the Jeep with us to take us out exploring and adventuring! Tom did some more work on his project, and I got some real work done (the paying kind!!!) and we enjoyed a sunny Sunday downtown eating pizza and listening to a lovely folksinger.
Now it’s Monday, and move we must. We are still about eight hours away from out next destination which will be to trade the RZR and trailer for the Jeep and to get loaded up with all our vending stuff before we head over to the Central Coast Renaissance Festival in San Louis Obispo. We dress up and sell fairies and dragons, and it’s just fun.
We also plan on seeing my parents on our stopover, which will be nice. But we are NOT looking forward to one hundred degree plus weather.
Plus, getting ready for a vendor fair means doing work! We make a few of the items we sale, so Tom was able to work on the Magic Wands in Samoa, and I was able to work on the flower crowns while in Oregon. Not exactly stressful work! But we know it will be HOT as we trade vehicles, and trade out stuff from the motorhome in order to fit our vending stuff in.
We know a lot of people that go from Fair to Fair, even every week. But we did a show last March (really BAD timing with our move!) and this one in July is the only one we have scheduled. There are just too many other obligations this year. But vending is something we enjoy and have considered doing as a way of making additional income while on the road, in addition to selling the fairies through our online store.
We just don’t currently have the setup (towing a two-door Jeep) that allows us to carry product and tents and tables with us at all times. So we’ll see.
For now we’re just happy that we’ll be returning to the Pacific Ocean soon.
Happy Travels!
Peace & Love, Joy
Rightlaners 
It would be fun to sell dragons and faeries! I’ve never been to a renaissance fair, but have been intrigued by them. It looks like a lot of fun and adventure! I am currently reading Fighting Fate and loving it. Safe travels to you! Dawn
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Thank you Dawn! Ren Faires are fun and can be quite informative as well. Some of the Guilds never go out of character and you can glimpse what life was like – in the dark ages! I like my modern conveniences!
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