MAY 11- Today we traveled on to Monterey.We took the interior route as we had driven the coast highway from LA to Monterey several years ago. Also, I had read that due to road damage from storms in Feb that there was a delay of at least 1 hr just above Cambria. The only loss in this decision was Port Hueneme in Oxnard. A difficult LH to see clearly according to sources I checked. I was planning on going to Piedro Blancas on the same drive to Pt. Sur.

We checked in and took a drive over to Pt. Pinos. It was closed of course (only open Thu- Sun 1-4 PM) so we looked around the outside and drove over to Cannery Row to look around and have dinner.Most things were already closed for the day.

MAY 12- Today was the northern leg of our stay in Monterey. We drove up to Santa Cruz, but had some difficulyt finding the LH/Surfer's Museum. There are two different roads with very similar names on opposite ends of the city. We were at the wrong one. We decided to leave and proced on up to Pigeon Point.

On the way we found the correct road to get us to Santa Cruz. CA 1 is a great road to travel on for scenery. It follows the coast for most of it's route and you get some very dramatic views, and curves to the road.

The first look at Pigeon Point coming from the south is spectacular. It just appears after rounding a curve in the road. The LH is only open for tours on Sat/Sun so we were on our own. There is a brochure which gives you a self guided tour of the bldgs. there is a Youth Hostel that you can stay at that does not interfere with your touring the area. The bed and breakfast that is being constructed does not interfere with the main view of the LH and its surrondings, but I think it was probably nicer when it was not there.

They have carefully constucted it so that it blends into the area. You get a long distance view of Ano Nueva Island from here. You can make out some of the building that remain on the island. Pigeon Point appears to be in very good condition, but as many others it could use a paint job.

We continued north to Pt. Montara. This was very disapointing. There is also a youth hostel here, but the entire LH grounds are inside the gates of it. You can not get in except very early and in the evening (7- 9:30 AM and 4- 9:30 PM .) If you can not get there then it is not realy worth going. you get only a partial view of the LH at other times of the day. The book i read warned me, but I was near there so I went.

We went back to Santa Cruz and found the LH/ Museum with no problems this time. The LH is a reproduction of the original LH that had been moved back and then replaced with a pole light. The new LH is actually a memorial to Mark Abbott who died body surfing of the point there. It also houses the Surfer's Museum. Very nicely done.

It gives the history of surfing with a emphasis on the Sant a Cruz area. We watched the surfer for awhile and then made our way back to Monterey. We spent some time in the Auarium. They have some great exhibits detailing the different types of marine life in the Monterey Bay area.

They also have a Penguin exhibit as well as a giant tank with literally hundreds of different species in it. You can see octupi and squid. also.

MAY 13- Today was south of Monterey day. We left for Pt. Sur early and got there with about an hour to spare. The approach from the north is the most dramatic. You come around the curve and the "Rock" is just there. It seems to rise out of the ocean and looks like it is an island. It is only about 300 ft over the road, but it looks much larger. You get a great look at the LH on the side of the rock as you aproach. You can also see some of the other buildings up there.

Since we were early we drove on down to the park headquarters and returned. The view from the south is not as impressive. You don't get a view of the LH and it does not look as if the "rock" is rising out of the ocean. This a not to miss LH.

The tours are given only at cetain times- they change according to the season, but are always on Sat/ Sun. It takes about 21/2 to 3 hrs, but it is worth every minute. You have to walk up to the top of the hill which is about 1 1/2 miles total and it is steep. there are also several sets of steps up top. It is difficult, but nobody rushes you and plenty of stops are made to give you the history of the LH.

Our docents ( Chris and Elizabeth) were very knowledgeable . You can get into the tower, but not into the lantern room. you are able to outside of the tower just below the lantern room. They are in the process of restoring the area to what is was like in 1929. they have finished the Electrical Shop and are almost finished with the barn. they have done some work to the Head Keepers Quarters, but have done little except for asbestos abatement to the Assistants Quarters.

We decided to skip Piedras Blancos due to the road closure. It would have added at least 2 hrs to the trip south and we would have missed Pt Pinos. They have done a superb restoration job to Pt Pinos. The upper flor has period furniture for the bedrooms and work area. You cannot get into the tower or lantern room area at all. the reason for this is that due to the rocks in the area wher the LH is built they had to shorten the "kit" that was used for Pt Pinos.

If they had built it ot specs it would have been over the fog horizon and would have been worthless. The basic designo f the LH was duplicate elswhere on the CA coast. surviving examples are Old Point Loma and Battery Point (Crescent City). "Mrs. Fish" was at home when we were there and proceeeded to regale us with tales of her times in the LH and eslewhere.

Very informative about the lifes and times that the residents went through. There are some nice exhibits about other LH's in CA in the back. I had a nice talk with the docent about LH's and Harbour Lights. We left there and took the 17 Mile Drive. This goes into a very exclusive area.

Large homes, picturesque beaches and the "Lone" Cypress. The symbol of Pebble Beach Golf course. We left the drive at the Carmel gate and drove on down to the beach. A gentleman was doing sand sculptures there. He had done one of a mermaid and one of a LH. Both were amazingly detailed. He said that they took him about 8 hrs to do. We walked around the town of Carmel and did some "shopping"- mostly looking.

I think I was in the wrong place the prices had too many digits in them before the decimal point.

MAY 14 (Mother's Day/ Esther's Birthday)- We decided to drive right o San Francisco and try to get to Pt Bonita instead of stopping back at Pigeon Point. We had the first rain of our trip. We had no trouble finding the road to Pt Bonita. It is a winding up and down road right along the coast just over the Golden Gate Bridge. We stopped at the Vista Point just before the bridge and went down by the bike path and got a view of Fort Point below. someone had cut a hole in the fence so that you could get some clear shots of the LH. You can also see Alcatraz from there.

We continued over the bridge to the LH. It is about 1/2 mile walk into the LH from the parking area. It was raining very hard by the time we got there, but we went in anyway. The walk to the LH is fairly level, but it was muddy. The fog was in ight up to the shoreline so our view was limited. the foghorn was blasting. You walk into a tunnel and when you come out you shortly get your first look at the suspension bridge to the LH. It is impressive in the rain and is probably even better in nice weather.

The LH is framed by the bridge as you approach it. there is a sign that no more than 5 people should be on the bridge at one time. this is due to the fact that the bridge sways and does it more so as the number of people on it increases. You can get into the LH, but not into the tower or lantern room. I was most of the way out to the LH when I discoverd that I had forgotten my passport. I had them stamp a brochure and we stopped at the Headquarters of the park on the way out and they stamped my passport. We called Douglas (our son who lives in the San Francisco area) and arranged to meet in Ghiardelli Square.

I wanted to stop in at the only Harbour Lights store I intended to enter on the entire trip. I had intentionally not looked for any stores on this trip. I was stopping here only because I had purchased numerous items staring on Ebay and then directly.

They had been very nice and held a number of items (the list kept getting longer) for up to 2 months as they were having Bill Younger coming in for a store event. They had all my items signed and shipped them together after the signing.

Unfortunately only one of the owners was ther. Chris was off, but I had a very nice visit with his wife Merthyl. If you are in SF stop in and visit. You can see Alcatraz out the window in the store.

We walked around G. quare and went over to Fisherman's wharf for dinner. We then took a tour of San Mateo where Douglas lives. We did not do anything special for Mothers Day or Esher's birthday. I had two surprises planned to tke care of that- more later on that.

This concludes part two of the trip. I'm stopping here for now. I'll be back with week two which takes us to the far reaches of Northern California and into southern Oregon.

Dennis

[This message has been edited by wheland (edited 11-20-2000).]