Six Days travelling the Coast of California

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Day 40, March 23
We departed with sadness as we left our friends Joyce and George Boyer Phillips after two wonderful weeks but excited to start out on the next leg of our journey.
We left in 85* sunny weather and drove westward toward Los Angeles. It is amazing to see how the landscape changes from desert to foothills to mountains. It is a beautiful drive. We arrived in Santa Barbara where we spent the night at a hotel over looking the ocean. This is a very beautiful small holiday destination. We walked the boardwalk at sunset and watched the pelicans dive for fish. We had a late dinner at Emilio's (of couse italian, with a name like that). We spent the longest time watching a species of heron mating in the trees across from our window. Nature is incedible.

Day 41, March 24
We visited the Fransician Mission in Santa Barbara. A very spiritual place. We left at mid-day and started our drive up the coast. Our first stop was in Slovang, a Danish village, for lunch and picture taking. Then on to the most exciting drive I have ever made. High on the cliffs over looking the pacific and then down to the oceanside. We twisted and turned and up and down. The beauty was breath taking. We stopped many, many times to take pictures and to absorb the incredile beauty that surrounded us. There were several times when the road was only one lane due to consruction as the cliffs were falling. This was a little more than I had bargained for but we made it through without any problems. The sun ws starting to set and darkness was on us just as we pulled into Carmel. This was not too soon for me as I did not want to be on this road in the dark.
We spent the night in Monterey.

Day 42, March 25
We spent the morning making the "17 Mile Drive" between Monterey and Carmel. It is one of the most beautiful drives I have ever taken. Incredible houses, wonderful views over-looking the ocean, twisting and turning along the occean high up on the cliffs. It was a beautiful sunny and warm typically Spring day. All the trees and bushes were flowering.
We stopped for lunch at Pebble Beach (you golfer will know this one). Expensive, so we each had a cup (not a bowl) of onion soup. But it was worth it to experience the view over the ocean. We watched surfers, kite flyers and families enjoying a day on the beach all along the way.
We were going to stay in San Fransisco to-night but at the last moment I decided to stay in Sausalitio, a wonderful small resort town across the bay. We both prefer the small towns to the big cities. We crossed the Golden Gate bridge just before sunset. We were fortunate to get a room at a small and charming hotel, The Hotel Sausalito. One we could actual afford. Our room over looked the bay. We ate dinner outside at a small Italian restaurant.

Day 43, March 26
Breakfast this morning was at a small cafe right on the water over looking San Fransisco, the Golden Gate Bridge and Alcatraz. After breakfast Kirk found a shop that was going out of business and had a Hopi Kachina on sale for 70% off. You can guess what we now have in our already over packed car. We continued our drive up highway 101 through fabulous scenery, high on cliffs over looking the ocean. The fastest you could go was about 25 miles per hour and sometimes not even that. We stopped for the night in Cloverdale. As soon as we entered town we pulled into a Starbucks and I had my chai tea. We met a man named Tom Lion and became instant friends. He and Kirk have so much in common. Kirk invited him to join us for dinner. Later that night his wife Colleen joined us. It was true syncronicity. It was a fun evening and we are hoping they will come to Canada for a visit.

Day 44, March 27
Kirk met Tom and his friend Jim Underwood for coffee at Starbucks. All professors, interested in kids, nature and the environment they had a lot to talk about. I went to UPS and mailed in our tax return and payment. What a relief this is done and I can now relax.
We now begin our wonderful two days through the Redwood Forest. The Avenue of the Redwoods is such a spectacular and over whelming drive. It is hard to believe trees can grow this tall (300-400 feet tall) and so huge in diameter. I actually drove my car through one of them and it is not the largest. We have a lot of pictures to share. If I only know how to put them in this blog I would. We stopped at every Informatin Centre and watched every movie and read every bulletin board. These last two days have been so educational and informative and inspiring.

Day 45, March 28
This is the second day of our trip through the Redwoods. We only drove 110 miles today and have stopped just inside the Oregon border at a beach side town called Brookings. They call it the Carmel of Oregon and the Banana belt town as he temperature here is very moderate. Our room is right on the beachfront and we can hear the waves crashing into the shore. It is a very soothing sound. Sleping will be good to -night.
To-morrow we will leave for the dunes about 2 hours north of here. Kirk wants to ride on a Dune Buggy. We will be in Washington the following night and our plan is to be in Vancouver on Saturday, May 1
I will continue when we get to Vancouver.

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