04/04/03:
Drove out CA-198 to US-101 to Paso Robles and CA-46 to Morro Bay and my first view of the Pacific Ocean. I figured with all the snow at Kings Canyon I'd better find someplace a little warmer.
My first view of the Pacific Ocean was Morro Rock in Morro Bay. This is a 400-500 foot rock jutting up out of the bay. 20 surfers were out there in their wet suits and I got a couple of good pictures.
The Pacific Coast Highway is CA-1 somewhere north of San Francisco. Cabrillo Highway is CA-1 running from Morro Bay to Monterey. I took my time and made half of the 125 miles before calling a halt.
I passed the Hearst Castle without stopping but did stop to view the elephant seals. The females are in to shore molting. This takes a couple of weeks. They lay on the beaches like a bunch of dead fish. Many of them are lined up side by side like a bunch of sardines. The males are out to sea but will come in to mate. Then the females go out to sea and the males stay on shore and molt.
Stopped many times on the way north to take pictures. The coastline is not as rugged as Maine but the cliffs are much taller. Much of the time I was about 1000 feet looking down at the ocean.
Found a state campground mid-way in the drive and grabbed it. Hot showers and everything.
04/05/03:
Got a pretty early start this morning. About 30 miles or so to Big Sur. Began stopping at each of the many, many turnoffs. This whole stretch of coast is Sea Otter Game Refuge. After a few stops I saw my first sea otter bobbing around. It was 500+ feet down from where I stood on a cliff but I could see it roll over on its back and kinda curl its tail. Cool stuff.
Then I began to see elephant seals in some of the little coves. In one cove I watched as 8-10 mothers taught their pups to swim. They just bobbed around not far off shore as the swells pushed them around. I watched for a good 10 minutes or so before they started to let the waves push them into shore. They didn't use much effort and let the waves do all the work for them.
As I got near Big Sur the highway moved back from the cliffs and ocean. This gives people room to develop and there's a house or business anywhere they can squeeze one in. A found a couple more interesting spots north of Big Sur but for the most part it's all developed and no ocean. If I do Cabrillo Highway again I will consider turning around before Big Sur.
Pinnacles National Monument:
From Salinas I traveled south on US-101 to Soledad, where they have a famous prison, and then CA-146 to the Pinnacles National Monument. There is no drive to take. You have to park and hike the several trails to check out the views. I did the Balconies Trail except I didn't follow the loop. I went a mile or so and then turned back because I lost my map and didn't know where I was going.
Very nice rock formations although I didn't see any pinnacles. It was worth the trip.