01/30: Marina (Monterey Peninsula)
Today was the first of our 2 days to explore Monterey and Carmel. I know this is getting boring, but we woke up to yet another sunny morning! Not even any fog although we're right on the beach. We spent the day driving the 17 mile loop at Pebble Beach. Again, there were amazing coastline panoramas -- some of which included pelicans, sea lions, and of course the signature Pebble Beach cypress tree. We decided to splurge and have lunch at the Pebble Beach Tap Room which was filled with golfing memorabilia. The food was great (oops - forgot to take pictures -- too hungry!) and I just had to have a glass of the Arnold Palmer cabernet!!
(still smiling after 10 days!)
(still smiling after 10 days!)
01/31: Marina (Monterey Peninsula)
Another golf day! Oh, and how could I forget.... Last time we played, Cecil got an eagle. It was the proverbial search for the ball until Bob said "did you check the cup?" Sure enough, it had rolled in from his second shot on a Par 4 hole.
Okay -- back to today! We had a late morning tee time so took our time getting started and arrived at Carmel Valley Ranch in plenty of time to check out the pro shop and hit a few balls. We weren't paired up with anyone so I assumed we would have a fairly quick round -- until we saw the group of 5 in front of us!!! Needless to say, we waited on every hole. The course was nice with a some scenic holes on the back nine. We finished up and headed back by way of Carmel (didn't buy anything!) and then Cannery Row for a drink while watching the seagulls, sailboats and sunset!
Okay -- back to today! We had a late morning tee time so took our time getting started and arrived at Carmel Valley Ranch in plenty of time to check out the pro shop and hit a few balls. We weren't paired up with anyone so I assumed we would have a fairly quick round -- until we saw the group of 5 in front of us!!! Needless to say, we waited on every hole. The course was nice with a some scenic holes on the back nine. We finished up and headed back by way of Carmel (didn't buy anything!) and then Cannery Row for a drink while watching the seagulls, sailboats and sunset!
02/01: Marina to Pismo Beach
It was an early start so we would have plenty of time to drive the coast and see the sights. Luckily, we didn't have any fog and by the time we were on the road (about 7am) the sun was coming up promising another beautiful day for the drive. Of course, our route took us to Big Sur where the views were stunning.
From there we continued south where we saw a lighthouse in the distance and then a sign for Elephant Seal Beach. We had heard about the large population of mammals that hung out on the central coast. It was absolutely amazing -- the bulls are definitely some of the ugliest animals I've ever seen. There must have been over 100 on this particular beach alone -- males, females and babies. We walked down the path which overlooked the beach and just stared for about 20 minutes at the amazing sight. (Of course, I was taking pictures the entire time!) We hiked back to the car and saw several more beaches with the seals basking in the sun -- staying cool by ocassionally flinging sand over their bulbous bodies....
Next stop: Hearst Castle. We saw the gigantic structure as we approached and turned into the visitor center. We decided it was unlikely we would come back, so opted for 2 tours and the movie in the visitor center before taking the bus up the hill for the tours. The movie provided a great foundation and the tour guides filled in with additional details as we toured the various rooms. It was well worth the money and time (about 3 hours).
We got back to the car around 1:30 -- inhaled our lunch -- and headed back to the highway. Not too far down the road, we spotted a herd of California zebras! No kidding -- they were in the field just below the castle. Quite a sight... On to Pismo Beach, arriving just in time for the start of the superbowl!
02/02: Pismo Beach, Solvang, Santa Barbara
A slow news day -- great weather, more cute towns and beautiful views. First stop Buellton -- home of the famous Anderson's Split Pea Soup. (One of those tourist destinations that add a little flavor to the trip....!) It was too early for lunch, but we enjoyed the visit to the upstairs display that captured the history of the roadside town - no longer vibrant as in the 1950's with the construction of a freeway that bypassed main street.
On to Solvang -- a picturesque berg with a decidedly Danish atmosphere. From there we headed down the coast, enoying the beach views, stopping in Santa Barbara for lunch. On to Ventura where we drove to the county park at the top of the mountain. An awesome view included fields and vineyards on the northern hills and a full view of the bay to the south.
The day ended with a sunset drive into LA (including the requisite rush hour traffic) and a marvelous meal at the LA City Club on the 51st floor -- another benefit of our golf club membership.
02/03: Laguna Beach
The best day and the worst day of the trip....
So let's start with the best: the Ronald Regan Presidential Library. This impromptu destination was the most memorable experience for both of us. Not only was the presentation extremely well done, the insight into our 41st president was inspirational and moving. This should be on everyone's bucket list. The location in Simi Valley was at the top of a hill providing incredible views, but the sights inside the building were even more spectacular -- including Air Force One! The plane used by Ronald Regan (about 25% the size of today's Air Force One) was totally restored for display in a complete wing of the building that was 3 stories tall. The nose was pointed towards the hills that could be viewed from a complete wall of glass. I can't articulate the impact that the displays, news clips, speeches and audio tour comments left on both of us during our 3+ hour visit.
So let's start with the best: the Ronald Regan Presidential Library. This impromptu destination was the most memorable experience for both of us. Not only was the presentation extremely well done, the insight into our 41st president was inspirational and moving. This should be on everyone's bucket list. The location in Simi Valley was at the top of a hill providing incredible views, but the sights inside the building were even more spectacular -- including Air Force One! The plane used by Ronald Regan (about 25% the size of today's Air Force One) was totally restored for display in a complete wing of the building that was 3 stories tall. The nose was pointed towards the hills that could be viewed from a complete wall of glass. I can't articulate the impact that the displays, news clips, speeches and audio tour comments left on both of us during our 3+ hour visit.
We also had our best game of golf -- I'm referring to the course at Braemar CC, not our scores. The 27 holes wound around a development that included multiple "McMansions" scattered through the hillsides as we hit our balls down narrow valleys and off elevated tees. It was a great way to start the day!
Now for the worst part: a traffic accident on the 405 freeway as we headed to Laguna Beach in rush hour traffic. Thankfully, it was nothing serious but one of those fender benders when the person in front of you hits the brakes, and the one in front of him.... and so on. Thank goodness it was only us and one other car involved since everyone else got stopped. Cecil was able to brake and reduce speed enough that we didn't have any damage that we could see. However, it was pretty scary with cars whizzing by at 70mph while attempting to recover the cargo box that came flying off the top of the car upon impact. The box and contents weren't even damaged -- the clips that held it to the rails broke. Back on the road I made the call to the insurance company and heaved a sigh of relief when we finally got settled in the room. We ordered some food and brought it back to the room where I had wine waiting to be opened. And then the real disaster: I knocked the bottle of wine off the counter and it shattered -- covering the tile floor with $40 of aromatic cabernet....
note to self: DO NOT drive in rush hour traffic if there are more than 2 lanes of cars!
note to self: DO NOT drive in rush hour traffic if there are more than 2 lanes of cars!
02/04: Laguna
Boring day for readers....
But, I thought you would like an update anyway. Our plans to go to Catalina were obviously postponed in favor of the search for new crossbars. With that in mind, we got up early to get started. I think our stop in Laguna Beach was doomed from the start: at promptly 8am, jackhammers started right outside our window for the first of 3 days resurfacing their pool. Yep -- we are here 3 days; no pool, no spa, no quiet time gazing at the ocean outside our window. Just jackhammers and dust!
Oh well, it was motivation to get up and out. On the bright side, since we postponed Catalina for a day, we were able to go to Costco and purchase a gift card for the boat ride which saved $20. (The fare is $140 -- I'll let you know if it was worth it tomorrow!) A car wash was next to see if there was damage to the paint. When the impact occurred last night, the clips on the rack broke and the cargo box slid down the hood to the ground. We were lucky - it looks like minor scratches that can be buffed out. And we had a shiny clean car!!
But, I thought you would like an update anyway. Our plans to go to Catalina were obviously postponed in favor of the search for new crossbars. With that in mind, we got up early to get started. I think our stop in Laguna Beach was doomed from the start: at promptly 8am, jackhammers started right outside our window for the first of 3 days resurfacing their pool. Yep -- we are here 3 days; no pool, no spa, no quiet time gazing at the ocean outside our window. Just jackhammers and dust!
Oh well, it was motivation to get up and out. On the bright side, since we postponed Catalina for a day, we were able to go to Costco and purchase a gift card for the boat ride which saved $20. (The fare is $140 -- I'll let you know if it was worth it tomorrow!) A car wash was next to see if there was damage to the paint. When the impact occurred last night, the clips on the rack broke and the cargo box slid down the hood to the ground. We were lucky - it looks like minor scratches that can be buffed out. And we had a shiny clean car!!
A quick stop for lunch at the room -- accompanied by jackhammers and dust, then on to Costa Mesa (via Newport Beach) where I had located a store that specialized in car racks. We arrived at "Road'nRack" and decided on a set that provided the low clearance needed but had metal clips this time! The only problem was they didn't fit -- even though the "experts" assured us they were the correct ones. Thank goodness we tried to put them on in the parking lot instead of driving back to the room. 4 hours and $500 later, after they finally agreed with our assessment that they were too long, we had the right ones mounted.
Since we had 7pm dinner reservations and it was only 4:30, we decided to try and find a theater and just relax for a couple of hours. We found one close to our dinner spot and even better, American Sniper hit the mark (pretty good pun, huh?) for timing - starting in 5 minutes. A great film; very thought provoking....
The evening ended with a great dinner at the Center Club in Costa Mesa. My priority was a glass of wine before even looking at the dinner menu which was presented in a folder that opened up to i-Pad type displays. The food was the best yet!
The evening ended with a great dinner at the Center Club in Costa Mesa. My priority was a glass of wine before even looking at the dinner menu which was presented in a folder that opened up to i-Pad type displays. The food was the best yet!
02/05: Catalina
We spent the day at Catalina Island -- what a great destination! When we left our room in Laguna Beach, it was fogged in and chilly and still foggy at the dock in Dana Point. We paid for parking and round trip tickets (not cheap!) on the Catalina Express and were greeted with sunshine and blue skies as we entered the harbor at Catalina Island. From there the pictures say it all!
The highlight was our tour of the signature building: the Casino! It's been totally restored and is a working theater and ballroom. The theater is spectacular -- more impressive than any we've seen in New York. It's impossible to describe the amazing paintings, acoustics and lighting. The ballroom upstairs is just as dramatic with an awesome view from the balcony that surrounds the room.
Although it would have been nice to stay overnight and see a little more of the rest of the island, our day was perfect and we were ready to board the boat for the 4:30 departure and the hour ride back to shore.
02/06- 02/08: to Oceanside and San Diego
You're probably wondering if we got lost since I haven't posted anything for 3 days. Nope -- we're here in San Diego as planned. Just not much going on except golf and moving on down the coast. We left Laguna shores on the 6th, played golf and then headed to Oceanside for the night. From there it was golf the next day and on to San Diego. Yeah -- a lot of golf, but the weather was great and both courses were good. We were also paired up each day and had a great time. On Friday we played Aliso Viejo and were paired with two members: John & John. They were both great and provided some very useful tips as we played each hole. The next day was Shawdow Ridge and we were paired with another couple that were Clubcorp members. Ken and Mary golfed very much like us so it was a relaxed 18 holes. They were from Austin Tx and were doing a road trip much like ours -- just in a different direction!
Today we just took it easy and explored La Jolla, Balboa Park and visited our other timeshare properties. (That was after the 90 minutes timeshare presentation where we walked out with a $100 gift card to offset some expenses!!!!) The weather finally cooperated when the fog burned off and we enjoyed the sun and balmy sea air with lunch on a restaurant patio in La Jolla overlooking the bay. Our timeshare location is good with easy access to the freeway, but if we come back, we would definitely stay at the other property near the park that is a beautifully restored historic building.
02/02 - 2/10: San Diego
Our last tee time in California was north of San Diego at Morgan Run on Monday. Unfortunately, it was at 9am and even though we left early, we just barely made it in time -- so much for just doubling the commute time to allow for rush hour traffic! It was a nice relaxing day -- the course was fairly easy (except for the greens), weather was great and there were lots of flowers and blooming trees. We even treated ourselves to a nice lunch on their patio!
Our last day in southern California was spent on the San Diego Trolley Tour visiting all of the various areas of the city. We started in Balboa Park where we arrived early and were able to walk around the various museum buildings without the crowds that would be there later in the day. The complex that was built 100 years ago to celebrate the completion of the Panama Canal was impressive. (nope -- don't know why they chose San Diego...)
We boarded the trolley about 10am to hit a variety of spots throughout the rest of the day including Old Town, the Gaslamp district and, my favorite, Coronado. At the end of the tour we relaxed on the deck of the Hotel del Coronado with a drink watching the waves crash onto the beach. We picked up the trolley for the ride back to Balboa Park where we changed our clothes and headed to dinner at the University Club on the top floor of the Symphony tower in downtown. All in all a great day in San Diego!