Paso Robles, Ca

We left the Carmel area on July 29 and headed south. But it won't be the last visit to the area. What a holiday!

We stopped at a winery in Paso Robles. There were nice picnic tables under the vine-covered arbors so why not a picnic on the grounds. Then it was on to Tehachapi and Leon's hernia surgery. He was quite a trooper since we had planned this vacation before the surgery. And a great time it was!

Big Sur, Ca

We took a daytrip along the coast of California on highway 1 beginning at Carmel and going south. There was little traffic early due to a light fog and the trip was most rewarding. We stopped at Napenthe for a dining experience while overlooking the Pacific.

Around every curve was another awesome view. The coastline has few inhabitants. It is quite a drop down to the water's edge.


Be sure to see more of our Big Sur photos.

After passing through Lucia we turned east and went across the mountains. What a climb on a wide one lane road with plenty of hairpin curves in the Los Padres National Forest. We drove through Camp Hunter Liggett and stopped at the San Antonio Mission.

I am always amazed at how much history is preserved in these old missions. This mission was founded in 1771 by Father Junipero Serra.
There were interesting displays inside and you could imagine people working these areas, such as this candle making corner, several hundred years ago.




I thought if I saw one mission that would be enough but such was not the case. I found that each one was very different from the last.

There are more photos of the mission.

After leaving the mission we went looking for the Pinnacle Mountain National Monument. There are two sides to the monument but you can not cross in the middle. It was a nice drive along winding backroads.

From the Pinnacles we drove across the "Salad Bowl of America," the area around Salinas, California, where so much of the food consumed in the United States is grown. We passed by row after row of newly planted trees and broccoli plants that looked like dwarf trees. We took the Carmel Valley Road back to Robert and Rose's and passed wild turkey, deer, and coyotes along the way. I was really surprised to see trees with Spanish moss in California. It was another long and rewarding day!

San Juan Bautista, Ca

After leaving San Francisco we stopped by the San Juan Bautista Mission in the town of the same name. It was not a planned daytrip so we arrived after it had closed. But we were still enthralled by this little old historic town. The Plaza Hotel is located across the street from the mission. The area was settled in 1834.


There was a portion of the original El Camino Real aka the King's Highway which connected the 21 California missions behind the mission. This was the 15th of the 21 missions. It was founded in 1797.


The house or casa of Juan de Anza was built in 1799 and is several blocks from the mission. The mission had been built to colonize the San Francisco Bay Area after Juan Bautista de Anza had led and expedition for Spain in 1775/1776.


There are more photos at Flickr

Sausalito, Ca

Before leaving the San Francisco Bay area we drove over to a quaint little town on the opposite side of the Golden Gate Bridge, Sausalito. Although the fog had moved into San Francisco we were in bright sunshine. We strolled along the bay looking across at the city we had enjoyed and stopped for our final bowl of clam chowder in a bread bowl.

We drove by the Golden Gate Park but decided to leave it for our next trip. We will cross this bridge again!

I never thought of this as a camouflage jacket or thought I would find a tree to blend in with. The entire trip I marveled at how large the flowers and shrubs and how brilliant the flowers in central California.

San Francisco, Ca

San Francisco has been on my list of places to visit for a very long time. In July we spent 4 wonderful days there, staying at the Cathedral Hill Hotel on Van Ness. Each morning started with breakfast at Mel's Diner across the street. We enjoyed the trolleys, cable cars, buses, and even the BART for our mode of transportation around town. We rode the Bay Area Rapid Transit under the bay to Oakland just for the experience.

We traveled over most of the town visiting many of the quaint neighborhoods that included Chinatown, Fisherman's wharf, North Beach, Nob Hill and Japan Center. At Coit Tower we had a wonderful view from atop the hill before descending for an Italian dinner.

On the final day in town we chose the truck for our mode of transportation, which probably would have saved a lot of time had we used it earlier. But we would have missed the experience of standing on a chilly street corner at night wondering when the next bus might come. Leon finally got to drive down the curviest street in America, Lombard Street. Tourists gather at the bottom just to watch the happening.

The street cars took us to the outskirts of the down town area. We even got to watch two women have a fight on one ride. This one we caught down by Fisherman's Wharf and actually took the wrong one, which created a sightseeing trip.

I had no idea of the economic importance of this town for the west coast and its tremendous past history until I visited. I always marveled at the exteme differences between the old and new. Leon had spent months working in the bay area so this was not so new and exciting for him. But he was an excellent tour guide.




This was one of our many visits to Fisherman's Wharf. I was drawn to the area like a magnet. Visit Flickr for more of our San Francisco photos and the communities we visited while there.

Santa Cruz, Ca

We left the trailer in the corral at Robert's and headed north along the beach. We stopped in Santa Cruz and after touring the visitor friendly downtown section we headed to the beach. We couldn't resist riding the tram and spending time at the Boardwalk.

All along the beach are rides and visitor attractions in this amusement park built in 1904.

We stopped at several other spots along the beach, one being the Pigeon Point lighthouse. After a Hawaiian lunch in Half Moon Bay we had to leave our drive along the beach due to construction and cross the mountains to continue to San Francisco.

More photos of Santa Cruz

Laguna Seca Raceway, Carmel, Ca

The big bike races, aka the Red Bull U.S. Grand Prix motorcycle races, are held each summer in Carmel, California. We chose a shade tree at the top of the hill near what is called the corkscrew. The cycles come across the top of the hill about 200 mph and then slow into a curve and go downhill through the corkscrew towards the bottom of the track. We saw several near mishaps. The one in front turned out to be the winner with his teammate behind him.


From the other side of the hill crowds overlook most of the track. We were there in the middle of a heat wave and everyone seemed miserable at times in the middle of the day. One day we spent in the vendor section of the track gathering freebies. Another was spent in the paddock section.

We had paddock passes which allow you to mingle with the riders and their teams. This is where they work on the cycles. The team members have autograph sessions and plenty of freebies and posters are nearby. I am visiting with the Kawasaki team.

Leon did not need a Red Bull energy drink. Just the excitement of being there made him think he had wings.

Behind him is the corkscrew which was in our viewing area. It turned out to be a great experience and we had a wonderful visit with his friends: Bud, Robert, and Rose.


For more photos visit Flickr

Carmel & Pebble Beach, Ca

Carmel lives up to its reputation in my opinion. We walked among the shops, drank morning coffee on the beach, visited the nearby mission, and stopped at Clint Eastwood's Hogsbreath Saloon. For more Carmel photos visit this link.


We especially enjoyed the nearby 17 mile drive at Pebble Beach. Pebble Beach is filled with high dollar homes and golf courses but the designated route leads you past wildlife, oceanside, and tourists. We watched golfers while eating lunch at Poppy Hills Golf Course after wading in the ocean.


On one portion of the drive there is an abundance of Monterey Cypress, windswept by time and the ocean breezes, with cottages nestled underneath.

All along 17 mile drive there were places to stop whether for a walk, to watch some golfers, to enjoy the view of or wade in the ocean, or to perhaps watch a seal climb up on a rock among hundreds of birds. We watched the sea lions manipulate their way to the beach for some sunning and an afternoon nap. It just seemed to be that time of day. More photos

Monterey, Ca

In mid July we traveled north to Carmel Valley, California where we stayed with Robert and Rose. Not far away is Monterey, an old fishing port that was once famous for its sardine industry. It is also the subject of John Steinbeck's book Cannery Row. The more modern Monterey was much to our liking. We strolled the streets, watched the aquatic activity in the bay, dined, snacked, and soaked up the sun.


One of the old sardine factories has been converted to an aquarium with some excellent displays. There are more
photos on Flickr

Tehachapi, Ca

We spent most of the summer in Stallion Springs, a fast growing small community about 15 minutes from Tehachapi. The summer breezes and cool summer nights make this an exceptional place for the hot summer months.


Tehachapi sits at about 4000 feet in the Tehachapi Mountains at the western edge of the Mojave Desert. The wind provides a great resource as evidenced by the wind turbines that dot the countryside. Only 45 minutes down the mountain and we are in Bakersfield where Leon grew up.


Tehachapi is rapidly changing from a small town where apple orchards were abundant. The orchards open in late summer and sell their prize product to the public.


Sunsets from Stallion Springs Drive were usually awesome but during the late summer fire on the Grapevine south of Bakersfield sunset took on an amazing appearance with all of the heavy smoke in the air.

For more photos of Tehachapi visit this link.

Palmdale, Ca

On July 1 we went to the desert west of Los Angeles near Palmdale. Here we parked at Alex and Mindy's house in the midst of many riding trails. We spent a few days stirring up the dust and visiting.

Leon's grandsons, Gunnar and Blade, spent hours riding, when they weren't in the house playing computer games.