Pacific Coast Highway

Avila was an amazing 2 days. We spent some time on the tranquility of the beach. Listened to waves crash as we napped in hammocks. Watched Dolphins and Sea Otters play right in front of us, and saw a fiery red sunset over a mountain range to end the evening. We had a great dinner and 2 wonderful girls nights at Mr. Ricks, a small bar in the small town of Avila right on the water. The last night we met a bartender named Levi and he gave us some suggestions about going up the PCH the next day. After a few rounds of karaoke (oh boy), we called it a night so we could get some rest.
Yesterday we woke up and took our time leaving Avila. Slowly we made our way up the PCH. We have had the luck of great weather this whole trip and lucked out again yesterday on our drive. After missing the off ramp to jump on Highway 1 (PCH) we did a quick 5 minute turn around because we just didn't want to miss it.

DO. NOT. MISS. IT.

The Grand Canyon was amazing, breathtaking and something you can't go without seeing. The PCH is just that. At first we were driving through farm fields and mountains. Until the scenery broke and we were making hair pin turns on cliff drop offs over looking the ocean. Some roads looked like you were driving into the abyss. Our drive should have taken about 3 hours...we turned it into 6 1/2.
To what seemed like our dismay, a road crew was re-marking the roads, slowing traffic down to a near stop. Up ahead I saw a sign for "Lion Seal Viewing Area". Of course we had to stop, and we are SO glad we did!!! Katie nearly lost her mind when we looked over the railing and there on the beach were groups of Sea Lions, all piled on top of each other catching some zzz's. It was their resting period (we learned from an old man that approached us as we were squealing taking pictures). They spent all summer swimming out and diving to their most favorite depths and eating all they could. Now was their time to rest up for mating season and another long year ahead. We got pictures and video of male Sea Lions having a "I"m bigger than you" standoff. More pictures to come:)

We then stopped at Salmon Creek Trail right off the PCH. It wouldn't be hard to miss. The trail took us up into the side of a mountain and only the sound of a waterfall to guide us, we maneuvered around slippery rocks and leaves and with some bouldering, found ourselves in front of a tall waterfall. Surrounded by lush greens, moss, and huge black boulders we sat for a few minutes taking everything in.

Every few miles we would stop at a Vista Point, usually on top off a drop off over looking the ocean, which looked like it never ended. Water to the end of the horizon. Crystal clear tropical waters and dark black rocks accented the crashing waves. There were so many moments we spent not speaking. Smelling the ocean air, hearing the crashing waves and the wind whipping through mountain passes and over fields. It was absolutely amazing.

After a long day driving up the coast we found our Hotel Sofitel of Redwood Shores in Redwood City, CA. Here we rested and watched TV, and ended up falling asleep around 10pm our time. Now it's off to explore more of Northern California around San Francisco!

I took probably 200 pictures, if not more plus about 10 videos. So uploading them is taking around 45 minutes. So for now, I will leave you with your imagination on our journey. More pictures will be posted later, but I have to say, no picture can truly capture what we saw. Everything was so much bigger and the colors so much more vibrant than could be captured on video or picture.