Our turn for Highway 1

It seems no matter who we have talked to about touring California, the most consistent recommendation is - Highway 1. We saw a more southern portion from our last stop, but now it was time to drive the section with Monterey, Carmel and Big Sur. Going this direction, it seemed each turn brought a more spectacular view of the majestic deep blue of the Pacific crashing against rugged boulders and sheer cliffs. Since Craig was doing the driving, I was free to gaze at the sights. We took a turn off the beaten path in Carmel due to a GPS snafu. Craig was quite amazing negotiating some paths that were not much wider than goat trails in our big ole' 1 ton dually pickup truck! I would have been nervous negotiating those roads on a bicycle. The positive side of this little detour was the up close view of the charming homes and colorful gardens of the homes perched on the side of the mountain. I haven't asked him, but I don't think Craig was quite as intrigued!

When we were safely planted back on Highway 1, it looked much wider than before! We stopped for lunch at a riverside restaurant (River Inn) in the Big Sur area. What a treat to sit and enjoy a nice meal while listening to the nearby stream babbling over the rocky bottom. No matter which direction, the views were great - either the babbling river, the mountains or the beautifully landscaped deck area.

The restaurant and inn had placed some Adirondack chairs in the stream, not just alongside it. The boys and I couldn't resist the open invitation and waded the icy, but shallow water to sit and revel for a few minutes. I would have loved to have spent the entire afternoon in those chairs, but we were hoping to take a short hike at a nearby state park so it was time to go.

We bypassed the Pfeiffer Big Sur State Park for the slightly more southerly Julia Pfeiffer Burns State Park. Disappointed that a couple of trails to the beach area were closed, we took a very short and easy trail through a tunnel under Hwy 1 to view a waterfall dropping directly to the Pacific below. By bequest of the donor of the property to the state, no access to the waterfall is ever allowed. The other trails to nearby beach areas were closed due to scorched forest areas that left the areas more subject to mudslides.

Without the additional hiking, we had plenty of time to venture back northward to see the 17 Mile Drive at Pebble Beach. The return drive was uneventful and not as scenic as it might have been due to low clouds that surrounded our truck almost all the way back to Carmel. I was sad because we weren't planning to return to this area for awhile and we couldn't see the ocean!

Then, I noticed that the guys were absolutely dumbfounded that we were driving within a cloud. Both boys have been through clouds in an airplane before, but this was a completely new experience and they were more than content to enjoy the moment. So, I stopped myself from apologizing to them for a missed opportunity and sat back and enjoyed the present opportunity and experience myself!

While pleasant enough, we began questioning our choice during the first 1/3 of 17 Mile Drive. When we arrived at the beach and the remainder of the drive, we no longer second guessed our decision. The guys busied themselves stacking and unstacking the pebbles that were actually larger than record setting cantaloupe melons. We heard and watched via binoculars a good sized batch of harbor seals on a nearby boulder island. Due to their effective camouflage, we couldn't capture them without a telephoto lens - try to find them in the photo!

The golf course left no question regarding it's world renowned reputation. Once more falling prey to a wicked GPS trick on the exit, we took a more extended tour of the residential area with the humongous mansions, then found our way out and safely back on the road to our RV park.