Day 122

Central California's Pacific Coast

Sep 5, 2013, 4:08 PM

Steve and I drove to the Pacific Coast today. It was a really nice ride. The highway went through rolling hills and farms. We laughed when we drove past a field of broccoli. Oh they look so funny growing. Like stunted trees. Very comical. Then the rolling hills. They were covered with just a ground covering, at least that is how it seemed at 60+ miles per hour as we drove and they seemed so soft and pillowy. Like a downy comforter thrown over pillows on a bed. It made for a nice drive. When we got to Monterey we went to Old Fisherman's Wharf. That was lots of fun. We were able to park easily, we went and had lunch, no big surprise there. We ate at a nice restaurant on the pier that looked out over the marina. There was a floating dock that was just filled with sea lions and they were barking and carrying on. It was fun to watch. Lunch was really spectacular and we even had creme brûlée for desert. Oh and it was good!!!!! After lunch we walked further down the pier to where the sea lions were and watched them play their sea lion games. Some were in the water, some were on the dock and if the noise was any indicator they were having a blast. After watching for a bit we were anxious to get in the car and drive along the coast. We headed toward Carmel and we saw a sign for a Pebble Beach 17 Mile Scenic Drive, we didn't realize it when we turned off, but this was a fee scenic drive. I almost told Steve not to bother, but he was already paying and I figured what the heck. We will drive the 17 miles then get on with the drive down the coast. I was really disappointed when we got to the first stop, Shepherd's Point that was supposed to be a scenic overlook. You couldn't see a darn thing cause of trees. I thought for sure we were just taken for rubes and that was that. The second stop wasn't much better, the third stop was a golf course that was closed for renovations, stop #4 was a golf course too, and then on #5 we hit pay dirt. Stop #5 was called Spanish Bay and it overlooked the ocean and it was just beautiful. The only drawback was that when we got out of the car the wind was whipping so much and coming right off the cold pacific you needed a winter coat, at least this Florida girl did. Oh my gosh, but I soldiered on to get beautiful photos for you, my faithful friends. From that point on it just kept getting better. We saw beautiful vistas and rocks so full of sea lions and seals they looked like barnacles on a pillar and the sound. I think that is one of the things that will stay with me for a long time, the sounds I have heard on this trip; the bison in Yellowstone, the little squirrel in Glacier, the water rushing off the face of the moose, the quiet of some of the hiking trails, the sound of a barrier stand at Kennedy's Tomb being knocked over by kids, the solemn sound of the soldier marching at The Tomb Of The Unknown Soldier, the birds that wake me up in the morning, and now the sea lions in the Pacific. 

After we were done with this we drove down a scenic road. It went right along the beach in Carmel By The Sea. We thought it was going to be a scenic drive, which it was, but actually it was a street named Scenic Rd. More than the view out over the ocean I enjoyed looking at the houses. Along the Pebble Beach 17 Mile Drive the houses were mansions. Huge affairs with names and gates to match. The kind of thing you'd imagine being right next to the Pebble Beach Golf Course, multi-multi millions of dollars worth of house. On Scenic Rd., although I'm sure these homes came with one hell of a price tag, they were much more regular people houses. There were even a couple that were fanciful. They looked like they were fairy tale story houses, there were multiple dormers and the roofs had a rolling effect, they would look perfectly at home on a Disney Studio lot. They were charming. I thoroughly enjoyed the day!

Tomorrow we are on our way to Utah. We will do a night outside of Barstow, then Kanab, Utah will be home for ten days. You have a wonderful night. I'll be checking in with you tomorrow evening, good night!!