Jerome's
Blogs
     Beach    Up the Coast for Easter - San Francisco - Route 1   
                 Here                                  There           
50    Clippings    Galleries    Golf   Bristol    Beach    Valley
  
Mail
Browse Me
Google
 I use a lot of links, and only thumbnail images open in a separate window. Middle-click or right-click a link to open it in a new window or tab.  

I've never been a beach person - nor much of a water person for that matter - there are only lakes and rivers in the land-locked Prairies scoured out of the ground by the glacial action of the last ice age and the meltwaters of the Rocky Mountains .

But, I think I could be...

Place name links like Carolina Beach, NC go to Wikipedia. Place name links like Carolina Beach use the local tourism or government website.
 
< Previous
Surprise! A Hockey Game
     Start
........................................
     Next >
To San Diego to Visit an Old Friend
 

2013.03.29 Up the Coast for Easter
 
Comment

 

 

 
   

 
    Up the coast to Monterey for Easter weekend, to see TFS's daughter and her fiancee. We took the scenic route, up the Pacific Coast Highway , but the weather was cool and foggy all along the coast - not so good for pictures. Not rainy though so we could go top-down. Maybe the trip back will be better for pictures.

Another visit to Pea Soup Andersen's
   

above the fog

 
   

 

 
   

 

 
   

 

 
   

 

 
 
2013.03.30 San Francisco
 
Comment

 

 


 
   

 
B   Golden Gate Bridge
C   Chinatown
D   Union Square
E   Embarcadero
    The four of us made a day-trip into San Francisco in the top-down Cabrio, having a bit of good luck with the weather turning sunny for most of the day.

We drove over the Golden Gate Bridge and back, headed into Chinatown to find dimsum, hopped a cablecar, then walked down to Union Square and the Embarcadero.

Northbound
 

 

 

 
   

 

 

 
   

 
   

 
   

 
   

 

 

 
Southbound
 

 

 

 
   

 

 

 
   

 
   

 
   

 

Alcatraz

 
   

 

 
Now we head into Chinatown

 

 
   

 

Goils!!!

 
   

 
   
Dimsums seemed to be "Hong Kong Style" without carts, which is kinda the fun of a buffet that wanders past you.

Well-fed, we then took to the streets, did some shopping and experienced a slice of a Chinatown Saturday afternoon in spring.

   

riding the cable car up Knob Hill a couple blocks
   

 

 
Down the hill we walked to downtown.
Union Square with trees blooming and artists' tents.
   

 
   

 
   

 
   

 
   

 

to Mission Street
   

on Mission Street
   

 
   

 
   
On the Embarcadero
   

 

Tasty Salted Pig Parts in the market
   

Bay Bridge in the background
   

 
   

Pier 1
   

Telegraph Hill in the distance
   

 

We dodged rain until we were waiting to get on the freeway to leave, when TFS's daughter did a very admirable job getting the top up as we crept along an on-ramp. The day was marred only slightly by Speeding Ticket #2, tagged by a stealthy patrolman on Highway 1 in twilight waiting to pick up a contribution to his county's coffers.

 
2013.03.31 Pebble Beach and South Via Route 1
 
Comment

 

 

 
B   17-Mile Drive
C   Carmel
D   Beached!!!
   

 
    After brunch in Carmel and goodbyes back in Monterey we set out homeward, with sunny clear skies letting us follow the the Pacific Coast Highway and see what we couldn't (because of the fog) on our way up. Since we had lots of time and favourable conditions and temperament, moderate adventure was ahead.
17-Mile Drive through Pebble Beach
   

 
   

 
   

 
   

 
   

 

 
   

 
   

 
   

 
   

 
   

 

 
   

 
   

 
   

 
   

The Lone Cypress
in the distance
   

Pebble Beach
Golf Links
Brunch in Carmel was good enough - another time we'll walk the streets and shops. Sunny skies and a beckoning road were more our speed.
   

a Carmel street
   
Onto the PCH southbound. Max speed limit is 55 mph (88.5 kmh) on 2 lanes. Curves, elevation changes, tourist traffic, and possibly fog and/or rain and/or falling rock. This is a route for scenery, not speed.

 
   

 
   

 
   

 
   

 
   

 

 
   

 
   

 
   

 
   

 
   

 

We stopped for  
   

a panorama at
   

Hurricane Point
   

in Big Sur
   

 
   

 

 
   

 
   

 
   

 
   

 
   

 

 
   

 
   

 
   

 
   

 
   
Skies turned murky as we moved south, and now it was time for fog.

 
   

 
   

 
   

 
   

 
   

 

 
   

 
   

 
   

 
   

 
   

 

 
   

 
   

 
   
We really haven't been on the beach at all on the west coast. At Oceano Dunes SVRA a few miles south of Pismo Beach we can do that, and not care about parking because... we'll be driving right ON the beach.

 
   

 
   

 
   
You can get stuck in sand just like in snow. Unlike snow, sand stays everywhere.
   

 
   

 
Like in snowy climes, nice people will help you get unstuck. Best to stick to the packed down areas of the beach, nearer the water. 4WDs and balloon tires are needed to explore deeper.
   

 
   

 
   

 
   

 
 
Off the beach, a trip through some wine country. My camera battery died, so these shots are with my phone in one hand, index finger on the shutter button. As I drove. Had to try it.
   

 
   

 
   

 
   

 

 
   

 
   

 
   

 
   

 
   
After this was terrain we've visited before, and then the 101 in darkness.
 
 
< Previous
Surprise! A Hockey Game
     Start
........................................
     Next >
To San Diego to Visit an Old Friend
 
 

Jerome's
Blogs
     Beach    Up the Coast for Easter - San Francisco - Route 1   
                 Here                                  There           
50    Clippings    Galleries    Golf   Bristol    Beach    Valley
  
Mail
Browse Me
Google
Document ELF/UFND/0.1:2013.05.19    A branch of The BRIDGE Tree