California Coast

On Sunday the 20th we left Bakersfield and drove over to Pasa Robles and hit the coast highway. We drove all day thru the most beautiful scenery ever. It was so nice we just took our time and stopped every time we saw something interesting. Tony got a little bit car sick so we stopped and got some pills for him and I traded and rode in the backseat for awhile. I was surprised how comfortable it was.

We stopped in Big Sur for lunch and Cliff ordered the "captains plate" and it had the biggest fried shrimp I have ever seen. They were not butterflied but I bet they were 2 inches in circumference. We both couldn't believe it. Plus it had cod, clams, and calamari. Yummy. I had their clam chowder and it was sooo good. Tony of course had his usual cheeseburger. That started our orgy of sea food. The place we ate at was called "Gorda By the Sea". We had to eat there in honor of our baby girl Gorda.

The wild flowers were in bloom all up the coast and it was soooo green. I was surprised at how many farms there were along the highway. I have driven that way before but it was 25 years ago and I guess I had forgotten about all the farms. Teddi and I tried to go up the coast highway to a race in the late 90's but it had washed out at Big Sur so they had the road closed south at about Hurst's Castle. I remember being mad because we had to back track. Imagine being so dense you were mad that you had to drive that exquisite piece of road twice? What a dumb ass I was.

We stopped at this lighthouse and Cliff got a bunch of pictures he wants to make into black and white prints. It was just so amazing. The wind was blowing so it was chilly (but then when isn't it cold on the coast? ) It was nice just to relax and smell the ocean. I love that salty smell, the ocean is my favorite place , followed by the desert. Go figure but I love them both as different as they are. There is nothing as relaxing as the beach or the desert in the still of the morning. LOVE IT. It took us all day to make the drive up the coast and we stayed that night in San Fransisco.

That story will be for tomorrow.