“Hitch Hiking” #2! “The Birds” At Bodega Bay! California’s Amazing Coastline! A Series Of Great Hikes + Alfred Hitchcock’s Best Movies!

Talk About A Hike With A View!

In the distance is downtown Los Angeles – and there are so many great ways to get a spectacular view like this…so I wanted to share some of my favorite hikes in the world! These hikes are made even better because of who I get to take them with – my wife Alex:

Let’s Go “Hitch Hiking!”

Alex came up with the title “Hitch Hiking” – a series of hikes we’ve done together, and classic Hitchcock films that these hikes reminded us of…let’s begin “hitch hike #3” with a trip to Northern California, one of the most beautiful coastlines in the world…

Welcome To Bodega Bay!

Located 67 miles north of San Francisco, Bodega Bay is a gorgeous, wind-swept beach snuggled along beautiful sand dunes that are kissed by ice cold Pacific Ocean water…

Just south of Bodega Bay is Dillon Beach, miles and miles of sand and sea – with beautiful views in both directions…and we explored it for hours…

You can walk for miles in either direction, and you can also head fairly far out into the water based on whether the tide is out or not – bring a picnic and blanket as well, so you can sit down and watch some very aggressive waves – and windsurfing – because as you will see, there is a LOT of wind – but it’s also a beautiful beach to take a long long hike:

https://youtu.be/vaR_NJ3jRtg

When we arrived, there were dozens of windsurfers battling the high wind and waves – the combination of heavy seas and high winds makes this a real endurance test – take a look!

https://youtu.be/S1gbUcN16_w

We ended up “beach hiking” more than five miles that afternoon…in some very aggressive winds – but the beach was filled with families having picnics, swimming, and enjoying this spectacular coastline…

The End Of The Day…

It was so windy that we finally called it a day – after close to ten miles of walking the coastline – and we headed a few miles south to Nick’s Cove – a terrific restaurant with an equally impressive sunset view:

So there’s your hike, and if some of this incredible scenery looks familiar, it could be because one of Hitchcock’s great shockers was filmed here:

“The Birds” – 1963

Yes, Bodega Bay was home to much of the filming of this classic shocker. Everyone remembers the terrifying moment when “the birds” decide to go after people!

The plot of this Alfred Hitchcock shocker was simple: a wealthy San Francisco socialite decides to pursue a potential boyfriend, and follows him to a small Northern California town – Bodega Bay – where the local birds suddenly begin to act very strangely…

[caption id="attachment_42393" align="aligncenter" width="600"] Alfred Hitchcock

This film, coming right after Hitchcock’s “Psycho”, firmly established him as the master of the shocker!

Here is a very long but funny movie trailer, hosted by Hitchcock himself:

Rod Taylor and Tippi Hedren starred in the film, which was a huge box office hit…

The schoolhouse, in Bodega, California, has also been known to be haunted, even back during the filming. According to Tippi Hedren, the entire cast was spooked to be there. She also mentioned how she had the feeling, while there, that “the building was immensely populated… but there was nobody there.”

And that classic building is still there!

Hope you enjoyed this “Hitch Hike” – classic Alfred Hitchcock movies combined with a hike through some of the world’s most beautiful places – like this one:

Yes, my first “Hitch hike” was high above the pacific ocean near Malibu – see more here:

https://johnrieber.com/2018/06/15/hitch-hiking-1-the-spectacular-view-above-malibu-hiking-hitchcock-walking-then-watching-to-catch-a-thief/

More “Hitch Hiking” to come!



Categories: Action Films, Art, Books / Media, British Cinema, Cult Movies, Exotic Travel, Exploitation films, Film Fight Club, Film Noir, Great Films, Hollywood, Horror films, Memoirs, Movies, Obscure Movies, Sports, Talent/Celebrities, Travel, Travel Adventures, Travel Memoir, Uncategorized

Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

32 replies

  1. I can hear the wind whistling in your video, John. Cape Town also has very strong winds. The Birds scared me silly when I watched it, I am a big Hitchcock fan.

    Liked by 1 person

  2. I remember this movie, The Birds, John, and I remember being really scared by it. Coast of California looks beautiful.

    Liked by 1 person

  3. I was talking to a young man at an event just yesterday and he asked if I had made it to the West Coast yet (not) and recommended this coastline as something I would love. Your fabulous photos and film clips definitely lure me. And shout out for Alex’s brilliant title ‘Hitch Hikes’ for these excursions. Genius!

    Liked by 1 person

  4. We are blessed with similar huge beaches just north of here, but unfortunately, the North Sea (also called The German Sea) is muddy brown, and nothing like The Pacific. I haven’t been to California, but I did see the far side of that ocean, in Singapore. I enjoyed your trip, and seeing the Bodega Bay locations too.
    Best wishes, Pete.

    Liked by 1 person

  5. Thoroughly enjoyed reading.lovely cilcks. loved the Vdo. And the hitchcock story …ohhhh. Remided me the “psycho time” .
    I may visit Cali by mid sept. Can you share some information regarding some tourist spots in and around Cali and spots not to be missed and few food joints/restaurants. Am I asking too much !!! If comfortably u can do . Thanks

    Liked by 1 person

  6. Thanks for letting me hitch along with you two on this one. My son used to like be in Trinidad, also a few hours north of San Fran. Wish I had known of this when I last visited him. Fantastic photos too.

    Liked by 1 person

  7. Great pictures. Hope to make it to the California coast someday.

    Liked by 1 person

  8. Loved the video and your pictures of Dillon and Bodega Bay!

    Liked by 1 person

Trackbacks

  1. Smorgasbord Blogger Daily – Norah Colvin, Sue Vincent and John Rieber | Smorgasbord – Variety is the spice of life
  2. “Hitch Hiking” #3! Yountville California! Napa Valley’s Gorgeous Wine Country! Alfred Hitchcock’s Classic “North By Northwest!” – johnrieber
  3. “Hitch Hiking” #4! A 196 Block Hike Through New York’s Central Park! Peering Through Hitchcock’s “Rear Window!” – johnrieber
  4. “Hitch Hiking” #5! We Climb San Francisco’s Legendary Coit Tower! Alfred Hitchcock’s “Vertigo”! – johnrieber
  5. “Hitch Hiking!” Here Are 8 Great Hikes! 8 Classic Alfred Hitchcock Thrillers! – johnrieber
  6. A Pacific Ocean Harbor Seal Sanctuary! Welcome To Goat Rock And The Arch! Spectacular Pacific Ocean Wildlife! – johnrieber
  7. “Hitch Hiking” 196 Blocks Through New York’s Central Park! Peering Into Alfred Hitchcock’s “Rear Window!” – johnrieber
  8. Seeing The Pt. Reyes Lighthouse At The Edge Of The World! California’s Windy Beauty Up Close! – johnrieber
  9. The True Madness Of “Roar!” Melanie Griffith And Mom Tippi Hedren Mauled By Lions! The Most Dangerous Film Ever Made! – johnrieber
  10. New York’s Got Snow! Here’s Video Of Central Park’s New White Coat! – johnrieber

Leave a reply to thatblogwherecheriemovestogermany Cancel reply

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Times and Tides of a Beachwriter

Drift among the scribbles of writer Janet Gogerty

Hugh's Views & News  

WordPress & Blogging tips, flash fiction, photography and lots more!

Piglet in Portugal

A Creative Spirit

Dawn Pisturino's Blog

My Writing Journey

Deb's World

Midlife - travel, fun and adventure

priorhouse blog

Photos, art, and a little bit of LIT.

Robin & Willow

Delicious Living

The Culinary Traveller

A food writer on the road around the world

DGKayewriter.com

Live, Love, Laugh & Don't Forget to Breathe!

Elizabeth Gauffreau

Fiction Writer in Poet's Clothing

Brookford Kitchen Diaries

Cooks inspired by books

The New Vintage Kitchen

A Vermont innkeeper's recipe box of seasonal vintage dishes, reimagined for today's cooks.

Lavender and Lime

♥ a food, travel and lifestyle blog ♥

Taking Up Room

Reviews. History. Life.

Cook and Drink

The Art of Flavours

the chef mimi blog

so much food, so little time...

Writing from the Heart with Brian

Think, Laugh, & Cry Each Day

Sunshine with Savannah

Writer aiming to cultivate kindness. | Exploring, learning, scribbling, seeking sunshine wherever I go.

Lisa Marie's Song of the Day

Daily music selected by Lisa Marie Bowman

New Classic Recipe

- Cookbook Reviews and Recipes

Rust Belt Girl

reading and writing the Rust Belt with Rebecca Moon Ruark

Take It Easy

Retired, not expired: words from the after(work)life. And music. Lots of music!

Hey, Traveler

Sharing travel tips, ideas, and anecdotes with fellow wanderers, dreamers, doers, and lovers of life

Stevie Turner

Author of Realistic Fiction

Cornwall in Colours

inspired by the colours of the land, sea and sky of Cornwall

Let's Go To The Movies

Film and Theatre Lover!

SoraNews24 -Japan News-

Bringing you yesterday's news from Japan and Asia, today.

Bite! Eat! Repeat!

All Food, All The Time...Because "Everyone Eats!"

A Teacher's Reflections

Thirty Years of Wonder

Tanooki Homemade Cafe

Celebrate Everyday with Food Holidays

In Saner Thought

"It is the duty of every man, as far as his ability extends, to detect and expose delusion and error"..Thomas Paine

Pete Springer

Passionate Teacher and Future Children's Author

Diary of A Movie Maniac

A Personal Journey Through Cinema & Television

The Binge Watcher

BlerdWatching Waaay Too Much TV

Robbie's inspiration

Ideas on writing and baking

Darlene Foster's Blog

dreamer of dreams, teller of tales

You can always start now

being curious, exploring, finding me

Realweegiemidget Reviews Films TV Books and more

You can't take the Scotland out of a girl... Reel entertainment reviews and more from that Darlin Husband’s Scottish, square-eyed and film-mad wife living in Finland.

I didn't have my glasses on....

A trip through life with fingers crossed and eternal optimism.

Through the Shattered Lens

Where mainstream meets grindhouse, exploitation, otaku and gamers

Laura's Books and Blogs

Writing tips, giveaways, reviews, essays, and more!

But I Smile Anyway...

Musings and memories, words and wisdom... of a working family woman

Invisibly Me

Live A Visible Life Whatever Your Health