Amtrak to California, Part 5: Pinnacles National Park and Pismo Beach

Monterey to Arroyo Grande and Pismo Beach (7 Photos)

 We left Monterey with great reluctance, hoping to return someday, perhaps from the north via San Francisco.  Instead of taking Highway 1 again heading south, we chose the alternate route along Highway 101, essentially a divided, flat highway.  We had plans to picnic and hike at Pinnacles National Park, before heading into San Luis Obispo for the afternoon, and then on to our final motel in Arroyo Grande.  We also had plans to spend the evening at the beach.  All went according to plan, although the temperatures grew hotter and hotter the more we went inland.  We passed the world's largest lettuce growing area, and we recognized most of the brand names as ones we buy year-round back in Canada.  At Pinnacles NP it was 95 degrees F. when we arrived.  It was a very warm hike!

Our hike at Pinnacles National Park led us between the mountains seen ahead.  Once in the canyon we climbed onto high ledges on the lighter coloured left side mountains, returning through a cool, very dark cave on the darker mountains seen on the right.  It was tinder dry here, and hot.  A standby fire engine was parked at the trailhead.

At one point the return trail enters a narrow, twisting cave which also involves some
climbing.  It's not unlike climbing through a birth canal and emerging into the light.
We needed a flashlight, and wish we had bought a second one at the visitor center.
We saw some sleeping bats down there, too.

Two people sit near the entrance to the cave, Pinnacle NP.  It was cool and dark in here, a
welcome respite from the intense light and desert heat beyond.

 After hiking we continued driving south to San Luis Obispo, visited briefly on our northbound journey.  I settled in at SLO Brewery,  while Deb sought out a nearby cafe and then strolled through the lovely downtown.  It was much cooler here, near the ocean.  Later we drove the short distance to our final motel, seen here and below.  I tried an Oatmeal Stout and some IPA at SLO Brewery.

 The impressive lobby of the Best Western Casa Grande Inn, our final resting place, so to speak.  Just across the street was a fun brewery and taproom called Manrock!  I had Follow the Crow IPA!  A very short drive from here was Pismo Beach, where we spent the evening.

 Pismo Beach sunset, California.  It was just as lovely there as the picture!

 The beach and pier of Pismo Beach.  This is a magical area.  We ate dinner at a little place just off the beach, offering craft ale taps and veggie burgers.  The moon was waxing.  It would be full on our second night aboard the eastbound Southwest Chief, and we would see it from the observation car.

To be continued....

Amtrak to California, Part 4: The Whales

"Thar Be Whales!"  Day 3 (13 photos)

Deb had booked us a whale watch cruise with Chris' Whale Watching, from the dock near downtown Monterey.  We certainly got our money's worth, and more!  We left at 10 am and were back around 12:45 pm.  We never went too far from shore, but we saw plenty of action.  At one point, five whales were near the boat.

 A plethora of seals, Monterey dock.  See close up, below.

Snoozing seals, exhausted from their hunt for food.  A pod will follow the whales, and dive with them.  As the whales begin to surface, they come up ahead.  When a large amount of sea lion (seals) activity begins on the surface, the whale is not far behind.

 Our whale watch boat, the good ship "Caroline."  We sat in the stern.  It was very chilly and cloudy when we left at 10 am (photo taken upon our return).  We sat in a sheltered corner,

 quite snug.

On whale watch, on the stern of the Caroline.

 Just after leaving the dock we encountered this group of scary looking critters.  However, they are Rissos Dolphins.  We also saw dolphins later on in the distance cresting the waves.

 Whales tend to be rather large...

 "Thar she blows!"

Twins!

They were very close to our boat.  While in the proximity of the whales, the captain
would shut down the engine and we would just drift.  His sonar showed where the
whales were (frequently just beneath us).  They would dive for about five minutes,
surface, blow, then dive again.  Anchovies were on the menu for them today.

 A rare sighting of four (or five?) humpbacks all at the surface together.  Our boat was never very far from shore.

Spotted returning to harbour--is the Doctor living in Monterey?

We spent the evening on Monterey Beach and Dunes.  It adjoins Pebble Beach, in the background.

To be continued....

Amtrak to California, Part 3: HIghway 1 to Monterey from Morro Bay

California, Day Two (10 Photos)

Monterey was the goal for tonight, but we had a big day ahead of us before getting there.  Highway 1 turned out to be a bit different than we were expecting.  We were prepared for a coastal drive, but this was a very mountainous one.  The road soars high above the sea, then comes down to meet it, again and again, winding through mountains, a tunnel and across many fine bridges.  The ocean is in full view for 90% of the drive.  At Big Sur (Pfieffer State Park) the road leaves the coast for several miles, crossing through a redwood forest.  We stopped at a lodge here for lunch and a major hike before continuing on to Monterey for dinner.  We had two nights booked at a motel there, and some whales to see tomorrow morning.

 Highway 1 turned out to be a lot more mountainous and curvy than expected.  The scenery was always nothing less than spectacular, which can be frustrating for the driver.  However, there were many vista points and other places to pull over.  Deb took this shot from our car as we approached the more challenging part of the drive.

 Highway 1 vista pullout, looking north.  Note the large bridge at the end of the 2nd bay.  It was one of many.

 We hiked at Pfeiffer Big Sur State Park, climbing a mountain (Buzzards Roost) for
an ocean view in one direction, and dry mountains in the other.  This is one of many
redwood groves in the park, with trees soaring over 200'.

 In California the desert is never far from the ocean.  This little guy greeted us at the top of our lookout.

 Our view of the Pacific Ocean from Buzzards Roost.  The ocean is often the same colour as the sky.  Looking west, the sky was overcast.  However, the next photo shows the view looking east at exactly the same time.

 Looking east from Buzzards Roost into the Santa Lucia Range, essentially the same mountains seen in the first photo on this page, above.

 My closeup with a redwood tree.

 Back on Highway 1, looking south.

 Same bridge as in photo, above, but not the same one as seen in the background of an earlier photo.  There were several beautiful bridges like this, most built in the 1930s.

 Lights of north Monterey, from Cannery Row.  We ate dinner at Cannery Row Brewery (more on the final page).

To be continued....