Pacific Coast




ice plants in bloom

 For Spring Break this year. We decided to head to Northern California to visit two of our favorite families; The Tripletts of El Dorado Hills and The Millers of Mountain View. Since the Tripletts didn't have Spring Break until the week after, we took a little side trip during the week to the Monterey area. I think it is one of the most beautiful places on Earth but I have never been there in my 40 something years when it was anything other than downright cold.

We made it Valerie's house Saturday afternoon and spent Saturday and Sunday hanging out there. Monday morning, we drove down to Pacific Grove. We spent the day walking around Carmel-By-The-Sea and driving along the coast, with an excursion on the 17 mile drive that goes by Pebble Beach.

The scenery was breath taking. But did you know that you have to pay $9.50 just to drive through it? I found that a little strange since there were many (large and beautiful) houses along the way. Brad and I were joking that next time we go on that drive, we should just tell them at the gate that we were visiting...uh, the Eastwoods, yeah, that's right, we're here to go pay a visit to Clint Eastwood. We got out of the car at Spanish Bay to see the sun begin it's descent and poke at various dead and smelly sea creatures that washed up on the shore.



Sunset at Sunset Drive. Isn't it lovely?



In the morning, Rachel and Emma got up early because they needed to run (for track training). They got to the beach and stopped running. Apparently it is hard to run when you're hands are full of sea shells and there are hermit crabs to play with. They finally made it back and we went to Monterey to have a picnic.

Lunch by the sea. Chilly but the scenery was absolutely lovely. We could have done without the seagulls though.

Those birds were brazen and brash. They hovered over our table just barely out of reach of my waving arms and Rachel's flying fists. I was worried they were going to drop some extra seasoning into our food, if you know what I mean.

We also stopped by Point Pinos, the oldest continually operating lighthouse in the West Coast. We wanted to get a closer look at it but unfortunately, it is only open on weekends and we were there on a Tuesday. *sigh*
We walked around Cannery Row where we ran into all sorts of interesting people.



Transient with his dog and his hitch hiking cat.



Fortune telling cats.

 

Justin Bieber

Fashionistas

Historical reinactors

Ne'er-do-wells



People that defy explanation



I love this part of California. I'm glad we were able to go back there again.

Next stop, Dan, Abby, Lucy, Kate, Sadie and the City By the Bay...