Cruisin' All Over CA

It's a busy day on the road today with a lot of ground to cover.

We leave our quality Quality Inn in Salinas CA and head north towards San Juan Batista to see the San Juan mission, one of the over 20 missions along the route El Camino Real. But first we stop off for some fresh California cherries. We're right smack dab in the fruit harvest season — cherries, strawberries, apricots. Bonus for us!

The San Juan mission is of particular interest as it's where Hitchcock filmed his climatic scene in Vertigo with Jimmy Stewart climbing up the tower after Kim Novak. Except, there is no actual bell tower — that was added back at the Hollywood studio. But there is the chapel, the stable and the grounds, just like it all looks in the movie. It's a very peaceful place and a nice, albeit, short stop.









Me doing my best tumbling Jimmy Stewart.




From there, it's on to the city of Gilroy and the 144 store strong outlet mall where we hit the Lucky Brand store. Jeans for $49 — I'm all over it. Apparently, so are the rest of the folk in southern California, so we do our best to get in and out with minimal fuss.

Then it's over the hills and back to the coastal highway to resume our drive up towards Santa Cruz, Half Moon Bay and San Francisco. More of those great coastal views are abound. The winds are up and there's plenty of kite sailing going on today. Spotting some especially spectacular shoreline, we veer over to the side of the highway and hike down to the shore. The water in this rocky cove is super turbulent. It's like a giant blender!





The views are very cool, including that hole in the rock. Better start running, Jenny!












Detour! With Cupertino and the Apple campus so close, we turn right at Half Moon Bay and head the Dodge up to the main highway 280 and seek out the big fruit headquarters. For some reason, I'm convinced it's in Palo Alto and it's only when we are ten minutes off the highway, heading into PA, that I remember all the magic happens in Cupertino. Brain cramp!

Luckily, Cupertino is only a few more miles to the south. Ask the nice lady at the Chevron station where the Apple campus is, and she sets us straight. Hey, I think that's Steven P. Jobs right over there!




By now it's past 5:00 p.m., but we still have one more mission to accomplish.

Cross the bridge!



There's a bit of traffic to navigate, but no bother. Jenn snaps some good shots as we cross over, taking in the bay area and Alcatraz Island.












On the other side of the bridge, we join in with the hordes and observe the Golden Gate from the sidelines.




No stopping in San Francisco for us. This is a conscious decision on our part. We're done with big cities for now and we really don't have the inclination or energy to do it properly. So, it'll have to wait for another time. Crossing the Golden Gate feels like the perfect San Fran experience for now.

By this time it's getting downright late — we've pushed this day to the limit. We drive on to Vallejo, get lost trying to find the hotel strip and rustle up a room at the "it'll do for a night" HoJo. We go looking for somewhere to eat and end up driving through the Six Flags Theme park. Oops, wrong turn. We're zonked. Time to go to bed.

Tomorrow, we'll venture into Napa and Sonoma and try out some wine.

Stopping By Mecca

Since we're in the neighborhood, we might as well stop at the big fruit stand and check out where Steve and the boys come up with all those cool gadgets.





It was the Memorial Day weekend, so we pretty much had free run of the campus. Until the security guards came...













They pave the roads in Cupertino with iPods, don't you know?

Big Sur & The Drive

We don't really notice the craziness of the Memorial Day weekend crowds until we reach Carmel-By-The-Sea. Cars are stretched down the main drag and every side street is crammed with parked cars. We figure everyone's here to see Clint Eastwood.... The stretch of beach seems to absorb the crowds well, though, and it doesn't looked too congested.

Crowds really aren't our thing, so we point the Dodge towards Big Sur and cruise as far south along Hwy 1 as we can. Landslides earlier in the year have closed the highway at Gorda, but as this is a stretch we've always wanted to see, we'll drive as far as we can and then enjoy the scenery a second time coming back up. With the sun and all that blue sky (and water), it's perfect weather for a drive over the Bixby Canyon Bridge and beyond.




Every corner is a scenic photo opportunity so there's lots of stopping. What better way to soak it all up?













We love the smells that waft in through our windows along the way — the redwood forest, the sea, the flowers that line the roads with colour, the burritos that we stop to pick up for lunch.... Hey, wait a minute...








Heading back to Monterey, rain sweeps in and gives us a different perspective of the coast to appreciate. One thing is for sure, this coast is just as lovely in the rain.

Pebble Beach

Thought I might get a glimpse of Phil Mick or Jack Nicklaus himself strolling down 18 — heck, I'd even go for Bill Murray! But instead, we have to settle for a few no name amateurs, although they did hit some nice approach shots into the green...




After our knockout Aquarium tour, we do the scenic drive along the Monterey peninsula shore, cruising Ocean Blvd and then onto the famed "17 Mile Drive" which leads right to the door of The Pebble Beach Golf Club. Gee, I guess we'll just have to stop in... and since we haven't eaten since breakfast (it was about 4 p.m. at the time of this realization) we'll just HAVE to stop at The Tap Room in the Pebble Beach Lodge for a quick bite.

The Tap Room is filled with lots of memorabilia from the U.S. Opens and the AT&T Pro-Am's played at Pebble. It's a treat to check it all out. We also get into an in depth conversation with Ilias, our server, about fate, flow and knowing when it's the right time to make changes in one's life. Originally from Belgium but having spent much of his youth in San Diego, Ilias is into the conversation and chats with us freely. We feel bad taking him away from his other customers. But, it's all very interesting!

Afterwards, we wander out back by #18. It's the perfect opportunity to snap a few money shots of the course!









Unless, you want to drop the $500 to play, you're limited to seeing the 18th and 1st holes. And maybe the par 3 17th from a distance where Tom Watson holed his famous chip to win the national title. But there's lots of other stuff to see.













In the pro shop, we get chatting to Peter from New Jersey. He wants to hear all about our travels and then tells us about moving to California with his wife many years ago and how everyone here "lacks passion." "Drives me crazy," he says. "Sometimes I just need to go back to Jersey and be with my people."

He also tells us about his son who is in the Marines and has just returned from Afghanistan. He shows us his photo, a stoic soldier in dress uniform. Peter chokes up a couple of times as he recounts how stressful the past seven months have been for he and his wife as they prayed their only son would come home unharmed. His son would send dark letters that described the uncertainty, the fear, tales of his friends being wounded or killed.

"He wasn't so good when he first came home," says Peter. "But, he's getting better. He wonders why he came home okay and his friends didn't."

It is my first encounter with someone living that ordeal — of having a loved one in constant war zone danger. I can truly sense his relief that his son is home safe and sound. They are holding a welcome home party for him the next day. On Memorial Day weekend ironically.

We round out a very eventful and emotional day by finishing the coast drive around Pebble Beach, checking out the Poppy HIlls and Spyglass golf courses and stopping at some great lookout points to watch seals, sea lions, sea otters and shorebirds do the CA coast thing (surf the waves, loll in the sun, gab to one another).

A terrific California sunset makes the perfect ending.

Ye Ole Cannery

From the outside, the building is fantastic. From the inside? A marvel of aquatic research, design, and creatures.

All the hype we've heard about the Monterey Bay Aquarium is all true. The building is the site of the original sardine cannery and the design has retained all the outward appearances of the original building. Inside though, it is light filled and creature packed!







In the surrounding Monterey Bay lies a wonder of an underwater canyon. Ten thousand feet in depth and wider than the Grand Canyon, this sub-marine oasis offers rich nutrients from the depths and attracts a veritable treasure trove of aquatic species right to the Bay's doorstep.

Asides from the teeny tiny gem of an aquarium (seasonal only) in Ucluelet on Vancouver Island, this is the only other aquarium that we've yet visited that has it all together — a great mission statement that it is committed to fullfilling, outstanding research and focus on education, enthusiastic and highly knowledgeable volunteers, and properly executed facilities for the animals.







The stars seem to be aligned for us here and our enthusiasm opens many doors for us. First up, Emily, the kind educator at the second floor touch pool notes that we have an abundance of good questions. She leans across the gumboot chitons, the sea cucumbers, and spawning sea stars to whisper that we should head down the hall and find Ed.














"Since you aren't going to be here tomorrow when the jellies exhibit reopens, he'll take you behind the scenes to have a look - you seem like you'd really appreciate that", she notes.

Down the hall we head to find Ed, who indeed does whisk us backstage to gawk at all the jellies and the infrastructure to hold them. We are so busy peppering him with questions that we forget to take photos of the incredible room, but Keir gets a few shots of the stringy stars themselves!




















We watch the feeding of the fish in the kelp forest, visit the Magellanic penguins (the ones we missed in Argentina!), giggle at the playful sea otters, and watch with fascination the giant octopus move around its tank.





































Our next treat comes in the form of an avian wonder. We just happen to be near to the kelp forest when special guest, Makana, the Laysan Albatross, makes an afternoon appearance. This is a very rare opportunity as there are no Albatross of any kind in captivity. Makana is from an atoll off of the Hawaiin islands and was rescued because she had a wounded wing. With all hopes of re-release into the wild it, soon became apparant that her wing injury was incapable of mending properly. So, Makana has offered an incredible research opportunity to the Aquarium and an brilliant educational opportunity to those whose visit it.







After the session, we race to the front to talk to Makana's caretaker and researcher, Eric. Most folks are up front to try to get close up photos of Makana so we spend our time getting as much information as we can about the work being done with her. Eric is entirely obliging and he takes great care and detail in answering our myriad questions. As Makana heads off back to her habitat (not on display), Eric leans over and whispers to meet him up on the third floor.

"She is really mellow right now and I'd like the opportunity for her to meet people other than her handlers - it'll be good for her - and you two seem like you're really interested".

My eyes bug out of my head. Is this really happening!?!!

Up we go where Eric and Makana await.







He looks at me and says, "Now don't be offended but she likes guys more"







Sure enough I look back over and she is "beaking" Keir all over his hand making clicking and mooing sounds. As positive reinforcement, Keir gives her little scratches under her chin and around her face (like the grooming behaviours that would happen in the wild). Eric is really pleased with Makana's warm response to us and we use this up close and personal opportunity to ask him every possible question that we can think of about her and the information gathering/research that he and his colleagues are doing.












My face hurts from smiling so hard and my eyes feel as though they are taking up my whole face. I am beyond excited.







We spend about 20 minutes with Eric and Makana and afterwards, Keir and I have to sit outside on a bench trying to pick our jaws up off the floor.

"Did that really just happen?!"

"Hey, remember that time when we hung out with a real live albatross?!?!"

"Holy crap. That happened."

My day — no scratch that — my month, my entire year has just been made. That. Was. Incredible.

Poor Eric though. He passed on his business card to us. I tried to warn him that my questions were bottomless. Let's see how long until he changes his email address!!!!

Road trip!

Day Two of our coastal drive and we are settling in to the cruising.

Another spotlessly blue day greets us as we breakfast at a little grill on the Santa Barbara beach. There we see small dogs whose hair has been clipped into mini-lions as well as Hulk Hogan and Bill Murray look-a-likes soaking up the sun. Yup — we're in California!

We feel a bit lost (and although barely having started out) we are questioning whether we've rented our car for too short a time. There is so much to do here and although we logically know that we will not be able to do it all, our ambitious nature gets the best of us. Big Sur! Monterey! San Fran! Napa! Yosemite! Sequoia National Park! How can we fit it all in!?! We just can't. Getting our heads around that is going to take some adjusting. We both get ahead of ourselves in the planning and have to remind ourselves to take a step back.

What will happen, will happen. Where we get to, we get to. Start with the Now.

So, local we go. We decide to visit the Santa Barbara mission — that should put us in a calm state of mind!








The mission is one of the string of missions that weave up the coast. This one, built in 1786, was the 10th in California and is considered to be the queen of the missions. We wander through the grounds, including the cemetery and the old church, and indeed leave feeling calmer.
















We even saw a monk and monk-in-training!







Back on the road, we take the long way out of Santa Barbara driving alongside the waters edge through the hopelessly wealthy Hope Ranch neighbourhood.

Joining up with Highway 101, we head into strawberry territory, passing by fields and fields of berries and pickers. Visions of Steinbeck play through our heads and we feel somewhat transported back into the Depression Era knowing that this is grueling and demanding low paying no thanks work.

When we stop to buy a pint of the ruby treats, we profusely thank the gentlemen at the sellers stand for all the hard work that has gone into our purchase.




At long last the Hwy heads back towards the water. We stop in Cayucos for
some smoked fish tacos in the coolest town we've visited so far. There is a great vibe here and what we find most appealing is that the town is not built up like the many others we've passed. Oh, and the fish tacos from Ruddell's Smokehouse? Smokin' good!




We stop in to a lovely little jewellery store where the kind gentleman there helps us plan a route around the still closed Big Sur stretch of Hwy. 1. He and another fellow make a list for us of eateries to be sure to stop at along that stretch of the coast.




We double back a bit to pick up the main Hwy. and slide into Monterey right at dinner time.

Tomorrow (Friday) it's Aquarium Day!