NOTE: Settle in....this is a l-o-n-g Blog. I took hundreds of photos but put just a few in the blog because of the narrative's length. A few of the best will be going up on the wall!
"How will be celebrate?" we asked ourselves.
Neither of us wanted a big party. A European vacation sounded nice but too much trouble to plan and so much of the world is not very nice at the moment. We had done portions of the Pacific Coast Highway (PCH) on a couple of occasions in our small RV (aka LoveMachine) and had always said someday we would do the complete trip from Seattle, WA to San Diego CA with a stop in San Francisco. No reservations other than flight and car and no specific stops...just get in the car and go!
So many of our friends have said this exact trip was on their wish list so I've blogged it for my own memory and info to others who plan to do the same trip. There are so many places to stop and things to see that it's impossible to write about (or remember) every sight along the way. Some of the smallest highway pullouts or short drives to little coastal towns resulted in the best experiences.
We used Aeroplan points to book our flight to Vancouver and a return flight from San Diego. We considered it a deal to use 25,000 points each for round trip flights. We had thought about using points for car rental as well but it would need 150,000 points for the 15 days we would use it and decided we'd rather save the points for other trips and pay the $1300 rental. No regrets. In total, excluding flights, the trip cost us $5200 for 18 days. Other than lunch, that price included meals, excursion and tour costs, hotels, and most incidentals.
We left Ottawa at noon...no more early flights for me...and landed in Vancouver before midnight BC time. Our son, Kevin and his wife, Kate met us and we spent two days with them enjoying the spectacular BC weather and their hospitality. None of us had previously done the Sea to Sky Gondola ride so we drove up the Sea to Sky Highway and had a beautiful day looking at scenery we never get tired of admiring.
The original plan had been to go over to Vancouver Island to see their new property and take the ferry from Victoria but our lack of planning turned out to mean there were no vacancies on the ferry, bus, anything on the day we wanted to leave so we went to an impromptu Plan 'B'....take a Greyhound Bus equivalent from Vancouver to Seattle. It wasn't expensive and the trip was pretty non-descript other than the long border crossing at Blaine, Washington. Passengers must get off the bus, retrieve their luggage, and go through U.S.Customs. If there are many buses waiting in line, the process can be long but they are quite organized and we were off and on the bus in approximately 1 hour, perhaps a bit more.
Arriving at the Seattle bus terminal, we took a taxi to the Double Tree by Hilton (we stayed in Best Western Plus almost exclusively on this trip) and checked in before hopping on the hotel airport shuttle to pick up the car we had reserved. Renting a car can be a long process as Seattle, like other large airports, has a specific area off site for car rentals which means you must take a bus shuttle and pick up a car there...about 15 minutes away. Once we finished, we fired up the 'Thank God We Have A GPS' and went back to the hotel for dinner and a good sleep. Seattle is much, much bigger than I thought but we had no desire see any of it. We just wanted to get on that highway and start our adventure. The traffic on the I-5 is crazy! This is the main Southern route through Washington, Oregon, and California and it can be daunting. We needed to get off but don't want to miss any of the coastal scenery.
In a previous trip we had taken the ferry from Victoria, BC to Port Angeles, WA and drove Hwy 101 along the coast as far as it went but there were too many long inland drives and we wanted to stay on the coast as much as we could on this trip. We battled the I-5 traffic until we got to the Oregon border at Longview and then turned West to Hwy 101. There are no words...or photos...that really describe the joy of driving along this coastal highway! Oregon, in particular, has a state park, lookout, or turn-off almost every 1/2 miles down this route and for those of us who can't get enough of the wonderful scenery--the opportunity to stand and look at endless miles of beach, or stand on the top of cliffs overlooking the Pacific Ocean, is endless.
Our first night here was at the Best Western in Newport, OR. It was on a hill overlooking the ocean and what a view we had from our room! We couldn't wait to walk down to the ocean and climb some of the odd shaped dunes created by wind and water. There are only a few people on the beach and if my back had not been so stiff from sitting, we would have walked longer. We headed back to order room service and crack open a bottle of wine to watch the sunset through our window.
We like to make our own lunches when we travel and had brought a folding cooler with us so every day we were able to bask in Oregon sunshine and marvel at the scenery. Before we left in the morning, we stopped at the local Walmart to fill the cooler. After we had done our shopping and loaded the cooler I noticed an unusual truck in the parking lot not far from our car. It looked like it was originally an older model flatbed truck but had been modified with a 'camper' on the back. There was lots of wood, tree branches for supports, tarp roofing, driftwood, antlers, and more used for construction. Hanging off the sides was a crab trap, half whittled sticks, and more mystery material. A young guy was eating his breakfast cereal in a lawn chair beside the truck while a girl sat on the tailgate drinking coffee. I screamed 'Walmart people!' and the journalist in me came alive again. I grabbed my camera and told Wayne I needed to know what the story was and to keep the car running in case we needed a fast get-away.
The young couple were so sweet and showed me the inside of their 'house'. It was insulated with empty water bottles, and they were quite proud of it. Their story was typical of the many hidden social issues in America today...young, uneducated, untrained, unfocussed, and looking for
something but not sure of what. Any Walmart or other free parking area was their current address. They had 3 pitbulls and an attitude of 'don't judge me' and we had a nice conversation about the local area, what to see, and places to visit. I was glad I had taken the time to stop and talk. Oregon has legalized marijuana and at the stop sign, a man dressed in a bright green suit emblazoned with weed decals tried to convince me I could get a great cure for a headache at the store. I told him I'm saving my weed experiences for the nursing home where I'll most need it!
We could have done the Oregon coast in one day but the purpose of this trip was to be able to come home and not have to say, "We should have taken more time to walk or stop and smell the ocean...not just comment on what streamed by the window" and so we
did stop many times, and the next two stops were only 150 miles apart in Coos Bay and Brookings, OR. We walked beautiful beaches and as the landscape changed from sand to rock, we ambled through massive rock formations at low tide. Nothing about Oregon disappointed and I could do it all over, again and again. Our room in Brookings was right on the beach and we were able to sit on the balcony, wine in hand, and enjoy the sunset.
Just past Brookings, we drove into California and the Redwood National Forest. If the Oregon coastline took our breath away, we were delirious driving through this area! We've seen these giants before...in Cathedral Grove on the way to Tofino, BC, and other parts of California...but each time we do see them is like the first. We automatically drop our voices to a whisper and crane our necks to try and see the treetops from inside the car. We must stop; the need to walk through this monolithic maze and to touch the bark is overpowering. The smell in this forest is wonderful and we are like kids balancing on logs we know may have fallen before either of us were born. The scenery continued well past the Redwood National Forest and while the trees started to get 'smaller' we travelled a canopied stretch of highway for quite a while that day and 'oh-ed' and 'ah-ed' the rest of the drive. At Eureka, the PCH 101 turns inland and becomes a series of #600 highways until Leggett, CA. The change from coast to forest isn't disappointing as it runs through the Humboldt Redwoods State Park and numerous small towns where logging is still the mainstay of their economy. At Leggett we turned West again to drive Hwy 1 down the California coastline.
Fort Bragg, CA was our next stop and the Best Western Plus did not disappoint. Although not beachside, it was on a hill overlooking a small bay and we enjoyed our glass of wine watching another amazing sunset. The weather has been spectacular and we've noticed it's getting warmer each day. Even with the ocean breezes, it's time to get into shorts and flip flops and turn the air conditioner on low.
The next stretch of highway down to Bodega Bay is full of twists and hairpin turns and in some cases, not for the faint hearted. Neither is it a place for a big motorhome. Where there should be a guardrail there is none. Where vehicles should absolutely drive the recommended speed they don't. As the passenger I most often had a bird's eye view (no pun intended) of 100 ft sheer drops and the rocky shoreline below! We stopped a nearly every lookout and often marvelled at the road we had just driven and the road we had yet to drive. For me it was exciting and ecsillerating. It might make those more nervous a bit vomiteeee. There are massive trestle bridges spanning canyons and smaller bridges over rivers and streams but unless we are right near the ocean there is little or no water. According to the locals, the 5-year drought shows no sign of abating and forest/brush fires are their biggest fear.
San Francisco is out next destination and I admit we were a bit apprehensive on how to navigate that city. Neither of us wanted to drive in the city...GPS or not...and the cost of hotels in the area is a bit daunting. We turn east to Petaluma to stay overnight and first thing next morning, head over to the visitors center for some advice. We meet a gem of a woman who saved two senior citizens who don't know what they want, where they should go, or how they will get there, to plan their next few days. Before we leave the center we've settled on driving the short distance to Larkspur to get the ferry to the city that afternoon and then booking a tour through the local KOA campground for a full day tour the following day!
The GPS took us straight to Larkspur from Petaluma in approximately 40 minutes. The free weekend parking lot is nearly empty but we've missed the ferry by minutes so had to wait an hour for the next departure. The hour-long Larkspur Ferry trip took us past the outskirts of San Francisco, past San Quentin and Alcatraz, gave us a glimpse of the Golden Gate Bridge and the activity at Fisherman's Wharf. I think the one-way cost for Seniors was $17 and well worth the price of not attempting to drive here. The return schedule said we had about 5 hours in the city and we decided to walk to Fisherman's Wharf...about a mile or so from the ferry terminal...and spend our time there. Unfortunately (for me) Southern California was having their fall heat wave and the temperature that day was in the high 90's. After a short distance walking, we opted to take one of the many bike cabs and save our feet and energy. The advantage was that a young, healthy guy did the work, took us on a bit of a tour, told us lots of local history and we got to enjoy the ride. The $30 cost was well spent! We wandered the Wharf, had a great seafood chowder, and enjoyed the ferry home.
The KOA tour the next morning was beyond anything we could have anticipated. We've taken advantage of these tours in other cities while travelling in the LuvMachine, and once again it was money well spent. I think the tour was $70 each and we left the campground at 9 am and returned at 9 pm. Our driver on this 40 passenger van was from San Francisco so knew the area well and often took us on shorter drives, off the tourist route, to places we wouldn't have been able to see on a big tour bus. We saw everything, including the Golden Gate Bridge and park without a fleck of fog...quite an unusual thing he told us. There were lots of stops...even a stop to take one of San Francisco's famous trolley rides. It was the best of the best and I would highly recommend the trip. Many KOAs outside a large city offer the same benefit daily and if the campers don't take up the entire tour, non-camping tourists can take advantage. Before we left, the driver had pointed out an exit immediately before crossing the Golden Gate Bridge going South, and that anyone leaving the city should take as it had a spectacular view of the bridge and whole Bay area.
After checking out of the hotel in Petaluma we braced ourselves for the drive across the Bridge and the busy I-280 going south. (There is an automatic toll to cross the bridge and we had to pre-pay the previous night via internet so that the rental company wouldn't send us an additional bill for an extremely inflated amount. We kept our confirmation number and marked it on the rental bill when we returned the car in San Diego.) I remembered the above advice from the tour driver and directed Wayne to the exit and the extreme lookout. As we approached I could see that the fog had returned to the Bay and squealed with excitement! There it was...that quintessential view of the Golden Gate Bridge with only the red peaks showing over white clouds! There are two lookouts on that steep road and of course, we headed for the highest. I don't know if it's my photographer's state of mind or if it's the unexpected adventure I always love....but this was the highlights of my trip! Every time I've seen photos of San Francisco I'd always said I wanted to stand where that photographer stood, looking at that sight, and capture my own image. Here I was and it was so beautiful! Only the highest peaks of the hills surrounding San Francisco and the highest spans on the Golden Gate Bridge were visible. There was no Bay, no Alcatraz...nothing but a white ocean of cloud. However, as we walked to the other side of the lookout the fog had not climbed the hills and we could see for miles. I'm not sure how long we walked and wandered but reluctantly left beautiful San Francisco just after noon. I'd definitely come back for another trip to 'wander' more.
At some point in the first half hour we saw an exit for Hwy 1 and decided to get off the interstate. Even though we had to drive the outskirts of San Francisco and deal with stop lights and slower traffic, the drive was very pleasant. We passed through Half Moon Bay and stopped at one or two beaches until we got to Santa Cruz and spent the night. Once again, it was a short day but we make every attempt to be in a hotel by 4 pm. Our problem seems to be getting an earlier start in the morning but after a glass of wine, we really don't think about it too much. Once again we are driving hairpin turns and curves but now there is a bank of fog off the shore and it sometimes drifts onto the road making us a little more cautious driving.
After another hardy breakfast of waffles and scrambled eggs (my waist is starting to reflect this free breakfast I'm eating every day), we enjoy the ocean views and the many stops that reveal long vistas which, behind us, show the winding mountain roads we've travelled and beyond us, the same scene heading South. We are nearing San Simeon and the Hearst Castle (we visited previously and it is NOT to be missed if this is a first visit in the area) and the wonderful Elephant Seal colony that always appears quickly and easily missed. I probably have more photos of these seals that anything else as we've been here twice before and I can't stop trying to capture their antics on the camera! Because our other visits have been at different times of the year, we've seen a complete birthing cycle, from pups born moments before to those pups returning as juvenile seals to make their mark on the beach. During the Spring there is no sight quite like the one of two mammoth-sized males, each weighing perhaps 2 tons, bellowing and fighting for dominance. Mothers that have just given birth, perhaps moments before, are harassed by the males trying to mate and there is always one or more dead pups that have been crushed in the process. Things are much quieter here in September although the larger juvenile males are practicing their combat skills, in and out of the water, while the females and smaller juveniles hone their sleeping skills. There are very knowledgeable volunteers here every day, willing to tell you everything (and more) you might want to know about Elephant Seals so no question goes unanswered.
We've stayed at the colony too long...it's already past noon...and stop for lunch just down the highway in the small settlement of San Simeon. Hearst Castle sits on the hilltop overlooking this valley and Hearst State Park has a lovely picnic area near the pier, which was built to bring in the massive amounts of material needed to build it decades earlier. The little grocery store sells Hearst Wine and Hearst Beef....money continues to roll in long after his death!
We always start looking for a hotel around 4 pm. First, that's 'Wine O'Clock' and secondly, if everything is booked it gives us time to find other accommodation before the price starts to climb. We've only driven perhaps 150 miles but our next stop is one we have been anticipating for a while...Morro Bay. We first stayed here a few years ago in the LuvMachine and had an RV site right near the beach. This time we are staying in town and only a 5-minute walk from the water. Morro Bay has a big fishing community, some great seafood restaurants, hundreds of surfing enthusiasts, a huge rock formation separating the bay and ocean, Peregrine Falcon's and...best of all...sea otters! On our previous trip I'd been thrilled to see a couple of them in the bay, at some distance. After checking in to the hotel we quickly drove down to the beach and parked and the most amazing sight lay before us. In the Bay, rights off the rocky causeway, was a raft of 25-30 California Sea Otters...including a few with babies riding on their stomachs. These otters, like the ones I've seen on Vancouver Island, are HUGE and are either floating on their backs sleeping or frantically cleaning/preening their fur coat. To watch this many otters, at one time and in one place, was a sight I'll never forget!
The next morning we continue to our last stop before San Diego...Santa Barbara. Again, we find a Best Western on the beach, at the end of the city's beautiful boardwalk. In all of our stops we have never spent much time, if any, in the city centre. There have been no museums, shopping centres, etc in our itinerary and it's been so nice. We've had no desire to battle the extensive traffic and been very happy to keep with our agenda of 'sand and sea'...we are so relaxed! We walk about 1 miles down the boardwalk to the pier and watch people fishing or crabbing, laugh at a seal who thinks it's a dog and begs for bait, and enjoy another wonderful dinner before heading back to the hotel, a glass of wine and a comfortable bed.
Although San Diego is our final destination, we are excited to get there and once again, enjoy some of the things we have done on previous trips here. We arrive mid-afternoon so are fortunate to get a room at the Best Western in Old Town which is (for us) the hub of everywhere we want to go. The Old Town Trolley is our mode of transportation here and the starting point is two blocks away. We quickly unpacked and walked down past historical buildings and buildings made to look old and buy a two-day pass. We decide that an afternoon at Balboa Park is needed as there is so much to see. I've done previous blogs on this amazing place and suffice to say, an afternoon is really the minimum time to be spent here and I guarantee, you won't see everything...especially if a trip to the infamous San Diego Zoo within walking distance next door is on the itinerary. Balboa Park was built to host the 1915-16 Panama-California Exposition and 1935-36 California Pacific International Exposition. Although city fathers wanted to tear it down after the last event, the public recognized the extreme beauty of the architecture and grounds and thankfully, were able to convince the city to keep it intact. There are museums, memorials, gardens, and fountains. As we often do, Wayne went one way and I another and we agree to meet in a few hours. It's the only way we both get to see (or revisit) the things we want. He likes the Model Railroad Museum, Natural History and Museum of Man. I'm all over the Botanical Garden, the Spanish Village Art Center and the architecture. The afternoon goes too fast of course and we headed back to the hotel. There's a wonderful restaurant on the roof and we opt for take-out and enjoy a quiet evening.
Our next, and last, full day in San Diego is once again on the Trolley. We do the complete city tour but get off on Coronado Island so that we can have lunch at the hotel. The last time we were here, we wandered the halls and haunts of the Hotel del Coronado and gawked at the luxury of this wooden Victorian beach resort. It still has operating elevators, staffed by a uniformed attendant, that opens and shuts filigreed iron gates at every floor. On this visit we are content to sit and people watch and as the heat is a bit more intense, stay in the shade of an umbrella on the patio vice walking the beach. By the time we get back to our hotel, we are pooped and happy to have a last glass of wine before repacking for the trip home in the morning.
Once again we join the airport circus and return our car, shuttle to the airport, and go through the security process to sit and wait before we sit and fly. My bottom no longer fits the seat on the plane and I'm trying to convince myself that the seats are smaller...my rear end is NOT larger! Once I successfully do that, I settle back and sleep for a couple of hours before getting to Ottawa. What a wonderful 50th Anniversary celebration this has been! We did it OUR way and as nice as it might have been to celebrate with family and friends, this trip reminds Wayne and I how lucky we are to have found each other and committed to a relationship that has lasted 50 years.
Until next time, love and hugs to all. xx
