Big Sur

Wine Country RV Resort, Paso Robles, CA:  Drove up the Pacific Coast Highway to Monterey today.  Wanted to do it without the fifth wheel in tow so we could stop whenever we wanted.  Sure was glad we did, because when we leave here we’ll take the 101.  It was a stunning drive, especially when we climbed up to the Big Sur area.  A lot of the drive was shrouded in fog, but it was still beautiful.  It was 95 when we left Paso Robles and 62 when we reached the coast—only about 15 miles.  The road is a little scary in places.  But the cliffs rise right out of the sea and on the right side of the road the steep hills were carpeted in wild flowers.  We stopped just before the Bixby Bridge and had dinner at a restaurant perched on the side of a cliff with spectacular views.  Took the 101 back through a wide valley between two mountain ranges.  A huge agricultural area.  We didn’t get back to our park until 9:30.  It took us 5 hours to drive up the Pacific Coast Highway to Monterey.  I took over then to give Mike a break. Think it took an hour and a half to get back.  It was 81 when we got back here to our vineyard.  Felt good!

Elephant Seals basking in the sun

Elephant seals in their molting stage.

Some of them look dead, but they reduce their heart rate and barely breathe

Piedras Blancas Light Station--built in 1875

The beautiful, rugged coastline with the fog rolling in.

Hillsides covered in wild flowers.

Beautiful!

Bridge over Big Sur Creek

Restaurant where we had dinner.

Bixby Bridge--Big Sur

Stunning coastline.