Pics from my CA road trip exerience. Dial-up warning!

[maveric]

Hwy 1 is breathtaking. I stopped to shoot when I could. So I got a few pics so far.
Spent the 1st night in the sleepy little town of Morro Bay. Its like Mayberry by the sea. Very nice. I then took the coastal Hwy all the way up to Santa Cruz, where I am right now.
Damn, this motellooked much nicer on their website! What a dive!





It was a bit hazy that day.

[yellowcanine]

1. Does that seal have a nose ring? How chic of him/her.

[maveric]

3. Hey Dude, its California! Even elephant seals are chic.

It pays to have a good zoom lens.

[bertha katzenengel]

2. Maveric, these are awesome!! Thanks!

:hug:

[maveric]

4. Your welcome. Now if I can only find something to do in Santa Cruz.

There's no much going on in December here. My motel is 1 block from the beach/boardwalk, so I thought it would be nice....NOT! Its like East San Diego here. Ganglike dudes walking around in groups at night. Only 3 open restaurants, 2 of which are taco shops. I get my share of that in SD, the other is the Bar&Grill at Boardwalk Bowling Alley. Thats it!
Is this place a little more active in summertime?

[Gormy Cuss]

10. Oops -- worst location to be in winter. Deader than a doornail there.

Go downtown to see more life (head toward Pacific Ave, Water St, River St, that area.)If the fog has lifted there's a nice park called Henry Cowell Redwoods; also a short drive away is the Forest of Nicene Marks in Aptos. Aptos and Capitola have great state beaches if you want to look at some more coast. If you'd like to take in some music, check the free newspapers to find who's playing at the local clubs. Kuumbwaa Center and The Catalyst are good spots. There's also a place up in Ben Lomond (something tavern) and the Rio theater sometimes hosts music acts too.

Over on the cliffs near the Surfer Museum is a great spot to observe marine life, if you don't get enough of that down in SD. I've watched otters, dolphins, porpoises and the ever present sea lions from that vantage point.

You may get your share of good tacos in SD, but Tacos Moreno on Water St (not the one on the boardwalk) is in a class by itself. You should find the culinary pickings are a bit more varied in that neighborhood. There's even an Afghan restaurant near the Rio.

[Heidi]

5. Thank you! Now I'm jonesin' for a road trip!

But road trips are different here than they are in the US. I'm jonesin' for a US-style cross-country road trip. Thank you, maveric. :pals:

[maveric]

6. A road trip is better with a new Mustang GT.

It really handled the road on those switchbacks pretty well.

[Heidi]

7. I did my life-changing road trip

in a 1983 Camaro. (Don't tell Rabrrrrrr. I get the impression that he considers Camaros "white trash.") :thumbsup:

[maveric]

8. I'm doing my "Mid-life Crisis Tour". I'll be 50 in 5 months.

And I have the time and money to take such an adventure, so I said Screw It, and hit the road. My kids and girlfriend want me back for Xmas, so after that holiday I'm off again.

[Heidi]

9. Right on!

I'm 42 and did my solo tour of the US at as a gift to myself for my 35th birthday. No crisis, but I'd just left a job that had given me the resources to wait six months before looking for another, so off I went. Best gift I ever gave myself, and I met some incredible people along the way.

Good for you, maveric. :thumbsup: And thanks for not holding the '83 Camaro against me. :evilgrin:

[maveric]

11. Camaros are OK. Now the IROC's..."Italian Retard Out Cruising"

are a different story.
I'm Italian so I can say that.

[Heidi]

12. My husband,

Call Me Wesley, is half Swiss, half Italian. No offense taken. :rofl:

[snacker]

13. Those are beautiful...thank you. nt

[CaliforniaPeggy]

14. Hey maveric!

VERY nice pictures! I can tell you're having one hell of a trip......

The call of the open road....nothing like it!

I'm looking forward to more pics from you........

:woohoo:

[maveric]

17. Wait till I get to Pt. Reyes and Bolinas.

And "The City". I'll be posting pics throughout.
Hey Peg! :hi:

[CaliforniaPeggy]

18. Well, my dear maveric!

Good to hear from you this morning!

Isn't the weather perfect, too? NO RAIN!

:hi: back atcha!

[maveric]

20. Nice and sunny but much colder than San Diego.

I'm not used to the cold. Been in SD for the past 26 years.

[Call Me Wesley]

15. Great pictures!

Thank you for sharing! :hi:

[Dark]

16. I love the photo above the seals! n/t

[ET Awful]

19. My cousin used to live in Morro Bay, now she's in Grover City if I'm not

mistaken (and I think she lived in Pismo between the two). Her dad (my aunt's 2nd husband) used to have a boat docked in Morro Bay too :P.

Very cool place.