Hwy 1 - Coastal bliss and a small taste of heaven

Mission of San Carlos Borromeo in Carmel
We didn't have time to take the tour but looked about.
Fr. Serra is buried here.

I believe this sign was intended for the wildlife
and not for a few of the drivers we encountered there.

After departing the aquarium, we started down Hwy1, the north/south coastal highway in California.

With each turn in the road (and let me tell you there are A LOT!), the scenery continued to change and be more spectacular than the last sight we had just seen.

As we drove, we watched a huge cloud roll in from the
ocean and cloud the sky and blanket the mountains
all around us.  One might imagine that it would dull the
beauty of the landscape but it only enhanced and further
changed the views.

Yes, this is a herd of elk.

I am sorry that along the drive we did not stop and take pictures of the coastal redwoods. They can't compare in size to the giants we already visited but they are so stately and not really something that one would associate with the shoreline.  However, the California coast is vastly different than those along the Gulf and lower eastern states.  The coast line here reminded us all of pictures of Ireland's sheer cliff and rocky edges.  Stunning to say the least.

Then the serenity was broken as from the back of the car I heard the cry,

"STOOOPPP the CAAAARRR!!!!

I just saw a bunch of seals!!!!!!"

Harbor seals are even cuter in person.  Hi guys!!!

Excellent sighting my boy!!!! 
And that goes out to Master Luke!



And they are thinking, "Dumb people act like they've never seen a seal before."



Down the road a bit more and now the fellow passengers are really combing beach . . .

We finally spotted them by the droves.:  elephant seals.

We even got to witness males sparring in the water.  The noises these creatures make is almost obnoxious.

Just down the road from there on top of the mountain sits the Hearst Mansion.
I loved the aquarium but really wished that I would have gone here instead.  I went when I was younger and am disappointed I ran out of time to get to go to it now.



We stopped at Hearst beach for one last romp.



And we were delighted to find more sea creatures.

And another!

I could get used to this!

I nabbed a poor German tourist and asked him to take our picture.
Thank you German tourist!

Good bye most majical ocean place!  We will miss you!




One last soak for our tootsies!

 


While cleaning out the car before leaving, up comes this little squirrel and preformed all kinds of tricks for food.  The seagulls came in to see what we had to eat, too.  They were incredibly amusing as they caught crackers in the air and from each other.

Sorry beach but we have got to run.

As a footnote to this post, we had planned to regroup on this beach anyway but as we turned into the parking lot down the road just a bit there was a horrific accident which had the road closed for a couple of hours.  Had we not pulled off just a minute earlier to do something, we very easily could have been the ones in it.  So, thank you so much to our gaurdian angels. 

However, some of those involved in the accident were not so lucky and there were fatalities. I would like to ask those who read this to take a moment to say a prayer for the repose of their souls and also for the families of all those effected by this.

It never fails when I have taken long trips, I always pass by something like this and am very grateful that so far in my journeys we have been spared.  It always puts flat tires and grumpy people into perspective.

May the souls of the faithfully departed rest in peace.

Have mercy on us all, oh Lord.