MT. MADONNA

Our day of adventure began with a drive to Watsonville, Ca. to locate the Gizdich Ranch where there was u-pick strawberries. The boys had a great time choosing the biggest and best they could find. Of course grandma and grandpa had to help a little, along with Erica who needed to help carry an overflowing basket filled by Malakai. Grandma cheated and used another pot found by Dalton. Grandpa just sampled his way down the rows and took pictures. Of course we had to find the part of the ranch that makes the pies and other goodies and have a sample of the offerings. We were treated to a Camero Car Club Showing on site. Nice vehicles and well appreciated by their owners.

What one must do to work off the calories is find a place to take a walk. Mt. Madonna was just a ways up the road and off we went in search of the perfect hiking trial. The coolness of the redwood forest was delightful and interesting. This is a county park and not many visitors, there are many trails with different degress of difficulty and distance to travel. We started out on one trail and soon found ourselves on another. Have to be careful as to where you are going and pay attention to the signs and what they read as many interconnect and you can find yourself on a different trail. Many big and beautiful redwoods in this park it is amazing that as you look up you can't see the tops and you figure if you climb up the trail a little more you will get to see the top. Sometimes you can't get your head back far enough to see and then you realize how far up you have traveled as the bottom of the tree is a long way down. As there has not been any rain in this area for sometime the streams have dried up and small pools of water have formed. You know that you have had a great time when we come across some wildlife in its enviroment. We saw a couple of deer grazing their way up a hillside. What a great ending to a perfect day.. Okay the best ending is having dinner at Phil's in Moss Landing eating clam chowder and calamari.

Muir Woods

Muir Woods.
On Monday we drove back over the Golden Gate Bridge to Muir Woods which is home to the Coastal Redwoods. According to the information we received they are some of the tallest and oldest in existence. We were just thrilled to be able to enjoy the beauty of them with our daughter Erica and grandsons Dalton and Malakai. To think that these goliaths were nearly cut down to extinction by our forefathers and others using the wood for building. Seeing they grow so slowly, perhaps they will be able to withstand a few more generations to oogle over and enjoy. The walk on the trails is pleasant and relatively easy walking. Considering the other hikes we have done. No major fires in this grove for the last 150 years. We even managed to find a couple of deer with young ones eating the grass along the stream embankment. Seeing wildlife in their natural enviroment is an extra bonus not matter where you are. We were glad to have postponed this walk for a day, as there were so many people here on Sunday that the parking lot was closed. There we still a lot of visitors and many foreign tour groups but we managed to elude most of them by walking a longer trail and going in the opposite direction of the crowds. There is also young samon and trout in the steam, we're sure it has a whole lot more water during the spring time, but the pools were still deep enough to support them.
On our drive back to San Francisco we took the side tour to the Sausalito waterfront. A quaint village of shops, restaurants, waterviews, large yachts, and cottages and a great view of San Francisco coastline and building high on a hill. We managed to see one of the yachts owned by Carly Fiorina that been in the news out here as her rival Senator Barbara Boxer has made headlines with how extravagant this is and that Fiorina owns another one that is docked on the Potomac in Washington D.C. Two boats, two houses or more, that's politics for you and all that we will discuss about it. Sadly enough one must return to there home base and leave some thing to do for the next trip.

San Francisco

A day in San Fransico, what more could one want. We started out by seeing the Golden Gate Bridge from the side near Sausalito. One of the bargains for the day was that there was no toll North Bound seeing they have increased the prices of tolls--- it was worth the trip. It looks like we are cold and we were a little as the temperatures hovered in the 60's most of the day. I know you people in the South and Mid-West are not sorry for us, but you would also choose to be here instead of the heat wave that you are in. It was busy for a Sunday, but we braved the crowds and did as much as possible. This north side of the bridge was clear enough to see Alcatraz. The monument on this side is for the Merchant Marines, Sailors, Coast Guard. and other service personnel who place their lives on the front line of battles and landings from the sea it was very nicely done. There are many forts that surround the Golden Gate Bridge and they are in the process of being redone for visitors or have reopened for tours. It is nice to see that history is being restored for our youth to hopefully understand the positions we have taken as a nation to protect our freedom at all cost.
After many streets of up and down we managed with the help of the GPS to find China Town. It is very impressive and just as quaint as you imagine. We were pleased to see that the price on items were within reason. Many bargains could be found if you looked. We managed to resist the best bargains, but are sorry for it too. Of course there is always now the reason to return. We had lunch at the Cathay House which most tours stop at. It was very good and reasonably priced. Our next adventure was the Trolley Cars. You have not lived or hope you still are alive once you board one of these and have the wind in your face as you lean out of the car and make sure you keep your head in as the next one passes you going in the opposite direction. To say you are packed like sardines is to be kind. Our trolley operator was very nice and told us about a one day pass that would allow us on any of the city rides. We took our first one from China Town to the Pier or Wharf Area. Many side walk vendors and events going on at Justin Herman Plaza. We walked to Pier 1 and seeing the fog had lifted got a great view of the Bay Bridge and Alcatraz. We then boarded the cable car to ride out to Pier 39, that was worse than being a sardine in a can, but also fun our driver was very kind and informative. Being a Sunday it was very crowded, but with the temps so high inland everyone was looking for the coolness. We braved the crowds and found the sea lions and the boardwalk along Pier 39. We road back on the cable car to catch the next trolley to Lombard Street. Oh yeah you have to walk this all the way down to the bottom, or if you have a car you can drive it. Walking down is easy up was not all that bad really, Traffic is something else, but I guess if you bought your property you knew what was in store for you after all this has been in existance for years. We rode the trolley to the bottom of the hill, I was glad to be facing the other direction as the view down was quite scary, to say that the brakes were smoking would not be a lie. We walked to the Ghiradelli Square when of course one must have hot chocolate or a latte the boys preferred ice cream. Malikai was in heaven with all the chocolate he would have liked to have taken a bath in.
Our ride back to the car was a little chilly, but remember the side walk vendors, of course one could purchase a jacket at a great price to help against the chill. While waiting for the trolly we managed to watch the how the trolly turns around yes, it is still done the old fashion way of pushing it along the track to the turnstyle and rotating it 180 degrees. Great fun and enjoyment while you wait you turn to board. Our parking for the whole day was only $5.00, Erica left the garage in a great hurry just in case the attendent changed his mind. We found our hotel, with a great view from the 4th floor and got entertained or should we say sung to during the night by the street people. In the morning we found a great pancake restuarant called Sears House of Pancakes. If you go by the pictures on the wall a lot of famous people have eaten there. Okay one was Tony Bennett, I know you all wanted to know that and the newest visitor was Obama. It doesn't matter it was very good.

Carmel Lagoon

A day in Carmel-by-the-sea what better way to pass the time with a little house hunting. Yeah right, in all of our dreams. We have often wondered what people do for a living to afford these places, as they tell us not much while they are here, most come just for the weekend out of L.A. go figure everyone should have a little place along the seashore to retreat to.. Interesting designs on some of these place, very pretty and there in even a couple that we would have liked to have seen the inside of. The orange fencing material is for those that are planning on adding or rebuilding so the neighbors can see the height of the structure before the work is done an interesting concept of the way things are done here. The surf looks inviting and the colors are brilliant blues and green, but the rip currents are very stong in this area so there is a lot of advisories about stepping into the water. We were treated to the sight of an elephant seal on the beach. This is the first one we have seen and a little unusual to be in this area now. This one is a young one, and probably has been cast out as he is male and the bigger ones don't want him around. Love the fact that he put on a show for us with throwing sand over his body. Yes one wants to know how we know the difference between a seal and a sea lion. Very easy to tell the difference when you learn how. A sea lion has ears an a seal does not. Our daughter taught us another way to remember the difference. Ear has three letters and so does Sea as in Sea Lion. The temperatures are very pleasant this year and we have managed to walk around and enjoy with out the usual jackets or sweatshirts on like last year. The day was complete when we managed to find a place to have lunch of clam chowder, one of the boys favorite meals.

SAT 10 2010

Pictures are from the Moss Landing area where we saw the otters and sea lions, The other photos are our drive down to Big Sur along route 1. The morning started out a little chilly with the temps in the 50's, and the fog hugging the coastline, there were spots where one could see the ocean, but not too far off shore,but as the day went on the temps got warmer and the fog lifted enough to make it a warm sunny afternoon. It was good to see the countryside growing green with grass on the hillsides and flowers in bloom. Two years ago the fires had such an impact on the views into the hills. As with everything Mother Nature does, life and beauty does return in time. Julia Pfeiffer State Park still has evidance of the fire, work is being done on a couple of trails up the hillside, but the ash is still just under the dirt, the stream is finding a new path down the mountain side see the landslide from the year before made such an impact on the flow of the water. The trees are coming back with new growth. The water is still coming over the falls and if you look close enough you can see that a couple of small landslides occured over the last year. Many more tourist this year than last. It could be the economy is a little better, or that the area is showing greener areas and people are wanting to see it in all its glory. Big Sur State Park was also busy and we managed to do the trail there again to the falls. There is higher growth of the trees and the trails are being used. Our favorite spot being the Big Sur River Inn where one can chill their toes in the icy river and much on a sandwich and drink a glass of wine too. The grandchildren love rearranging the rocks to make their own pool area.

Market & Monterey Bay Aquarium

Our first week here in Monterey and we are in heaven with the fresh markets on Tuesday downtown. So much to choose from. This is one of the best markets we have found in our travels so we really look forward to them. Along with vegetables and fruit one can also purchase other foods, flowers, drinks and other sundries. The boys and Dave especially enjoy the desserts. No visit to Monterey is complete without going to the Aquarium several times while here. It is nice to go and wander and watch just an area or two every couple of days, The sea life is so enchanting one never grows tired of watching.