Blogs from Santa Cruz, California, United States, North America - page 9

This is a test of the emergency broadcast system. This is only a test and may only be used with the express written permission of the National Football League.... read more

This entry is my planning reel...not much on travel adventure just yet. March 29, 2007 8:29 thursday morning: Plan shpan Sigh... the Santa Cruz sun's come up from over the palm trees and draped itself onto the deck, bleeding into the the front room. A few more minutes and it'll find his way into the office where I'm sitting, to warm my toes. There's a blue jay that's been hopping around the complex this past weekend, and for the first time I've seen, he's just paid a visit to my cacti on the porch. I should probably put out a bird feeder to coerce him from poking into my prized sand dollar cactus-- as gorgeous as you are, don't even dare Mr. Bluejay... the first signs of spring... 8:58 am and my second pot of coffee ... read more

Picked up my rental car around 10 AM and headed down Highway 1 to Santa Cruz. This was the first stretch of Highway 1 that I have driven on and it had plenty of great views of the coastline. Along the way I could see plenty of surfers out. For most of the drive down, the weather was drizzly and overcast. However, thing cleared up significantly by the time I got to Santa Cruz. It was mostly blue skies and about 75 degrees. Interestingly, I could see Montery off in the distance blanketed in fog. I arrived in Santa Cruz around 1 PM and my surf lesson was scheduled to begin around 4 PM. So, I rented a bicycle and rode just behind the boardwalk, out on the wharf, and on some bicycle paths in Santa ... read more

Hello everyone Fresh from surfing, well totally worn out from surfing would be more accurate. I can't raise my arms above my head and I could fall asleep right now (its 3.45pm). I finally managed to stand on the board, if only for a few seconds and the waves were much bigger today. Which is great fun but when you're trying to paddle back out and a wave catches you its like being hit with an enormous pillow that knocks you 10 feet back. Our surfing instructor from Monday, AJ, was there again. Looking like the most hung over man who have ever existed, walking into display stands and being unable to pick up his own board. However, after a quick dip in the Pacific he was jumping, wooping and generally acting the all American hero ... read more

We left Monterrey after touring the customs house and the Pacific Museum and headed toward Pigeon Point Lighthouse, some 20 miles north of Santa Cruz on Highway 1. In Santa Cruz, we finally found a Safeway under its own proper name and stocked up. Not far beyond Santa Cruz, the beachscape became stark. We stopped to view windsurfers skimming over the waves in a stiff wind and brilliant sunshine. Pigeon Point is a delightful place: intact though crumbling old lighthouse with adjoining Victorian house and lofty fog signal building, plus four or five bunkhouses for the hostel. We stayed in Bunkhouse Dolphin. From the kitchen you could see the setting sun to the West. From the rear bench, you could see seals' backs and whales' spouts. A tidepool is below the hostel to one side, plus ... read more