BACK TO THE PACIFIC

eastern California 

It didn't take long before we were able to shed layers of clothes and replace our shoes for flip flops. Needless to say, we were very happy with our decision to head back to the ocean.  What was hard, was turning north, the desire to turn south was very, very strong.

elephant seals

We basically followed the same route that we were on at the beginning of the trip, just in the opposite direction.  Can't say we did very much, we drove a lot and enjoyed the scenery.  We also ate a lot, we gorged ourselves on fresh seafood everyday.  I think we both may of put on a pound or two.

We had forgotten about the roller coaster roads with the sheer drop offs.  The only good thing was that we were on the hillside instead of the cliffside.  Still, my eyes were closed every time we came up to a sharp turn.  After all of the driving we have done on this trip, we are both in agreement that highway 101 in California is the most scenic/terrifying road we have driven.

close eyes and click picture

cat nap

By the time we arrived in Oregon, we had to start putting on the layers again.  We started accelerating through the seasons fast at this point.  Summer, than bam - fall and now, winter.

the Redwood Forest

We had a short two day stop in Seaside, Oregon.  We stayed in one of our favorite hotels of the entire trip. This is where, a year ago we really started to feel like our adventure had begun and by the time we left this cute little town we knew it was almost over.

a tiny kitchen, the last time we did dishes was August!

stormy seas

But alas, so close to home, after we made it to less than an hour to the Canadian border..........................

Washington

THE PACIFIC COAST GOAT TRAIL

This picture doesn't even begin to show what this road is like to be on!  Sometimes there's guard rails sometimes not, where you think there should be one there isn't.  We took most corners at about ten to twenty miles per hour. We have been driving on this road for the past couple days, today there was a portion that had slid into the sea and it was down to one lane.  I (Nadine) spent most of this drive pretty much on the centre console due to the fact that it was rocky, wave crashing four hundred foot drop!!

Most of the pictures I took didn't turn out that well because I mainly just stuck out the camera with my head turned away and clicked the picture.  At the same time, there are no words to describe how beautiful the scenery is.  It is breath taking - literally!!  For those who are not afraid of heights or roads without shoulders this is a must do drive!

now this is sea level

We also drove through San Francisco, and went over the Golden Gate Bridge.  It was much taller than expected but not very long.  We hadn't planned on driving through the city but for the first time Tom-Tom did us wrong because of a construction zone, but it turned out in our favor anyway and we were able to see a little of the city.  We drove up an incredibly steep hill where all you could see was sky, with Justin encouraging the land rover all the way up the hill!

approaching the golden gate bridge

We took one day off driving and stayed an extra night in Santa Cruz - surf capital USA!  All of these touristy places that we have been staying at are all ghost towns.  Everything is closed but we have had our pick of accommodations and prices have been pretty good.

sea lions under the Santa Cruz pier

pier in Morro Bay

This has all been the calm before the storm - we enter Los Angeles tomorrow!!  Hopefully Tom-Tom doesn't send us to South Central!! - (Craig!)

sunset in Santa Cruz