After spending 1 night in Albany Oregon we headed for the coast. Our 2nd night was spent in Crescent City California. From there we went to the Redwoods & did a little hiking & enjoyed the beauty around us.
The Boy Scout Tree
1 word-AMAZING!
While in Redwoods we met a couple who told us about fern canyon, so we headed there next.
Pure tranquility!
There are lots of Elk on the coast if Oregon & California!
After the fern canyon we continued south to San Francisco.
Most of the day was spent driving in the fog.
We managed to catch a sunset at the Golden gate bridge when we arrived.
The first day we did a trolly tour to get a feel for the lay of the land.
Alcatraz
Then we were off to the Goldengate Bridge.
The tour guide took us down to the Presidio. You can rent these places which used to be only for military personnel for a mere $3000 a month.
The Coit Tower, which Aaron & both thought was ugly but it's the tallest building in San Francisco.
Fisherman's Wharf
Pier 39
The famous Lombard Street
The next day we went back to little Italy which we loved.
We had an excellent lunch at Cafe Dolce.
Then we were off to Alcatraz...
What an eerie place...
I hadn't realized how much history Alcatraz has.
The military used it prior to it being a maximum security prison. During it's time as a prison Alcatraz housed some of the most notorious criminals of it's time. After the prison was shut down in the 1960s the island was reclaimed by the American Natives from across the country to bring attention to land rights. This was a historic time for the Native people and the beginning the reclaimation of their land in the 1970s. After the Native people left Alcatraz became a National Park and now is home to a variety of bird and plant life.
'The Hole'
Aaron in 'the hole'
The view from the prison window.
After San Francisco we headed south to Monterey, a historical canning town.
Finally we got to see some coastline that wasn't in the fog!
We drove through the Avenue of Giants...
Cruised through Santa Cruz...
Stopped at a u-pick & got some strawberries...
And arrived in beautiful Monterey...
A monument for John Steinbeck.
Monterey was the setting for his novels East if Eden & Cannery Row.
Monterey was the setting for his novels East if Eden & Cannery Row.
It just so happened there was a car show happening while we were there.
After Monterey we headed north east to Merced.
After spending the night in Merced we headed inland to Yosemite National Park.
Next will be the inland portion of our trip which I will post next weekend.
