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!