CALIFORNIA. HIGHWAY 1

HIGHWAY 1 10/01 - 14/01

Having arrived in Los Angeles at lunchtime after a long flight we checked into an airport hotel to catch up on our sleep before setting off the next morning on our drive to San Francisco. Since we had spent 10 days in LA some years ago we decided to get onto Highway 1 without delay and start our journey northwards.

The scenery was spectacular from the start and it felt really good to be driving on American roads again. We spent that night in Santa Barbara in a charming motel, where you are invited for complementary cheese and wine for an hour in the evening in front of a crackling log fire.

Motel in Santa Barbara



The following morning we continued North and had lunch in the Madonna Inn. If you think the Americans can be a bit over the top sometimes then you haven't seen anything until you see this place. It is hard to describe but suffice to say the gents urinal is a waterfall and the restaurant is completely pink. Try googling it to get a better idea.

The Madonna Inn urinal. Water cascades down the sloping wall on the right and you pee into the waterfall below. Very strange.

In the afternoon we saw one of the most extraordinary sights I have ever seen. A sandy beach covered in hundreds of elephant seals. They arrive in early January to give birth and the beach was covered with females feeding their newborne calves, and fending off huge bulls who were eager to mate again. There was a cacophony of sound as the cows rejected the bulls' advances and the bulls fought each other. They will stay on the beach for a month and, after mating again, will go back out to sea. They will return very briefly to molt in April then remain at sea until the next January. Whilst at sea they will swim up to Alaska and dive to depths of 6000 feet. (I only know this because we spoke to a conservationist at the beach)

They look quite peaceful in this photo but actually there was quite a lot going on.

An alpha male surrounded by females and feeding calves.

Highway 1 runs along the coast all the way to San Francisco, and a section of it approximately 90 miles long and running South from Carmel is known as the Big Sur. This part of the coast is beautiful with mountains and giant redwood trees inland, and the road follows the rugged coast line crossing deep ravenes, round lovely bays and weaves tortuously over rocky outcrops. The area became very popular with writers and artists in the twenties onwards, and then with hippies in the sixties.

Highway 1 crosses Bixby bridge on the Big Sur.

Part of the Big Sur coastline.

The rooms at Deetjens Big Sur Inn are in these wooden cabins which all have names. Ours was called Antique and was above Grandpa's Room.

Relaxing in Antique.

At this time of year Grey Whales are migrating south to give birth, and they pass quite close to the shore. From the cliff tops you can actually see the spouts of water when they blow then you can see their flukes as they dive again. Unfortunately they are too far away to photograph with our little cameras.

Whale watching.

More wildlife on dry land.

North of the Big Sur we had an interesting drive around Carmel and Pebble Beach. It is one of the most affluent areas in America and they actually charge you $10 to drive round it!

Sunset just South of San Francisco.

Entering the suburbs of San Francisco.

 (This one is for Georgie and Olivia who both love Dennys)