MP: twilight zone

I have lost all sense of time. Where are we? What day is it? Will we ever quit wanting lunch at 9 a.m.?

We have fully sunk into rental-beach-house mode and are wondering if we can pull ourselves back into gear for more driving or not. We love the pool (nice and warm!) and they used the boards in the garage today to do what could only be called surfing by other people from Ohio. But they had a blast. They couldn't feel their legs anymore, but they had a blast. When we come back into the house, they are ravenous - the local Safeway loves us.

We did visit two local treasures this afternoon and evening - the Henry Cowell State park to see the Redwoods and then the famous Santa Cruz Boardwalk (Monday nights - $1 hot dogs/rides/drinks!). Both made for an absolutely great day - one we won't forget. After being in the ocean most of the morning, then hiking in the redwoods, then 4 hours at the boardwalk, though - we are TIRED!

Quote of the day: 

LeMoN, after I took a picture of him by the first tree: "Ok, you have 7 more for the day. That's your limit." 

MP: On the streets of San Francisco

Headed north to the city Saturday morning (first time for all of us to SF) and look who we ran into at the Golden Gate bridge?!?

 My cousin Cara and her family  - Mark and Joey (missing Kyle!) - live in nearby Roseville and graciously spent the day showing us around SF. The bridge is amazing and the view is something to be seen. 

From there the boys jumped in the Montoya car and we all headed to Union Square. On the way, we traveled Lombard St. I'm pretty glad I didn't know ahead of time what I was getting into. In the Suburban. Glad we had lightened our load a little. 

See all those people at the bottom? They're standing in the street filming us (and others) coming down the crooked street. I felt like they were hoping for a disaster to YouTube. But, amazingly, we made it. 

Then on to wait in line for the trolley, enjoying the sights and people watching. SF is just slightly more diverse than Preble County, Ohio. 

We headed to fisherman's wharf and walked and ate and took it all in. Eric tried the famous clam chowder in sourdough while the kids compared SF sourdough pizza to mine. Being the creatures of habit that they are, I think mine won. Everyone was a trooper on the crowds and line waiting - city life! Thank you so much to the Montoyas for an amazing day we won't forget. 

MP: scenes from CA

Just into CA. About 100 degrees

Largest wind farm in the world; tehachapi

Took a longer route to get to the ocean sooner; hit it near Cambria

Drove up hwy 1 past beautiful ocean on one side and cliffs on the other; had more twists and turns than we had bargained for! Saw the Hearst Castle on a hill and passed through the Big Sur forest

Their first time seeing the Pacific Ocean;  68 degrees