Davenport coastline looking south towards Monterey
It was a foggy morning when we set off from home for Bean Hollow Beach but the forecast said the sun would burn off the fog. We were slightly concerned that the Santa Cruz mountain range would be fog bound, which would have made the drive a little scary, but miraculously the fog disappeared as soon as we left the valley. In fact the drive over the mountains was wonderful with a perfect view of Monterey as we crested the summit.
(Click on the photos for larger versions)
Once again we must apologize for the lack of posts recently, due to bad weather over several weekends and an unfortunate accident. Both situations are much improved now I’m pleased to say.
Crossing over the tracks heading towards the ocean at Davenport, California
After our fabulous breakfast at Zachary’s in Santa Cruz, we drove north on Highway 1. We stopped in Davenport because Tom had read somewhere that there were the remains of old pier in Davenport. We parked right opposite the Whale City Bakery Bar & Grill and walked towards the ocean. We soon came to the edge and looked down on a railway track. There was a worn path on the other side of the tracks and all we had do was to find the way to it. At the end of the parking area near a clump of trees we found shale like rock which looked a bit like a staircase so we climbed down, crossed the tracks and picked up the path on the other side. Soon we were at the edge of a steep cliff with wonderful views over a sandy beach and we could see Monterey in the distance. The coastline was spectacular but saw no sign of a pier. Further down I spotted someone sitting on the edge of the cliff with his hound by his side so I went to ask him about the pier. The guy was obviously a local with his dreadlocks, ruddy face, full beard, woolly cap and holding a large cup of coffee in his hands. He readily told us where the remains of the pier were, which was around the point to the north. The path was easy to follow but we stayed away from the edge of the steep cliff. As we walked there was a lovely smell but at first I couldn’t work out where it came from. Then I saw a big swathe of white alyssom and the penny dropped.
Three Pelicans gliding up the coast at Davenport, California
We spied the remains of the pier easily. Only three concrete supports remain. As we didn’t know the history, it was the first thing I checked when I got home. A whaling captain called John Pope Davenport (the town was named after him) built the first pier in 1867 at the mouth of what is now known as the Muddy Water Creek. Lumber was brought down from the hills and shipped to Santa Cruz a little way down the coast. When the steamers could no longer get alongside the pier due to the mud which was also being brought down from the hills, an extension was built to the pier but this did not solve the problem. An even longer pier was built later but that one was destroyed in a storm. (This information came from Wikipedia).
While Tom took loads of photographs, I sat on a concrete block on top of the cliff and contemplated the view. Strings of pelicans skimmed the waves beneath me and out at sea a group of small fishing boats kept me fully absorbed. It was bliss. The sun was warm with no wind to speak of. While I sat there only one person, a surfer, walked by. It was very relaxing and peaceful.
An hour later we were back of the road again driving towards Half Moon Bay. Along the way many cars were parked and surfers were either getting changed into their wet suits, walking towards the ocean with their boards or out on the water waiting for the next big wave. A drive on Highway 1 on Big Sur to the south is always wonderful but this drive to the north is even better in our opinion with it’s many accessible sandy beaches and each of them unique.
Bean Hollow State Beach along the San Mateo coast
At 9:30 we arrived at Bean Hollow State Beach. I expected there to be a day charge to use the beach but I couldn’t see anywhere to pay. We walked to the sandy beach down a partly eroded path. Immediately the unusual honeycomb rock formations attracted our attention. I wandered off down the beach while Tom paused to take photos. There was so much to take in. Looking down at the sand I could see all kinds of tracks – birdlife, crabs and human – besides all the flotsam washed up on the beach like seaweed, shells and driftwood. By looking up I could take in the cliff face and then, looking out over the ocean I could see the waves breaking on the rocky outcrops. A family group with four small boys were having fun in a little lagoon. Several sandcastles attested to their other activities. I sat on a big driftwood log and even thought about taking my sweater off as it was so warm but all too soon Tom had caught up with me and it was time to explore the trail along the top of the beach.
A half hidden flight of wooden steps at the north end of the beach led to the top of the bluff. The trail is close enough to the highway to see and hear the traffic but the sound of the waves breaking blurred most of noise.
It was an interesting trail. I was surprised at the amount of color around in the plant life from both flowers and greenery. The ice plant, even though it is an invasive plant, has bright purple or yellow flowers. There were small information boards every so often which told me things I didn’t know like the fact that the Ohlone people collected olive shells here to make jewelry and the fact that the foam seen washed up on the beach is created by algae and is natural. In other words, it is not soapsuds. The trail is easy to negotiate though very narrow. Several small wooden bridges crossed the wetter places and the occasional flight of wooden steps made climbing the hills easier.
Strange rock erosion called Tafoni
About half way along the trail there is a convenient bench to sit on and I took advantage of it. Here I did take my sweater off. Sitting there gave me a chance to catch up with my writing. When I saw Tom appear in the distance I carried on with my walk. I spotted a small snake slithering across the path and through the plants and wanted to take a photo but it had disappeared before I was able to get my camera out of its case. Should be easy to identify when I get home because it had a bright yellow line along its spine. (It was a Santa Cruz Gartersnake but, as it was not very big, I’m guessing it was just a baby one).
I walked all the way to Pebble Beach where there was a small car park. It is also part of the Bean Hollow State Beach. Here was an interesting information board telling me that the honeycomb rock formations are called Tafoni which is caused by rock weathering and erosional processes. I tried calling Tom on my cell phone to tell him where I was but there was no network coverage so I turned around and walked back.
Ice plant flower. Stuff grows like a weed (is a weed) but at least the flower is pretty.
I caught up with Tom back at the bench and he told me all the interesting features he had been using with his camera. On the way back to the car we analyzed the remains of a large bird which had come to grief in a patch of ice plant. When I passed it earlier I thought it was the remains of a young sea gull but Tom deduced it was a pelican by the shape of its skull.
We stopped in Pescadero on the way home at Harley Goat Farm to buy some of my favorite honey and lavender cheese plus some feta cheese as well. Of course we had to sample lots of the other cheeses and some scrumptious boysenberry, blackberry and raspberry preserve. Since our last visit they have extended the shop and now on sale are some gorgeous wooden chopping boards imported from Wales, socks made with wool from angora goats imported from Yorkshire and garden tools made of copper and tin imported from Hungary.
We were home just after 2 o’clock and we both agreed that for the price of gas, a wonderful breakfast and some cheese, it had been a perfect day.
December 03 2011 | Special Places | No Comments »
Coastal scene from Point Lobos State Reserve
Our destination was Point Lobos State Natural Reserve to the south of Carmel just off Highway 1. On our last visit to Big Sur, we had planned to stop off at the park but, being tight with our cash, we wanted to park outside and walk in. There were no safe spots outside the park so we carried on. This time we were prepared to pay the entrance fee.
We set off before 6 while it was still dark. There was a nip in the air, Fall is upon us. Traffic was surprisingly heavy for a Sunday morning at that time. Within an hour, we were approaching Monterey. It was beginning to get light. Then we ran into fog, which was not unexpected. We hoped the sun would burn it all off in due course.
Of course breakfast was a priority and we stopped at the Barnyard Shopping Village outside Carmel at the From Scratch Restaurant – see previous post. Driving back towards Highway 1 afterwards on Carmel Valley Road, we were surprised to discover that we couldn’t turn left. We assumed there must be another way out of the Barnyard Shopping Village which would have brought us to traffic lights where we would have turned left.
Old whalers cabin in Whalers Cove at Point Lobos Reserve
The entrance to Point Lobos SNR was on our right about a mile further south. There were several cars parked outside but we turned into the park. The entrance fee is $10 per car or $9 for seniors. We happily parted with our $9 and received a brochure, which included a very detailed map. Looking at the map, we decided to head for Whalers Cove first.
The car park was very nearly full but we were lucky to grab the last spot available. This is the only place in the reserve where scuba divers can enter the water and we decided that most of the cars parked there must belong to scuba dives because there were a lot of people walking around in wet suits andy most of the vehicles had scuba gear in the back. According to the Point Lobus SNR, only half of the park can be viewed onland. By scuba diving you see the other half.
Immediately we were struck by the awesome beauty of the place. A sheltered bay was in front of us thick with kelp. We walked back up the road to the old cabin at the side of the road. A plaque outside said it was built by Chinese fishermen in the 1850′s. It is now used as a cultural history museum. Peeking through the window it looked interesting but it didn’t open until 9 am. Just opposite a sign marked the beginning of the Granite Point Trail so that is where we headed.
Sea otter at Point Lobos State Reserve
It was a beautiful trail and so peaceful. The sun had come out and it was quite warm but it felt chilly when walking through the shady parts. Fortunately I had my sweatshirt on. I also had my binoculars and was on the lookout for sea otters as kelp is their favorite feeding ground. I saw no sea otters at that point but I did hear the distinctive tap, tap, tap of an otter probably using a stone to break open a shellfish. The path twisted and turned and a different view was revealed every couple of minutes. From the other side of the bay, I watched a boat pull into the cove and half a dozen scuba divers swam out to it. The first part of the trail is wheelchair accessible and where that part ends there is a conveniently placed bench. If it hadn’t been in the shade I would have taken the opportunity to sit down and take in the view.
Instead we took a less accessible trail down to Coal Chute Point. The point is so named because in the 1870′s coal was discovered nearby. After the coal was mined it was taken first by horse drawn wagons and then loaded into ore carts on a tramway and taken to Coal Chute Point. The water there is very deep and ships could get close to land to take on the coal as it cascaded from the chute. Now there is a a wonderful view of Monterey Bay. It was here I saw my first otters of the day. A pair of them were not far off shore, an adult and lighter colored juvenile. The white face of the adult was clearly visible. They swam on their backs and dived every so often. After one dive the adult appeared with a shellfish in its paws and it turned on its back and swam out of sight. It was a real treat to see them so close. Tom spotted a bird down below, busily probing the rocks. It was black with yellow eyes, a red beak and light pink feet. I’d seen one before at Mendocino and couldn’t work out what it was. This time I tried harder. A lady walking by saw me consulting iBird West on my iPad. She said she thought it was an oyster catcher and with that information I was able to find out that it was a Black Oyster Catcher.
The trail we were on went a little further towards Granite Point and joined up with the Moss Cove Trail but we turned back. The museum in the whalers cabin beckoned us. Inside the cabin Wayne, the volunteer in charge, was happy to talk about the reserve and passed on lots of useful information. The exhibits in the museum displayed not only the cultural history of the area back to when a branch of the Ohlone tribe called Rumsien were in residence for about 2,500 years until the early 1800′s but also the commercially viable industries which sprouted up in the mid 19th century. The first to arrive in the early 1850′s after the Rumsien had disappeared were Chinese fishermen who made the perilous journey across the Pacific in small junks. They set about harvesting abalone which abounded in the ocean. This industry flourished until the 1920′s. In the mid 1850′s a granite quarry was established in Whalers Cove. The car park is now on the site. From the trail you can easily see where the quarry was. Portuguese whalers arrived in the 1860s and that business thrived for over 20 years.
The pristine park we can enjoy today was very nearly a non starter. In the 1890′s a scheme was hatched to sell 1,000 residential lots in the Whalers Cove area. Fortunately an engineer from back East came and fell in love with the area. His name was Alexander Allan. He bought 640 acres and he also set about buying up all the residential lots which had been sold. In the 1920′s, efforts were made to protect the cypress tress which grow here and no where else. First of all Allan sold some of his land to the State of California and later donated a whole lot more and the reserve was born.
The fog rolling in at Point Lobos Sate Reserve
It was time to move on and explore some more of Point Lobos. Our next stop was where both the Sea Lion Point Trail and the Cypress Grove Trail start. The park was getting busier but once again we found a parking place without too much trouble. We decided to take the Cypress Grove Trail and discovered a whole lot more of the attractions to be seen. At the end of this small peninsula is the Allan Memorial Grove. It is a circular trail and we took the counter-clockwise direction. We walked to the first overlook and were surprised to see some fog rolling in which looked like smoke coming off the trees. While I was admiring the view and Tom was busy taking photograps, a group of bird watchers turned up. One of the guys was wearing an Oregon Ducks T-Shirt and he commented on my Oregon Ducks sweatshirt. It always surprises me how many people say ‘Go Ducks’ when they see my sweatshirt. They were a chatty group and as we were leaving someone spotted an Oregon Junco – how appropriate. Apparently it is hard to tell the difference between them and the Yellow Eyed Junco apart from their call.
Further along the trail as we neared North Point it became steeper and the views more spectacular. At Pinnacle Cove there were steps going up and then down on the other side. Although there was fog offshore it was not drifting ashore so the views along the coast were of the Big Sur coastline which has to be seen to be believed. I can see why they call this reserve the ‘jewel of the California state park system’. Back in the car park, we contemplated taking the Sea Lion Point Trail but opted to drive to the end of the road to take in the whole park. The road is a wee bit narrow in places and because folks are so busy looking at the views, they tend to wander into the middle of the road. One has to drive very carefully. At the start of the Bird Island Trail we turned around in the car park and headed back.
We certainly enjoyed our time at the Point Lobos State Reserve and wonder why we had never visited before. I’m sure we will come here again and walk some more of the trails.
October 16 2011 | Special Places | No Comments »
From Scratch Restaurant in the Barnyard Shopping Center off Highway 1 in Carmel Valley
From Scratch Restaurant is located in the Barnyard just off Highway 1. Many times we have driven this way and neither of us realized what a gem there was so close to Highway 1. I had found the restaurant online the day before and thought it would be worth trying out but we were not prepared for the Barnyard. For those who you who have not discovered it either, let me explain. It is a shopping center but it is more than the normal run of shopping malls. It is called the Barnyard Shopping Village because it consists of half a dozen large barn like buildings which house small shops in and around them which all fit in with the barnyard theme.
All this cuteness has a downside. Finding any one shop is difficult. We drove round several times without spotting the From Scratch Restaurant. I saw a directory on a wall so we stopped to look at. It wasn’t all that easy to find the restaurant but we realized we were pretty close, at least we were near the correct barn. Nearby we noticed the Carmel Valley Roasting Coffee Company and thought we would first of all find the restaurant and then come back for a coffee. I knew the restaurant opened at 7.30 and as it was only 7 am, so we had plenty of time. We walked around a very nice patio, with benches to sit on and lots of flowers, and saw a sign for the restaurant. OK, we knew where it was, so we went back for a coffee for Tom and a hot chocolate for me. The coffee shop was very nice. For starters the coffee was good but the surroundings were very pleasant too. Several comfortable sofas and coffee tables were placed around the room and most of them were vacant. The half an hour we spent there was relaxing and the natives were friendly.
Just after 7.30 we set off to walk to the restaurant thinking it would be easy. It wasn’t. We thought the sign we saw was above the shop but we were proved wrong. There was a very nice florist there and a couple of other interesting shops but no restaurant. We wandered a bit further and come to another inviting patio but no sign which said From Scratch Restaurant. On a pillar there was a noticeboard which looked suspiciously like a menu board showing the specials. On closer inspection it was what we were looking for but there was no sign saying From Scratch Restaurant and if there was we certainly didn’t see it.
Inside there were a few customers and lots of empty tables. We were told to sit where we liked and we chose a table near a fireplace and close to the window. The server came straight up with the menus and she was very friendly. Tom ordered Smoked Salmon Benedict, which was 12.95 and I had Oatmeal for $5.95.
The decor was very nicely done. On the wall near us were lots of original water colors by Mary Alice Hinman which could be bought for $150 each. The opposite wall displayed framed colored photographs by Miguel Dominguez which could also be bought. On the mantlepiece above the fireplace were a decorative teapot, fruit in a tall glass jar and a sign which said ‘ Live High’.
Before long our food was served and it looked wonderful. Tom really enjoyed the benedict which was plumped full of smoked salmon and my oatmeal, although it was not steel cut oats, was scrumptious. In fact the food was amazing.
Our visit ended with my trip to the one unisex restroom. Although it was not quite as luxurious as I expected it was perfectly adequate. A poster, depicting whales and tropical fish, hung on one wall and an orchid growing in a pot sat on a small table.
This is definitely one breakfast restaurant which we both recommend highly and will certainly be visiting again. I’m sure it must get really busy later in the morning so I suggest you get there early if you plan to visit.
October 06 2011 | Breakfast Log | No Comments »
Big Sur coast from Nepenthe. A million dollar view. We talk about Nepenthe further down.
We decided it was time to revisit Big Sur as it has been a couple of years since we took the scenic drive along Highway 1.
(Please click on the small images to see larger versions, the resolution is better. Sorry, but just about all browsers don’t do these photos justice. Most browsers aren’t color managed so much of the shadow and color are lost.)
As we approached Gilroy on 101 we saw signs for the Garlic Festival. This is a big event which thousands of people will attend. I have never been and maybe one day I should just go to see what it is like and to sample garlic ice cream. Encountering traffic on the way home though could be a problem.
We arrived in Pacific Grove at 6.45a.m. and as the cafe we planned to have breakfast in did not open until 7 am, we had a little bit of time to kill. We drove down to the end of Lighthouse Avenue to see if I could find the motel I stayed in on my first trip to California in 1997. On that occasion I was with my son and daughter and we were spending New Year in the area. We found the motel almost at the end of the road and it looks the same as I remembered it. As we still had a few minutes to spare we drove down to Lovers’ Point which is a nice little cove with a sandy beach. In the past I have spotted sea otters amongst the kelp beds not far from shore but not today.
After breakfast we found our way back to Highway 1. When we crossed Carmel; River Bridge we were officially on the Big Sur scenic drive.
We wanted to have a quick look around Point Lobos State Reserve. There is a car park but it has a day use charge. According to ‘A Guide to California’s Big Sur‘, walk-ins did not have to pay to enter the reserve and that there were parking places along the road. All we found were ‘No Parking’ signs posted.
Our first stop was at the 67.00 mile marker (for more information about mile markers see this) in a small gravel pull off and we were in for the
Blue or Gray Whale? We're not sure. Anyway they were very close to shore.
treat of our lives. There was an no official trail but there were signs warning of dangerous cliffs. We walked down a rough beaten path towards the ocean where we had a good view of the coastline. There was no access to the shore at all. Here the rocks meet the sea with not a beach in sight. I was gazing out to sea at the kelp beds, keeping my eyes open for sea otters but what I saw took my breath away. Just offshore, maybe no more than a quarter of a mile, I spotted a water spout. Could it have been made by a whale? No, it couldn’t be, not at this time of the year. The whale migration was over a couple of months ago. But I saw another one and then another. I called to Tom and we kept our eyes trained on that section of the ocean. There was one water spout after another and deduced there were more than two whales out there. All the activity seemed to be in one spot but after we had been watching for at least half an hour we realized they were slowly moving north. Every so often we saw a fin rise out of the water but none of them breached. We concluded that they were feeding. Tom took lots of photographs but it was very difficult to actually capture anything. Sure wished I knew what sort of whales they were. The next day I mentioned to someone what we had seen and was told there was something on the news about the number of whales spotted off the coast of California. Of course I had to check online and found this. Maybe it was blue whales we saw. Wow.
Big Sur coast line
Eventually we tore ourselves away an continued our drive. At the 65.32 mile marker we stopped to take some photos and again at the 62.5 marker. The latter is called the Abalone Cove Vista Point. It bet there are no abalone there now. Tom reflected that back in the day you could probably walk out at low tide and pluck them from the rocks (note from Tom: Wild Abalone is the best food I ever ate. It is rich but not overly so. Texture, taste and sweetness from the sea. Man, it doesn’t get any better). Just off the the right there was a line of trees which effectively blocked off a lot of the vista. They were screening somebody’s back lawn. At the end of the garden, on the edge of the cliff, was a bench. I expect that is the place to be when the sun goes down.
By this time is was 9.30 and the tourists were out. I guess we could be called tourists today. I expect all the small gravel pull offs at the side of the road will be packed later on as more and more people hit the road. Just past the Rocky Pit Restaurant we stopped again. A field, with half a dozen grazing cows, sloped down to the ocean. When we looked along the coastline to the south we spotted a rock archway in the cliffs.
The road becomes more and more scenic the further south we went but scary too. If you don’t have a head for heights, some of the bridges are
Wind blown cypress along the Big Sur coast
difficult to cross. I just take a deep breath and look straight ahead. Bixby Creek Bridge is the most photographed bridge on this road. Up close you don’t get a true appreciation of it. A little further south at Hurricane Point (58.3 marker) is the perfect place to take a picture. It was a little foggy up there so Tom did not attempt to photograph it today. To see one of Tom’s photos of the bridge just look at the top of the page. The history of why Highway 1 was constructed and who did the hard work can be found here.
About eight miles further on, the Point Sur Lightstation is located on a large rock. There are three hour guided walking tours led by volunteers at certain times – November to March on Saturdays and Sundays at 10 am and on Wednesdays 1 pm; April to October on Saturdays and Sundays at 10 am and 2 pm, Sundays at 10 am and Thursday during July and August at 10 am. Admission is $10. There are moonlight tours as well, admission $15. No advance booking is required but it is first come, first served. Must put that on our list of things to do in the future.
We stopped again just before the entrance to Andrew Molera State Park at the beginning of a trail. A sign just inside indicated that it led to a primitive camp site and this was the only access to it. While Tom took photographs from the road, I stretched my legs by walking a little way down the trail which cut through a field. Wildflowers grew profusely along the edge of the path. When it became a little chilly I turned back because I no longer had my sweatshirt on. A father and son passed me on their way into the campground carrying a surf board.
Back on the road again, we took a detour down Sycamore Canyon Road to Pfeiffer Beach in Pfeiffer Big Sur State Park. It was a steep 2.5 mile drive on a one lane road through woodland and past a few houses. We passed only one car coming up but there were two behind us and one in front. The fee for day use is $5. A sign displayed at the pay booth amused me – ‘Yes it is windy and no refunds’. There was short walk to the beach alongside a stream which was not in full spate. The beach was sandy and hemmed in by high cliffs and three huge rocks which were just offshore. At first sight it did not look very big but when we walked north a little way, around a small point, we saw that the beach extended some way. The surf surged through the gaps between the rocks and through a tunnel in one of them.
Archway at Pfeiffer Beach in Pfeiffer Big Sur State Park
There were quite a few people on the beach. Lots of family groups with picnics. One family were flying a kite and another building sandcastles. A couple of little girls in swimming costumes were walking a little way into the water and then running back again screaming in mock fright when the tide came in a covered their feet. I walked along the beach and spotted several cairns of balancing stones. The beach does not have larges pieces of driftwood but lots of little sticks which could be used to build small structures. I also noticed that a lot of seaweed had been washed up, most of it kelp.
I walked back to the northern end of the beach, leaving Tom busy with his tripod near the first big rock. Wading across a small creek I found a convenient rock to sit on in almost total seclusion. The sun, having burned off the fog, was shining brightly. There was a warm breeze which felt very pleasant so I used my sweatshirt as a cushion. Then I started writing. It was a glorious feeling to be sitting in the sun, listening to the surf and the happy sound of children at play and I was thoroughly content.
Heading down towards Nepenthe along the Big Sur coast
Our last stop was at Nepenthe. There is no way you can drive down Highway 1 and not stop here. Nepenthe was designed by Rowan Maiden, a student of Frank Lloyd Wright in the late forties. Nearby is a cabin, which was built in 1925 and at one time was owned by Orson Welles and, his wife at the time, Rita Hayworth. Nepenthe is on three levels with a restaurant on the top deck with a large outdoor terrace, Cafe Kevah on the middle deck with another large terrace and the Phoenix Gift Shop on the lowest level. From the top two decks are wonderful views down the coast. When we arrived we parked at the road level. Because there were a lot of cars around, most of them appeared to be Corvettes so assumed there was some sort of rally or meet going on, we thought it would be difficult to get anything to drink, never mind something to eat. We opted for the Cafe Kevah and were pleasantly surprised to find it almost empty.
We ordered a grilled Cheddar and Fontina Panini sandwich, served with a mixed green salad plus a beer for Tom and a hot chocolate for me. All the tables are outside underneath umbrellas. The sun is warm so the shade was welcoming. We had views over the ocean and inshore. Two years ago Nepenthe was threatened by the Basin Complex wildfire, which took over a month to contain, but we have not seen evidence of that fire anywhere today. As soon as our food hit the table, we were surrounded by a family of Stella Jays and a couple of crows. They sat waiting to snatch up the crumbs but they were out of luck. When we had finished eating, one of the jays hopped from the adjacent table onto ours, hoping I expect to glean any crumbs from our plates. One slight movement from me and he flew away.
After lunch we climbed to the top deck just to see what was going on. In stark contrast to the deck below, it was crowded. Obviously the Corvetters had congregated there. From this level you get a better view down the coast but it was a bit hazy so we could not see very far. On our way back to the car we stepped into the Pheonix Gift Shop and somehow managed to resist the temptation to buy anything.
Time to head home. We had a marvelous day exploring parts of Big Sur we had not visited before but there is still lots we have yet to see.
September 07 2010 | Special Places | No Comments »
Heading down the trail to Franklin Point. This photo looks back towards Highway 1.
After stopping for breakfast in Santa Cruz, we set off for our favorite spot on the coast – Franklin Point. When we left San Jose just before 7, the temperature was already 77 degrees and it looked like it was going to be another hot one. What we needed was to cool off at the coast. We were expecting it to be a little foggy and in fact there was a sign on Highway 17 which said to watch out for fog ahead but as we reached the crest of the Santa Cruz Mountains there was no fog and in fact there was still none in sight as we approached Santa Cruz. It was a different story though when we left Santa Cruz to headed up the coast. First of all it was just a little foggy but it cleared around Davenport, only to appear again as we approached Ano Nuevo. That’s the trouble with fog, you never know where it is going to be exactly.
Franklin Point was not too bad actually. As we got out of the car there was a stiff breeze so we donned our jackets. There were no other cars parked by the tree stump but ahead of us on the trail we could see another couple walking towards the beach. The trail is only half a mile long to the beach. I strode ahead so Tom could take his time to stop along the way and take photos.
It has been nearly a year since our last visit and I was looking forward to sitting on my favorite bench. The trail has been modified since then.
Click on this photo for a larger version and you'll be able to see our favorite bench at Franklin Point
The first modification was man made. About two thirds of the way along it used to get very wet and muddy in the winter and on occasions the trail has been impassable at this point. A few years ago small logs were put down over the worst section to form a pathway but over time they have either been burried of have disappeared. A raised boardwalk has now been constructed, which will make it possible to walk to the beach every day of the year. The second modification to the trail was natural. Due to shifting sand, the trail itself has been altered nearer the beach.
When I arrived at the beach, I took my time to absorb the scene, taking deep breaths to fill my lungs with the fresh air. The only people in sight were the couple who I had seen earlier and they were making a beeline for the bench, which was clearly visible half a mile away up on the point. But they only stopped a few seconds and did not even sit down before they turned away and carried on walking south. Such a pity. It might be blowing up there but five minutes rest on the bench would have set them up for the day.
I didn’t head for the bench straightaway but walked on past for about half a mile, just to see what I could see. I stopped to look down into a little cove and spotted a huge pink starfish clinging to a rock. The path at this point was perilously close to the edge of the cliff.
Turning back, I retraced my steps to the point where a boardwalk leads to the bench. Last time I remarked how the boardwalk itself was beginning to deteriorate. This time I noticed how some of the metal poles were very rusty and a few have corroded to the point where the metal is very flaky. I won’t be surprised if on my next visit some of them will have rusted through completely.
Looking out at Franklin Point from our favorite bench at our favorite place along the San Mateo Coast.
Eventually I arrived at my bench. OK, it was windy. As I wrote I had to hold down the pages of my journal with the other hand, but I’m not complaining. The sound of the waves coming in and going out and the surf breaking over the rocks was soothing. The smell of the ocean was invigorating – all those negative ions working their magic. On top of all that, I could taste the brine on my lips. The fog was thicker out to sea and I could not see Pigeon Point Lighthouse off to my right. I knew it was there but the light was not even visible.
Normally we see a lot of pelicans flying low around this point and Tom waits patiently for them to arrive. You have no warning at all that they are coming. Suddenly they appear, gliding in formation and skimming the waves. But today we were out of luck. We saw lots of gulls and cormorants sitting out on the rocks but not one pelican.
As we sat there, contemplating life and the future; glorying in the scenery and the cool breezes, the sun began to warm our backs. Ironically the fog seemed to be getting thicker off the coast. Eventually we both took a deep sigh, turned our backs on the ocean and headed back to the heat of the Santa Clara Valley.
August 02 2009 | Special Places | No Comments »
It has been over a month since we have done any day trips, due to a nasty cold that Tom has been suffering from and
San Gregorio Valley
several very wet weekends. This weekend is not going to be any dryer but as only scattered showers are forecast today, we decided to at least go for a drive.
We set off just before 7am, heading towards the coast. On the peaks of the Santa Cruz mountains there was a dusting of snow. There was a beautiful but ominous cloud suspended above. That must be the next storm moving in. We desperately need the rain though. After two dry winters, we welcome the rain but it has been a long time coming this year. It probably will not be enough,though, to prevent water rationing this summer. When it rains here it hopefully falls as snow over the Sierras and when that snow melts in the spring, it fills our reservoirs.
The sun was shining but the temperature only registered at 43 degrees F down in the valley. It is the sun shining on the clouds which made them look so beautiful.
We took Highway 85 to 280 and headed north. Near the Alpine Road exit, we caught sight of a partial rainbow but it disappeared before our eyes. Above us a hawk hovered, the sun making it look almost white. Just before we reached the Woodside exit the rain started to fall but only lasted a short while.
We took the scenic route to Highway 92 by turning off 280 at the Edgewood Road exit and turned left. As we drove back under the freeway, the view in front of us was glorious. Ahead was a heavily wooded slope, c0vered in pine trees and with small patches of flog clinging to the trees and filling the small dips. At Canada Road we turned right and drove past Filoli House (open Tuesday – Sunday) and the Pulgas Water Temple (open week days only). Neither were open but one day we will visit both.
Tom wanted to stop and take some photos but there were “No Parking At Any Time’ notices posted at regular intervals plus a high wire fence made it impossible to take a decent shot. Further along we did find a place to park where there was no fence. From there Tom had a good view down to Crystal Springs Reservoir, which is the source of San Francisco’s drinking water.
This section of Canada Road is closed to cars every Sunday for cyclists to have the road to themselves (apart from the odd roller skater). We once brought our bikes to Bike Sunday. It was great and we must come again. We will be taking part in the Strawberry Fields Forever charity bike ride in May so we may well come here again on our path to getting back into condition.
We turned left onto Highway 92 on the final stretch into Half Moon Bay. First we crossed the reservoir and then started the climb over the Coastal Range. Crossing Skyline Blvd we caught our first glimpse of the ocean.
The downhill section of the road into Half Moon Bay is always fascinating. There are so many interesting businesses along the way – Christmas tree farms, pumpkin patches (though at this time of the year there are no pumpkins to be seen), equestrian centers, plant nurseries, huge metal sculptures of animals and further along a lot animals carved out of wood, a winery (it used to be called Obester Winery but the name has changed to Nebbia Winery) and Spanish Town with it’s seven shops selling a variety of crafts.
We drove through the historic main street of Half Moon Bay but didn’t stop. There was nothing open. We were thinking of stopping for breakfast here but the Main Street Grill was not open (and it was gone 8 am!). Pescadero will be our breakfast destination. At the end of the street we turned left onto Highway 1 and enjoyed a glorious ride. The sun was shining, even though there were still those threatening clouds around, and the ocean was very calm with not one white cap to be seen. Everything was wet and dripping and lots of surface water on the road.
Just before San Gregorio State Beach we turned left on La Honda Road towards San Gregorio. We are taking another scenic route, this time into Pescadero. On the way we pass a couple of small trees covered in pink blossom. In San Gregorio, which is just a couple of houses and a rather quaint little store, we took a left on Stagecoach Road. Tom wanted to take a photo of the valley.
Along Stage Road heading into Pescadero
We drove back to San Gregorio, crossed La Honda Road and carried on along Stagecoach Road, passing the old stage post on our right and further along, up on a small rise, the old school house on our left. The road starts to go uphill and there are many twists and turns. We think it is along here that our friend Tim had his encounter with the mountain lion (see the post on Point Reyes) so we had our eyes peeled but we were out of luck. The road continued to wind around giving us distant views of the ocean one minute a secluded valley the next. Approaching Pescadero we passed a farm on the right which had an enormous rusty metal skeleton “Terminator” sculpture holding a machine gun on the roadside. Passing the cemetery, we entered the main street of Pescadero.
We had breakfast at Duartes Tavern. This is one of our truly favorite places to eat at any time of the day (see the post on Duartes Tavern). Today was no exception. As it was Valentine’s Day, I expected it to be more crowded. I did hear though that they were fully booked later in the day. There was a fresh red rose on all the tables. Tom had an omelet and I had oatmeal with a side of wheat toast. With the oatmeal you get milk, brown sugar, raisins and pecans There were two sorts of home made scrummy jam served with the toast. While there, I bought one of their legendary ollallieberry pies to take home. A bit expensive at $23 but a splendid treat for a special occasion. I was presented with a single, white rose, when we left – as all women were. What a lovely gesture.
We left Pescadero by turning left onto Pescadero Creek Road. which is another scenic route. So far we
Misty fog threading through the trees
have not had any more showers but when we drove through the redwoods big drops of water fell from the branches. Before we reached La Honda, we turned right on Alpine Road. Tom and I have never been on this stretch of road before and it was spectacular. Very narrow with just room for one car in parts and with lots of hair pin bends along the way. At one point, we passed a couple of parked cars on a small lay by and I noticed a trail leading to a little wooden bridge over the creek. I looked on the map and saw that it was the Towne Fire trail which heads back towards Pescadero Creek Road. We’ll have to walk it one day. There were a few residences we passed but we couldn’t see them. The only indication were mail boxes and huge imposing gates.
We stopped to take some photos where the woods ended and the open spaces began. On our left was the Russian Ridge Open Space and on our right the Skyline Ridge Open Space. The views were amazing and the rising fog looked like smoke.
Approaching Skyline Blvd, we drove though several patches of fog and encountered four cyclists freewheeling down an incline before they hit the next rise to Skyline. Fortunately they turned left and we crossed Skyline and descended Page Mill Road to 280. In several spots we had good views down to Palo Alto, the Dumbarton Bridge and the whole South Bay. Halfway down we saw a flare in the road. Rounding the corner we had to stop because a Land Rover had gone into a tree. Fortunately the driver was not hurt as we saw him sitting at the side of the road looking rather dejected and embarrassed. Soon we hit 280 and were soon home.
We had a very enjoyable day, saw some wonderful sights, had a great breakfast plus we avoided the rain. What more could anybody ask for?
February 14 2009 | Special Places | No Comments »
We are off to our favorite place on the San Mateo Coast – Franklin Point. Let’s hope it is not fog bound this time. According to the weather forecast, it looks as though Santa Cruz will be clear and bright but there is fog at Half Moon Bay. Franklin Point is between the two, so we will just have to take a chance.
(Click on the image for a larger version)
The journey to Santa Cruz was more or less mundane until we were headed down the mountain on the other side of Scotts Valley on Highway 17. Suddenly I saw a car on the other side of the road fly into the air and crash into the trees at the side of the road. Tom saw the dust but not the car. I was really shaken up but there was nothing we could do as there was a concrete barrier down the middle of the road. I looked behind and there were cars stopping so knew someone would be calling 911. I just couldn’t get the image out of my mind and was really concerned about the driver and any passengers there may have been in the car. I knew I would be worrying all day.
We drove into Santa Cruz for breakfast – see previous entry – and were back on the road again by 7.40. Our route took us back to Highway 1 where we turned north.
Just outside Santa Cruz we saw signs up warning of a bike race and soon we saw the cyclists. We passed a lot of them between Santa Cruz and Davenport. Most of them were serious competitors with their super bikes, Lycra gear, cool shades and space age helmets. Some were making light work of the hills and some seemed to be struggling. At the front of the cyclists were three motor cycle cops. I wonder how far they are going.
It must be getting close to October and the pumpkin season. We passed several pumpkin patches being made ready. In one there was already a huge display of pumpkins all waiting to be picked out by excited children, although, of course, it was not open at 8 a.m.
Oh no! We can see fog ahead. This looks like a repeat of our aborted visit last month when the weather was too bad to even walk to the beach. Maybe it will clear – always the optimist.
We stop at Big Basin Redwoods State Park where the redwoods come all the way down to the coast. Tom wanted to take photos of the fog over the creek and maybe the brown pelicans taking a rest in the lagoon on the beach. I stay in the car and write.
Here the sun is shining which is really weird as we are surrounded by fog. Out on the ocean I can vaguely see the die hard surfers waiting patiently to catch a wave. The sea doesn’t look high today so maybe they are just beginners.
Tom has now left the creek and has made his way across Highway 1 to the lagoon. There are several pelicans on the water but now dozens are on the sand and more fly in to join them. I guess this must be their meeting place every morning where they catch up with all the gossip.
I’ve been siting here 15 minutes and here come the three motor cycle cops and not far behind the first two cyclists appear. I guess we are going to have a bit of trouble getting away from here. Tom is making his way back to the car. Maybe we can get away before the bulk of them arrive. I can’t see any more coming at the moment. We were able to make our escape. As we turned back onto the road I could see a few cyclists coming down the hill behind us.
We pass Costanoa and pull into the parking strip near the tree stump., There is one van already there and three surfers are getting ready to walk to the beach. As I get out of the car I can smell the sea. Mmmm.
I set off first. Yes it is foggy but it is not as bad or as cold as the last time so we decided to go for it. At the top first rise I paused as I could see on the path ahead a mother deer and her young fawn. Both lifted their heads and looked at me. I would have waited until they decided to move away but at that moment two of the surfers come by. The two deer trotted off down the path and I never saw them again.
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September 12 2008 | Special Places | No Comments »
