Driving up the California coast

On our way to the Bay Area, we took the scenic drive up Highway 1 through Pismo Beach, Morro Bay, Big Sur, and Carmel, among other foggy coastal locales. The weather was cold and damp, the views somewhat obscured by fog, but we still had a wonderful time exploring the coast (and hunting for rare bathrooms!).

Kel overlooking the beach at Morro Bay.





In front of Morro Rock.








Goofy Grandpa.




This squirrel was trying to eat my toes! I snapped this photo of him making a beeline for my foot, again, before leaping away for my life.




We stopped off to see the Elephant Seals at Piedras Blancas. Here is Kel on the boardwalk.





Kel looking out over the elephant seals.







Dad was really "in to " these bridges. Which, ironically, you can't see behind us here. We kept having to stop to photograph bridges!





There's the bridge behind Kel!










Later in the day, as we arrived in Carmel, the sun came out. At last. It was beach time!







There were sea otters swimming at the beach! Hard to get a decent photo, but here's one hanging out as the waves pass him by.




The mission at Carmel.






Kel took this photo of Pat, Mom, me (red faced after too many glasses of wine!), and Dad. Frank was in the bathroom and missed the photo op.

Inflatable World

Already a week into our vacation and I hadn't posted any photos yet! Figured that I have about as many photos of Kellan riding on Elmo's Flying Fish or of Shamu leaping out of the tank at Seaworld as anybody could ever possibly need. On our third day in town, we went to Inflatable World for the afternoon, riding the San Diego Trolley there and back. In other words, heaven for a 6 year old boy! And a day which he has already requested to repeat before we return home.

We spent over four hours at the inflatables park, but I only snapped a few photos early on, then let him have the run of the place. That happy face says it all.













Totally unrelated, but here are a couple of cloud photos that I took from the airplane window, shortly after departing from St Louis. It was a stormy day and there were some interesting formations.

Cumbres & Toltec Railway

This post can be summed up in one sentence: "I like to take photos of trains".

Great Sand Dunes National Park

Spectacular natural beauty and a playground for kids of all ages. Great Sand Dunes National Park is definitely on my "repeat visit" list.






Click to enlarge and you'll see little specks all the way up the dunes. Those are people.







Behind Kel is the river that you had to cross in order to reach the dunes. Shoes off!







We attended a short ranger programme where the kids were learning about the mineral composition of sediments in the park.







Nic and Mom out on the dunes.







Emptying the sand from his shoe. Again.










Kel and I had some great dune rolls. When we got back to the hotel that night, there was sand coming out of every item of our clothing. I mean every item.