Fear the Crab

Wednesday, 9/22: We checked out of the Travelodge, grabbed pastries and coffee from Happy Donuts, and headed south to San Jose. We had reservations at Comfort Suites near SJC for a two-night stay so that we could visit some of the San Jose attractions.

But first we needed to check out the Mystery Spot. The route was again via the CA-17, this time detouring off near Santa Cruz. It was a rather long drive, twisty and ginger-chewy. Still scenic.

The area was certainly mysterious, but personally I felt the experience was less enjoyable than it could have been. The tours are scheduled events that last maybe 30-45 minutes, and much of that time is spent listening to the guides demonstrate the weird phenomenon the place is known for.

I wished we had more time to take pictures. There were several opportunities to snap some photographs of us experiencing the Mystery Spot, but the guide kept moving us along the tour. In a group of several people all wanting to take pictures of themselves, it meant for a rushed tour and consequentially we missed a few photos.

Some of the photos we managed to take were the “height difference” examples. On flat ground (as determined by bubble levels), two people of differing heights standing next to each other would demonstrate a remarkable variance when switching sides.

In the photos above you can see the spirit level that reads flat ground (ignore the guide in the background). Switching sides, the difference in height between me and Maile is significant.

My own theory is that something in the area causes our vestibular system to lean askew, in such a manner as to fool our brain and body into thinking that we are in a correct vertical posture. Both Maile and I feel like we’re standing straight, but in reality we are leaning slightly. This would account for the variance in our heights when we switch sides.

The slope of the area could also contribute to this. Aside from the designated “testing grounds” much of the Mystery Spot was on the hillside. We all spent our time leaning against gravity, which might cause us to overcompensate given the additional effect on our inner ear. There are some stock photos on the Mystery Spot’s web site from the 1950s that seem to show this leaning at work.

Of course, that does not explain why levels read as flat ground (both fluid and electronic), nor why a cue ball would roll consistently in one direction despite flat ground. This, to me, is really the crux of the mystery.

We left Santa Cruz and headed back north to San Jose, to check in and drop our luggage off. Continuing the theme of mystery, we found the Winchester House and bought tickets for the Grand Estate Tour. Unfortunately we were not allowed to take photographs inside the mansion, so all of our documentation was purely of the exterior and the gardens.

It was fascinating to hear the experiences of Sarah Winchester. She seemed to embrace the “high tech” inventions of the time, though I don’t know whether such technology was already widely available, or considered the standard of the early 1900s. I just know that her house was fitted with a good number of contemporary conveniences and environmentally-friendly design. Winchester had battery-powered call-buttons for the staff, whom would reference a light-up display showing which room Winchester herself was in. The house itself was built on a floating foundation, making it one of the safest places to be in the event of an earthquake. Water was not wasted during the mansion’s daily operation, good to have in a drought-friendly environment like California.

One of the popular theories explaining why Winchester designed the house that way is to appease or confuse the spirits of those killed by the Winchester rifle. Another theory disclosed by the tour guides seems rather simple and mundane by comparison; that Winchester herself liked to dabble in architecture and made mistakes when drawing up her plans.

Dinner was at an In-n-Out Burger. Double-Double no sauce no onion, with a vanilla shake. We then stopped by a Trader Joe’s for more gifts, things that could pack well and survive the trip back. TJ’s definitely has a lot to offer, but most of their produce is fresh and really doesn’t hold up well to shipping, so for the most part we had to rely on pre-packaged goods like turkey and buffalo jerky, dry salami, and boxes of tea, crackers, cookies, and other snacks.