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Pacific Coast HIghway
The views along the winding roads of the coast are breathtaking Kevin's Entry: We both woke up very, very early around 5-ish eager to get out of Jenner and down to Malibu. Nancy was done with the country! We straightened up and packed up and were on the road before the fog could burn off. Most everything was still closed as drove from the coast inland to get on the expressway. Even the town of Petaluma was still just waking up so we got on the 101 and headed south for the beach. We went back through San Fran and caught the I-5 for a fast drive down. Yes, it’s fast but it is boring as can be. It is a very dry area that they grow lot’s of fruits and nuts with heaving irrigation. We both agreed to get off and head over to the 101 and the coast before we got to Bakersfield. So we exited on to California 46 and turned west thru the sands and into the mountains. I didn’t realize it but we were retracing James Dean’s last drive in his Porsche 550 Spyder. He was killed on this road in 1955 when a sedan pulled out in front of him…the tie went to the Ford coupe.
Welcome to Malibu
I was so happy to see this! I kept my Porsche to a reasonable speed and didn’t pass anyone!
After driving down the 101 through Santa Barbara and getting off in Oxnard we made it to the Pacific Coast Highway. What a gorgeous place. We drove on down into Ventura county and finally made it to the house we rented on the beach. We met the owner/dude who was a very nice guy as he just came in from kite surfing still wearing his wet suit…of course. Nancy was so thrilled to be here and be right on the beach that she cried. The guy even hooked me up with bucket and hose so I could wash off 2,500 miles of road yuck before Cars & Coffee the next day down in Irvine. The house was amazing with all the comforts of home and the loudest surf you can imagine. The weather was perfect, in the 60’s and sunny. We had dolphins jumping and playing and giant pelicans that glide by in formation just riding the thermals. Not having eaten all day, we were starving and looking for a place to get a bite so we settled on an Italian place where we stuffed ourselves on pasta
Our Living Room
Our living room -- walls of glass over the Pacific ocean. Now you know why I was in tears?! and booze. Malibu was more beautiful than I could have imagined. I guess that’s why all the houses cost over a million dollars and pretty much every car is a Porsche or Bentley. After settling in we crashed for the night knowing we wouldn’t get much sleep.
Nancy's Entry: The drive today was much longer and more difficult than I expected. Highway 5 is the fastest way to get from San Fransisco to L.A., but it is soooooo boring. I talked Kevin into cutting over to the 101. He found a highway that took us to Paso Robles. We were on it for about 70 miles, and unwittingly passed the spot where James Dean was killed in his Porsche. I could see why -- it's a long and narrow road. Once we got to 101 the drive was beautiful, but we still had a couple hundred miles to go, and we were tired. I was glad to be leaving Northern California. It's certainly beautiful with the abundant grapevines, lavender fields, redwood trees and wineries, but for whatever reason it's not "me." When we finally arrived at our home in Malibu, our landlord who lives in another part of the property
Our bedroom
Slept to the sounds of the waves crashing greeted us. He is an actor that has had various TV and movie roles, and I'm sure he was a model too as he definitely looked the part. He was extremely friendly and gave us a warm welcome. When we walked into the house and I saw the glass walls with nothing but ocean below, I burst into tears and proceeded to sniffle for about a half hour. I can't explain it, but when I am here I am home. I felt this way the minute I arrived here with my parents for the first time when I was 15, and the desire to live here gets stronger every day. To finally be here again was overwhelming for me. I know people either love or hate Southern California, and most who don't live here hate it, but I love absolutely everything about it. And don't tell me the traffic is too bad -- Chicago surpassed L.A. as having the worst traffic in the country last year. And gas prices are lower than in Chicago, which has the highest gas prices in the country. And property taxes here are lower. So other than climate, not really much difference!
After I composed
View from our Couch
Loved sitting on the couch and the patio myself, we had a lovely dinner at a nearby Italian restaurant. After a Tanqueray and tonic, I was exhausted. We came home and fell asleep to the site and sound of the ocean right outside our bedroom window. Amazing...Night Night!
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