SAN FRANCISCO TO CARMEL OCTOBER 29 - NOVEMBER 6

SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA COAST
ROUTE 1 SELDOM STRAYS FROM THE CLIFFS AND BEACHES ALL THE WAY DOWN THE COAST FROM SAN FRANCISCO TO LOS ANGELES WITH COUNTLESS SPECTACULAR VIEWS AND STOPPING PLACES TO WALK THE BEACH, CHECK OUT THE SURFERS OR LOOK FOR WHALES MIGRATING TO MEXICO.

SOMEBODY CREATED THIS MESSAGE WITH LARGE PIECES OF DRIFTWOOD FOR "MOM" WHO IS EITHER FLYING OVER THE AREA OR IN HEAVEN.





 

THE PIDGEON POINT LIGHTHOUSE NORTH OF SANTA CRUZ SHARES THE TITLE AS THE TALLEST LIGHT ON THE WEST COAST WITH THE POINT ARENA LIGHTHOUSE IN OREGON. THIS PHOTO CAME OUT LOOKING LIKE AN OLD POSTCARD!

WHAT WAS ONCE A "NATURAL BRIDGE" IN SANTA CRUZ IS NOW A BEACH PORTAL USABLE ONLY AT LOW TIDE.

OK, NOW TURN AROUND!  TIM AND JEAN LIVE IN A COMFORTABLE SPREAD HIGH ABOVE THE ELKHORN SLOUGH IN WATSONVILLE, JUST SOUTH OF SANTA CRUZ.  WE MET IN MEXICO A FEW YEARS AGO AND HAD AN ADVENTUROUS TRIP TO THE PACIFIC BEACHES OF MICHOACAN
WITH ALAN, HIS DOG LEON AND A VARIETY OF SURFBOARDS FOR TIM.

BUNGEE WASTED NO TIME MAKING HIMSELF AT HOME AND LOVED JEAN'S THROW WHICH I'M SURE HE THOUGHT WAS HIS MOTHER. 

ELKHORN SLOUGH, WHICH IS AN IMPORTANT STOPOVER ON THE WEST COAST BIRD MIGRATORY ROUTE, GLOWS AT SUNSET AS SEEN FROM HIGH ABOVE ON TIM AND JEAN'S DECK.

 DOWNTOWN SANTA CRUZ HAS  MADE A WONDERFUL COMEBACK FROM THE 1989 EARTHQUAKE DESTRUCTION AND NOW HAS A HALF DOZEN BLOCKS ALONG PACIFIC AVE WITH ACTIVE SHOPS, RESTAURANTS AND WELL DESIGNED PUBLIC SPACES.

A LINE OF SAILBOATS GETTING TOWED OUT FROM THE JETTY AND THROUGH THE SURF TO SET SAIL IN THE OPEN OCEAN.

THERE IS A WIDE VARIETY OF BEACHES FROM SANTA CRUZ TO MONTEREY.... SOME GREAT FOR SURFING AND OTHERS FOR JUST PLAYING.






 

THE SURF WAS UP THE DAY I LEFT AND TIM TOOK ME ON A TOUR OF SANTA CRUZ AREA SURFING SPOTS BEFORE WE SAID GOODBYE AT CAPITOLA BEACH WHERE HE HEADED OUT INTO THE WAVES.

I CAN SEE WHY SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA RESIDENTS ARE SO LOYAL TO THE AREA AS THE LIVING IS PRETTY SWEET.


SPENDING SOME  LAID BACK TIME WITH TIM AND JEAN IN THEIR NATURAL HABITAT WAS WONDERFUL AND I HOPE THEY CAN COME EAST AND LET ME RECIPROCATE SOON.


 MONTEREY & CARMEL

 FISHERMEN'S WHARF IN MONTEREY HAS A NEW ENGLAND LOOK EXCEPT WHEN YOU DUCK INTO THE FISH SHOPS AND SEE ABALONE, WEST COAST PRAWNS AND OYSTERS.

 












  MONTEREY AQUARIUM IS ONE OF THE WORLD'S GREATEST, AND I ALWAYS LOOK FORWARD TO A VISIT.

THE BUILDINGS ARE RENOVATED OLD SARDINE PACKING PLANTS WITH EXCITING NEW COMPATIBLE ARCHITECTURE HANGING OUT OVER THE BAY WHERE SEALS AND OTTERS FROLIC IN THE KELP BEDS.

THIS AMERICAN AVOCET IS IN A "WALK THROUGH" SAND DUNE EXHIBIT WHERE THE BIRDS HAVE GOTTEN TOTALLY USED TO PEOPLE BEING VERY CLOSE,  LIKE INCHES AWAY!

GARY GEIGER AND KATIA LIVE IN THE SMALL, ABSOLUTELY BEAUTIFUL TOWN OF CARMEL JUST SOUTH OF MONTEREY. I MET GARY A FEW YEARS AGO IN SAN MIGUEL de ALLENDE AFTER HEARING ABOUT HIM FOR YEARS FROM OUR MUTUAL FRIEND BRENT THOMPSON IN ASHLAND, OR. GARY IS A TERRIFIC GUY AND VERY GOOD PHOTOGRAPHER (GOOGLE "GARY GEIGER") AND KATIA IS A LOVE, A REAL BOMBSHELL FROM BRAZIL WHO IS A JOY TO BE AROUND. GARY TOOK US OUT FOR AN EXCELLENT DINNER AT THE CAFE RUSTICA IN CARMEL VALLEY. WE WERE JOINED BY GARY'S SON SEAN (WHO REMINDS ME SO MUCH OF MY GRANDSON, BEN) AND GOOD FRIEND BOB.

GARY, KATIA, ME, SEAN AND BOB AT CAFE RUSTICA  (YUM!)

A WELL USED CLIFF EDGE WALKWAY FOLLOWS THE ENTIRE CARMEL BEACHFRONT

YOU NEED A GOOD JOG AFTER POLISHING OFF A MEAL AT THE CAFE RUSTICA. THE FOOD WAS ABOUT AS GOOD AS IT GETS WITH EXTRAS LIKE FRIED ARTICHOKES AND THE BEST POTATOES AU GRATIN EVER!

THE TREES IN CARMEL ARE SPECIAL, MANY GROW INTO GRACEFUL SHAPES DUE TO THE OCEAN BREEZES.

CARMEL IS A "DOG FRIENDLY" TOWN WITH GORGEOUS WALKING TRAILS AND THE  MAIN BEACH IS "OFF-LEASH" WITH PLENTY OF MUTTS FOR BUNGEE TO PLAY WITH.

FATHER  SERRA GREETS TRAFFIC ENTERING CARMEL

FATHER JUNIPER SERRA FOUNDED THE MISSIONS FROM NORTHERN MEXICO UP THE COAST OF CALIFORNIA.

GARY, KATIA, BUNGEE AND I TOOK A WALK DOWN THE VALLEY BY THEIR HOUSE AND WERE WATCHED CAREFULLY BY A HAWK GUARDING HIS CATCH OF FIELD MICE.

KATIA AT THE FRONT DOOR OF THE HOUSE.
BUNGEE AND I STAYED IN A VERY COSY AND COMFORTABLE CASITA
TO THE RIGHT OF THE WALK. THE HOUSE IS FULL OF MEXICAN FINE FOLK ART AND GARY'S INCREDIBLE PHOTOS.

GARY, KATIA AND SEAN WILL BE AT HIS HOME IN SAN MIGUEL IN JANUARY AND I'M LOOKING FORWARD TO CATCHING UP WITH THEM WHEN I GET ACROSS THE BORDER.

I WOULD NEVER GET TIRED OF THE CARMEL SUNSETS.





I HAVE TO SAY HASTA LUEGO TO GARY AND KATIA AND HEAD DOWN THE BIG SUR COAST TO LOS ANGELES TOMORROW.