I decide that since it was unusually warm and it was to get cooler in the next few days that in the afternoon we would drive along the coast. It was my intent to take in a romantic sunset over the Pacific Ocean at some “cute” little quaint restaurant on the coast. So off we drove toward the coast. Of course we took the back roads, all the curves and hills provided for pretty scenery over the mountain range. Actually it was a pleasant drive and it saved us many miles.
We drove down the coast from the city of Monterey, which is approximately 150 miles south of San Francisco. Going to the south we came across a number of beaches, accessible from the roadway. Since the temperatures were unseasonably warm, they were very crowded and parking spaces were at a premium.
Driving further south, we decided to go down to the Big Sur area, which I have heard and seen so many pictures of. The drive was spectacular, really a site to see! Bug Sur itself, was all rocky cliffs, with little or no beach access. Now I started the day out with, what I assumed would be enough fuel, to make the trip, BUT the further south we went, up and down all the hills, the Jeep sucked the fuel tank almost dry. So as not to run out of fuel, we stopped and purchased some "golden liquid". It was $4.95 a gallon! Yes I said $4.95 .. .. close to 5 bucks a gallon!!! Needless to say I didn't fill the tank this time. A splash and dash as it WAS the only fuel stop for many miles!
We went back north up the coast, enjoyed some of views from the turn outs and found a nice beach and hiked down to it. The waves were large and deafening. We just sat and watched in amazement. Saw some porpoise or dolphins (like I know the difference). We went for a walk down the beach but came upon a "nude" section, of course it was all GUYS! So I dragged Marcie back, screaming and hollering (or was that laughing) to reality and we hiked out and headed north again. We stopped at another beach right along the road and sat and enjoyed it for awhile.
Now one would think that you could just drive along the coast and find a nice romantic restaurant to eat at. We did find a “17 mile” drive through Pebble Beach and past some beautiful mansions, BUT they wanted 10 bucks to enter. Needless to say, this "cheap" guy refused to pay, just to see mansions and a silly golf course! As Marcie said "good way to keep the rift raft and gwaukers out, and yes, it did keep us out.
Driving around for awhile, we saw many places to stop in the town of Monterey, but really wanted to see the sunset so we headed down to an area called Carmel Beach. It was a nice little touristy type town. Lots of shops and had an excellent beach. It was, in my mind, the perfect spot to watch the sunset. The temperature was dropping, but the sky was clear and everything pointed toward a gorgeous sunset. I got out the chairs and drinks and we sat on the beach for about two hours waiting for the sunset. While we stayed, we watched people, dogs and some otters. They were cute little creatures (the otters), pretty close to the beach, diving, rolling on their backs and eating and going down for more. We talked to some of the “locals” and were having a good time. While watching the sun drop, we started to notice that a marine layer (fog bank) was rising up from the horizon until it met the sun and totally obscured it. So, NO pretty sunset. I reminded Marcie, later that night, that it was the “thought” that counts!
We started back for home, stopping at an infamous restaurant. The golden arches were tall and they even let you eat your food in the car!
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