Brief trip to California

Neato. It's hard to tell from your pics if that's Carmel or Cambria. The coast weaves in and out frolicking with the sea on that section of CA. But if you had made it to Cambria you would have been in the town I called home for 15 years.

This does nothing to cure my homesickness.
 
Thanks Richard. Actually those were from day one - still north of Santa Cruz. Day two was Big Sur... I haven't been to Cambria yet, but it sounds beautiful. California is beautiful, full stop. It's a shame the economy is so bad out there, and that it's so expensive to live there. ("it's a shame" is an understatement...)
 
woodstock said:
Thanks Richard. Actually those were from day one - still north of Santa Cruz. Day two was Big Sur... I haven't been to Cambria yet, but it sounds beautiful. California is beautiful, full stop. It's a shame the economy is so bad out there, and that it's so expensive to live there. ("it's a shame" is an understatement...)
Click to expand...
Nice pictures. California is beautiful, no doubt. When you get a chance, I would recommend exploring the area north of SF, too.

The economy might be bad in terms of averages and totals (like total unemployment), but that's mostly because the income gap is so high here, too. In the Bay Area, for example, we've felt much less of an economic problem than the rest of the country. If you live in an area like that, the economy and job situation is even slightly better than it was 5 years ago.

-Felix
 
Very nice photography. Around here, we refer to that area as Northern California. The real California is further south. :)

John
 
sba55 said:
California is beautiful, no doubt. When you get a chance, I would recommend exploring the area north of SF, too.
Click to expand...
+1. Beth would find many great photo ops at Point Reyes, Fort Ross and Mendocino to name a few places.
 
Thanks y'all!

I have heard Point Reyes is gorgeous... I'll get there yet.

I put some more links up - I will put them all at the top so they are easier to find.
 
Everskyward said:
+1. Beth would find many great photo ops at Point Reyes, Fort Ross and Mendocino to name a few places.
Click to expand...

No question. Those are great places to go. I'd add Bodega Bay and Bolinas to the list.
 
wsuffa said:
No question. Those are great places to go. I'd add Bodega Bay and Bolinas to the list.
Click to expand...
Also Mt Tamalpais (amazing view of the entire Bay Area), the Kenwood Inn and Spa in Sonoma (don't forget to schedule a message, and if you don't mind the $$$$, stay for a night and eat at the restaurant), and a drive through the heart of Sonoma. Stop in Healdsburg on the way, have coffee at Flying Goat Coffee (best coffee in Northern California) and eat at Cyrus (2 Michelin Stars - or, if you really need all 3 stars, I suppose you could go to the French Laundry in Napa).
 
Last edited:
Nepenthe's is one of my favorite restaurants. Next time you go make time to hike down to some of the beaches. Not all require a knee killing hike in vertical terrain.

That picture of the beach just south of the river mouth is on the Big Sur Ranch. Those folks absolutely hate any trespasser. I've surfed that beach and was barely able to convince the county sheriff I hadn't trespassed to get to the beach. Most every other land owner (including Hearst) is more kindly to the ocassional hiker across their lands. Just don't harm the fences, leave gates as you found them, and for your sake don't make the cows run.

In Big Sur Pt 2, do you mean the Pampass grass? (frondy) That is an invasive species but is quite prodigeous. Stupid state is spending big bucks to eradicate yet they continue to allow nurseries to sell the plant. The other ubiquitous plant along the coast is ice plant which is a succulent-type ground cover. It does flower in spring to mid-summer (white, cream, or purple single flower) and the "pickels" (actually leaves) turn rust color towards winter.
 
Last edited:
In the early 80s when I went back to college I took a part time job delivering seafood. Twice a week I drove a route that started and ended in Morro Bay. I would drive as far north as Watsonville (on a couple ocassions, Santa Cruz) but usually up to Monterey and down through Carmel and Big Sur. I was blessed to have a job that took me along a coastline which people from all over the world came to visit. I kept that job for almost 2 years. I always had several camera bodies and lens with me. I even met my hero in geology, H. Kenneth Tsu. He actually remembered me from an earlier visit.

Beth, you might like the Henry Miller museum just up the road from Nepenthe's. It is in the house Henry lived in before he passed and was curated by his long-time friend whose name I forget right now. He too has probably passed away.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top