Overnight at Cambria
160 miles
Leisurely drive towards Cambria. Some of the route 1 road has been blocked by roadworks and more of it has been blocked by a mudslide which has taken out a bridge over a canyon (somewhere near Garrapatta NP?). So we had to go off piste.
Mike was happy as we went through El Alamo which may or may not have been anything to do with Davy Crockett.
Mike was happy as we went through El Alamo which may or may not have been anything to do with Davy Crockett.
Drive towards the coast - lots of vineyards and crops being picked - and still lots of sunshine at this point!
We stopped to have a walk - in a sea fret!
Then a drive along the Big Sur - a bit of sunshine then more sea fret.
We stopped to have a walk - in a sea fret!
Wednesday 11 Oct
Overnight at Carmel
181 miles
Lovely to see little humming birds on the flowers outside our window.
Lovely to see little humming birds on the flowers outside our window.
Halloween and scarecrow festivals.
Driving inland then back out to the Big Sur on Highway 1.
Thursday 12 Oct
Monterey (3 nights)
Only a short drive today from Carmel to Monterey via the '17 mile drive's round the Pebble Beach peninsula.
But first of all we walked from our accommodation down to the beach at Carmel. Lots of sunshine but a chilly wind. Great waves and a beautiful shoreline.
But first of all we walked from our accommodation down to the beach at Carmel. Lots of sunshine but a chilly wind. Great waves and a beautiful shoreline.
Then we drove the short distance to the '17 mile drive'.
Once again magnificent views around the coast - interspersed with golf courses and very posh houses!
We wandered round the edge of one of the golf courses and got lost in the complex!
Loads to see so we just drove a bit, jumped out to look at a view, wandered a bit, took photos and repeated it all.
It was very entertaining to see the pelicans flying and fishing in formation.
Point Joe.
The lone cypress.
Bird rock and Seal rock.
Thought it was birds on the island but it was actually sea lions on the nearer island - jumping out of the water and making very slow and ungainly progress to the top of the (quite jagged!) rock where they made a lot of noise! Fascinating to watch!
It was just (just!) birds on the other island - and loads of seals playing and jumping out of the water in the sea below.
The ghost tree.
Once again magnificent views around the coast - interspersed with golf courses and very posh houses!
We wandered round the edge of one of the golf courses and got lost in the complex!
Loads to see so we just drove a bit, jumped out to look at a view, wandered a bit, took photos and repeated it all.
It was very entertaining to see the pelicans flying and fishing in formation.
Point Joe.
The lone cypress.
Bird rock and Seal rock.
Thought it was birds on the island but it was actually sea lions on the nearer island - jumping out of the water and making very slow and ungainly progress to the top of the (quite jagged!) rock where they made a lot of noise! Fascinating to watch!
It was just (just!) birds on the other island - and loads of seals playing and jumping out of the water in the sea below.
Friday 13 Oct
A visit to Cannery Row in Monterey today then a ride along Ocean View Boulevard.
Mike had looked at the Bubba Gump menu several times in different places so today we went there and had shrimps for breakfast.
A wander round the Cannery Row area.
Ocean View Boulevard - another hop-off, hop-off tour by car. Lovely day.
Ocean View Boulevard - another hop-off, hop-off tour by car. Lovely day.
Bit of twitching.
Pacific Grove High School - home of the Breakers. No idea what was going on but the home team were winning when we left! And the burgers were good.
Then it was back homewards to watch the sunset over the sea.
Saturday 14 Oct
Decided that we'd hire bikes today but found a live band and a craft fayre instead so we settled down with a late breakfast of Asian shrimps and chicken skewers. Lovely!
Went for a walk along the beach. There was a small boat race taking place so we watched that for a while.
Then had a wander along the pier.
Fishing boats.
Birds on the rocks.
Walked along to Cannery Row where a wedding party was trying to take a picture in between all the cyclists and people trying to walk by!
This is where Siobhan and I watched for the red moon - except that we were looking in the wrong direction!!
Out for a Chinese in the evening. We walked about 7 or 8 miles over the day - lovely and relaxed and less breeze than yesterday.
Went for a walk along the beach. There was a small boat race taking place so we watched that for a while.
Then had a wander along the pier.
Fishing boats.
Birds on the rocks.
Walked along to Cannery Row where a wedding party was trying to take a picture in between all the cyclists and people trying to walk by!
This is where Siobhan and I watched for the red moon - except that we were looking in the wrong direction!!
Out for a Chinese in the evening. We walked about 7 or 8 miles over the day - lovely and relaxed and less breeze than yesterday.
Sunday 15 Oct
Mill Valley (2 nights)
Our final long drive. Back on highway 1 on the Big Sur. We were looking for breakfast and Mike saw a sign for fresh abalones so we stopped to have a look and ended up ordering some. I liked the breaded ones.
The couple on another table had bought wine with them - apparently you could do this. As Mike was saying it was a shame that we didn't have any (even though it was only late morning and we were technically eating breakfast!) I remembered that we'd packed a part bottle in the car - and it was still cold! So that was breakfast well and truly sorted!
Mike was quite fascinated with it all and happily swapped recipes and chatted.
Next stop was Pigeon Point light house.
Bean Hollow state beach - took about 4 goes to find the bit I wanted to see but we got there!
We went to Duartes in Pescadero for a late lunch. We had been talking to a couple who recommended it and said that they always had 'half and half' like the locals - the place is famous for their artichoke and green chile soups amongst other things - so the locals get half a bowl of each so they can have both!
We had 'half and half' on the artichoke soup which came with freshly baked sour dough bread - both delicious!
Then we had a catfish sandwich - again delicious.
And for dessert - pumpkin pie - yep it was delicious!!
Once again the distant views were misty. For the last few evenings it had been sort of misty and slightly murky - all from the forest fires.
Good job we had eaten well as five minutes after we set off in the car we were stuck in traffic.
We managed to drive about two miles in over two hours and then we had a very hairy drive in the dark on unlit (major!) twisty roads. Not something to repeat.
So a journey of around 1.5 hours took us over 4 hours!!
We drove over the Golden Gate bridge but in the dark so we couldn't see a thing!
The couple on another table had bought wine with them - apparently you could do this. As Mike was saying it was a shame that we didn't have any (even though it was only late morning and we were technically eating breakfast!) I remembered that we'd packed a part bottle in the car - and it was still cold! So that was breakfast well and truly sorted!
Next stop was Pigeon Point light house.
Bean Hollow state beach - took about 4 goes to find the bit I wanted to see but we got there!
Had our only paddle in the sea - it was very cold!
We had 'half and half' on the artichoke soup which came with freshly baked sour dough bread - both delicious!
Then we had a catfish sandwich - again delicious.
And for dessert - pumpkin pie - yep it was delicious!!
Once again the distant views were misty. For the last few evenings it had been sort of misty and slightly murky - all from the forest fires.
Good job we had eaten well as five minutes after we set off in the car we were stuck in traffic.
We managed to drive about two miles in over two hours and then we had a very hairy drive in the dark on unlit (major!) twisty roads. Not something to repeat.
So a journey of around 1.5 hours took us over 4 hours!!
We drove over the Golden Gate bridge but in the dark so we couldn't see a thing!
Monday 16 Oct
Lazy day.
Short drive to look at Muir beach. It was pretty but we'd seen better. And although it was in the seventies where was the sun?!
So off we went to look at Muir Woods. Again pretty.
Found a patchwork heart - very excited!! Left a felted feather pic in its place.
Drove to Sausalito and had a meal and a mooch.
Came back and packed.
Short drive to look at Muir beach. It was pretty but we'd seen better. And although it was in the seventies where was the sun?!
So off we went to look at Muir Woods. Again pretty.
Drove to Sausalito and had a meal and a mooch.
Came back and packed.
Tuesday 17 Oct
Back over the Golden Gate bridge to the airport. Dropped off the hire car then the first leg of the journey from SF to New York.
Off one plane and onto another and soon back in Manchester. As we had arrived early we decided to get home on the Met rather than order the taxi from Bury. Worked very well but a bit slow.
Back over the Golden Gate bridge to the airport. Dropped off the hire car then the first leg of the journey from SF to New York.
Off one plane and onto another and soon back in Manchester. As we had arrived early we decided to get home on the Met rather than order the taxi from Bury. Worked very well but a bit slow.
So - 5,600 miles travelled in 3 hire cars staying in 21 locations over 6 weeks.
Great holiday but nice to be home!
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