If your timing is good you might catch a Druid ceremony on the beach at Half Moon Bay, at sunrise or so. ----- Original Message ----- From: "John Francis" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> To: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Sent: Wednesday, March 31, 2004 11:40 AM Subject: Scenic drives in California (was Re: Ssssssh, It's beeerrry quiet around here...)
> > graywolf offered, on the US 1 or California SR 1 discussion > (describing the coastal route from Los Angeles to San Jose): > > > US 101, I believe. But then I have only been in California twice, > > so could be mistaken. > > Not the same. California SR 1 (also known as Pacific Coast Highway > for the section just north of L.A.) hugs the coast. For a small part > of the route between L.A. and San Francisco SR 1 is coincident with > US 101, but for much of the way 101 is one or two valleys inland, > so there isn't a view of the Pacific ocean. Not as far inland as > Interstate 5 (the shortest route between L.A. & S.J., mind you). > [Yes, the US has three distinct road numbering schemes. The main > transport routes, or Interstates - limited-access highways rather > like the Motorways or Autobahns; the national US highway system > for major roads, and the state numbering system for anything else] > > I'd definitely recommend taking more than a day for the scenic route. > You start off with Malibu (which has wonderful beaches; a great way > to start the day is breakfast at one of the beach-front restaurants). > Then on past the channel islands and Santa Barbara. > > At this point you lose sight of the ocean for a while, until you > get to Grover City and San Luis Obispo. Fill your fuel tank here; > there's only one place to fill up your car in Big Sur, and prices > are routinely 50% higher than in the rest of central California. > Then on to Morro Beach - another nice place for beachfront shots. > > A little further north is Cambria. This bills itself as an artist's > community, and also has some excellent arts and crafts stores for > finding nice hand-made souvenirs. Then comes San Simeon - a great > example of how American press barons spend their money. It's worth > taking at least one of the many different tours - you can probably > find one that shows you the parts you want to see, and skips over > the parts that interest you less. > > Also around here, at the right time of year, you can see elephant > seals covering the beaches. Don't get too close. > > Then on through Big Sur itself. A hundred miles of almost unspoilt > coastline, with some of the most picturesque seafront in the world. > With 2500' mountains just a few miles from the ocean, sweeping sandy > beaches, and geologically recent upheavals (courtesy of the San > Andreas and other earthquake faults) leaving interesting-shaped > boulders everywhere, it's a (landscape) photographer's dream. > > At the north end of this wonderful stretch you come to the Monterey > peninsula and Carmel - another good spot for the arts. And also a > very good spot for expensive designer outlets - Monterey is home to > the Pebble Beach golf course (and Carmel, of course, is the community > where Clint Eastwood served as mayor for a while). It's definitely > worth taking the famed 17-mile drive round the pebble beach and other > golf courses; these private roads are the only way to get to some of > the best viewpoints. > > Then, just up the coast, is Santa Cruz. Very much a university town > (lots of cheap restaurants, music venues, etc.), and the renowned > beach boardwalk (not as good as Atlantic City, but worth a visit). > > Then it's either turn inland and head to San Jose, or carry on up > the coast to Half Moon Bay, and on to San Francisco. > >
