Winter Getaway

After four straight storms passing through in less than two weeks I felt soggy and needed a big dose of sun! Jack wanted to see the 15-25 ft. waves that were reported on the coast, and hadn't seen parts of the CA coastline so we were off for another adventure! We began in Gilroy, drove to Hollister and stopped at Mt. Madonna county park to see what damages occurred. it wasn't as bad as I thought and as a bonus we came across two pretty deer who were as curious about us as we were about them! Then, off to Monterey Bay Aquarium. The weather was nasty and rainy off and on all day but we were treated to special exhibits and feedings throughout the Aquarium. There was a break in the weather so we headed for the Old Fisherman's Grotto (my all time favorite place to eat) on the wharf for dinner. Dinner was yum!

There was all kinds of noise going on-machine and vehicles clearing debris but the deer didn't seem to notice....

Jack said if I got out of the car very quietly and slowly they'd come even closer..he was right!

One of the newer exhibits is the seahorses....Oh my! It's worth the price of admission....

Of course the jellies is my all-time favorite....You could drop me off this exhibit and pick me up a few days later. Just fascinating creatures.

These may be the dwarf seahorses-don't they look delicate?

This is really bizzare-these are called leafy green dragons...

If you haven't gone to the Monterey Bay Aquarium or if it's been 20+ years (did you know it's been open for 25 years?) do put this trip on your "to do" list!

This was a first for Jack-we started the trek through Big Sur just north in Carmel

Some pretty good waves but not the 15-25 ft. advertised.

We weren't sure why these folks had chairs down on the beach-it may be prep for a wedding or just a comfortable place to watch the show..

Either way, at every turn we saw nature at its spectacular best.

Jack was happy to be at the"calendar bridge"-the bridge he says is the most photographed on the coast.

This is a naval facility lighthouse...and a photo of the California contented cow...

Julia Phieffer State Park Beach is not the easiest to find, and we were discouraged from taking the road since there were trees that partially blocked the path. Of course, that didn't stop us! This beach is my all-time favorite place...it's a cathedral.

There's lots of evidence of the storms. Jack is finding some purple sand to keep as a memento.

All this coastal magnificence reminded Jack of fishing....Some coastal construction engineers had a sense of humor.. and had chairs carved out of tree stumps...

Just more beautiful scenery...

The "plan" was to get to Hearst Castle by nightfall...

And watch the sun set

A perfect winter getaway weekend!