Goodbye LA, hello Bainbridge

Published 2:00 pm Wednesday, March 7, 2007

Ex-Californians gather to meet, fete their exodus to the island.

Three years ago, Dorothy and Bryan Bach took a road trip.

They lived in Los Angeles, but were looking to retire in the Northwest. Map in lap, they weaved their way through western Washington hoping to find their new home.

Bellingham was too big. Port Townsend wasn’t quite right. Then a whim brought them to Bainbridge Island, where Dorothy became so inspired, she invented a new verb.

“I ‘Bainbridged’ my husband until he couldn’t take it anymore,” she said, before breaking into laughter. “We drove all the way back to L.A. and put our house up for sale.”

It took longer than expected, but the Bachs persevered through health problems to trade the smugness and smog of Southern California for the perfect house near Blakely Harbor.

They aren’t the only transplated Californians who now call the island home.

On New Year’s Eve, more than 50 Bainbridge-Californians spent the waning hours of 2006 looking for something other than a hyphen to connect them with their new home. A second gathering occurred in February at the Winslow Way Cafe, where a smaller, but equally enthusiastic contingent of transplants shared pizza, wine and stories about their transition.

Island “idea entrepreneur” and former Californian Christie Jenkins organized both parties, and said she plans to host one every six weeks as long as people are interested, with the next one set for sometime in April.

“This is more of a retirement age crowd,” said Jenkins, surveying the room at the most recent party on President’s Day weekend. “Last time there were a lot more kids and families. I shouldn’t have scheduled this one on a holiday weekend.”

There is no record measuring how many Californians have retired – or grown tired – of their home two states to the south and sought refuge on the island. But judging by their attendance at Jenkins’ parties, the number is increasing.

After spending most of her adult life in Southern California, Jenkins pointed the grill of “Benzie” – her 1961 Mercedes – toward Bainbridge, where she found an old farmhouse for lease on Grand Avenue. But her move wasn’t made on a lark.

Her brother lived on Bainbridge 30 years ago, and she’s been smitten with it ever since. Her work – along with being a photographer, she created a bestselling book that celebrates the male posterior, and a series of sign language videos – kept her “near the television studios,” but she always hoped to move to the island.

She did so temporarily in 2001, renting a house on Brownell Lane to see if it was for her.

“I just loved the community,” she said. “It’s so cozy, it’s like grade school. No one is more than ten or 15 minutes away from one another.”

Jenkins moved back to California and began saving to make a permanent move, which finally came last August.

She loves everything about the island, including the weather. There’s just one thing missing.

“There’s nowhere to rollerblade,” she said.

Knowing that, she has set out to build a community center that would include a bowling alley, cafe, party rooms and, of course, a place to rollerblade.

“Everywhere I go, if I see something I want that isn’t there, I try to build it,” she said.

She has a building selected and is now looking to connect with investors.

More importantly, she said, is finding a connection to her new home and to other transplants trying to fit in on an island that has mixed feelings about growth.

Bonny and Bob Lawrence lived in Mill Valley, Calif., before moving to Bainbridge a few years ago. They were attracted to the island’s family atmosphere, the school district, the active arts community and the library.

“There were all the signs of a healthy community,” Bonny said.

The Lawrences have done what they can to become active, by supporting local businesses and organizations. But they learned the most from people they hired to work on their house.

“We met so many people that way,” she said. “They taught us a lot about the community and the history of the island. It turned out to be a really good thing.”

Gayle Bishop came from Danville, Calif., to the island a little over a year ago.

Here she has found political kinship unlike anything she experienced in Danville, which she said tilts a bit more to the right than Bainbridge.

“Everyone here is so comfortable in his or her skin,” she said, adding that she “feels like a kid” every time she rides the ferry.

Dennis Crossland got off to a rough start at his Sunrise Drive home after he accidentally backed a 25-foot moving truck into his neighbor’s garbage can.

Fortunately, Crossland and his neighbor are now friends. He’s also the only male member of the Bainbridge Garden Club, and hopes to teach woodworking classes on the island.

“If you’re not happy here,” he said, “you can’t be happy anywhere.”

Contentment was a common theme among partygoers, most of whom appreciate being welcomed into the community. Only a few crinkled brows have appeared upon mention of their origin, most said.

Jenkins said some of the fliers advertising the first party were defaced, and that she has heard from some who are troubled by the influx of Californians.

Others hadn’t seen a single trace of negativity since they Californiaed to Bainbridge.

“We didn’t come to turn this into a mini-California,” Lawrence said. “We want to be a part of things.”