The problem with the Mendocino Coast is it is almost too beautiful for it's own good. Being 3+ hours from San Francisco and accessed only by winding two-lane roads, has helped keep the development down. The older residents liked to tuck their homes in the valleys or up on the ridges behind trees and berms. They put their houses in clearings better for fire protection and for natural light. The trees and berms acted as wind breaks. The result was naturally conserving of light and heat, cooling was never needed. But the newer wave moving in currently, seems to be more of the look at me, see my edifice, look how I can afford to squander money, power, space. They probably never read "Ozymandias".

References to Ozymandias and other tid bits

This is either Greenwood Cove or Cuffy's Cove, I was never sure. Walk out on the flat to the right of the state park parking lot across from the Elk Store

These places are usually quiet because you have to walk to them.

Elk State beach, yes you have to walk down to the sand. Probably because of that, we have been here on July 4th weekend and only had one or two other people around. It's like a private beach. I'm sure the guests of the Elk Cove Inn, which overlooks the beach, think it is.  

Windshield tourists miss so much.