Monday, March 3, 2014

More From California Vacation

April 17, 1979

It's hard to believe my vacation in California is coming to an end, but I'm sitting in the morning bustle of the L.A. airport, my first and now my last glimpse of this diverse state. Where did the time go?
I should have written every day, but even if I had I could not have recorded everything I felt and saw. Just too much happened to me and every little different event affects me in some way.
I will still get back to my story of this experience, because I have a lot of days to make up in my journal and I seem sometimes to run out of topics. I feel like the author of a story I had read to me in elementary school. It was a tall tale and the man kept going on with these extravagant yarns, promising to get to his "watermelon plants, we'll get to that later." While he never got to them, but it was funny to hear him say that. I have many diversions from my original story, but I will get back to it in its entirety (sounds like a news break.) 
Well, if you remember I last stopped in San Luis Obispo. That was Friday night of my first overeating. Stuffed was not the word, gorged and rolling more describe my feeling. It was delightful.
On Saturday morning, after many pancakes, we started up the coast on Highway 1, better known as the Pacific Coast Highway. We passed a large rock, over a hundred feet tall, known as Moro Rock in Moro Bay. It is a bird refuge and extremely interesting.
The ocean that morning had brought no mist or fog in and the day was clear. The grass was emerald and the water a deep contrast of blue from the blue sky. As we gained elevation in the cliffs, the rocks made the grass seem brighter and brought out the lovely colors of the ocean and sky. The severe drops of the cliffs made the sea more magnificent. It stopped the land and had much power to eat it completely. The pines and the salt combined in an intriguing perfume. The narrow road with each turn brought a scene more beautiful than before; they possessed nature's secret of enchantment. It was the best of two worlds, the ruggedness of pine covered mountains and the cooling savor of the ocean.
We went as far north as Carmel on Monterrey Bay. We spent some time on the beach, but the tide was coming in as the sun's rays lengthened. One time when the waves rolled in, Herman fell with Michelle. She began crying and a couple who had laughed felt badly. It was funny though to see a tall man run from some water backwards and to trip on the sand. At least he escaped the water. I wasn't quick enough and thick foam engulfed one of my tennis shoed feet.
After this pleasant visit to the sea, we headed inward to Fresno. Fresno is in the Central Valley and  after a tiring flat dark ride of two hours, we found our motel room and spent an uneventful night in this large farm town. Sleep felt good, except for Michelle who wanted to stay awake and play.
Loving the cliffs over the Pacific


Diane holding Michelle with Maggie and Al in front of their house

Bridge used in many commercials


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