At a staggering 656 miles, this road is called many names: Pacific Coast Highway (PCH), Highway 1, State Route 1 (SR1), Shoreline highway, Coast Highway. Call it what you will, I call it magnificent. sfbeach1

HALF MOON BAY

We had a free morning before the opening of Maker Faire (which is why we were in California) to take a drive down a portion of Hwy 1. While I wish we could have driven the whole thing down to Southern California, we only got in 30 or so miles. We stop a lot!

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We got on Highway 1 at Half Moon Bay. The hotel manager said this was a great place and I believe he was correct. How pretty is that back drop?! We couldn’t get down on the beach from this spot unless we wanted to do a little climbing. I left my rock climbing gear on the plane…oops!

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Look at these shrubby succulents. They seem to be all the rage these days and here in California they are just laying on the ground. ALL OVER THE PLACE!

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POPLAR BEACH

Our next stop was just a little ways down the road from Half Moon Bay to a place called Poplar Beach. Here we could put our feet in the water and our hiney in the sand. AHHH!! This is the life!

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I am a total beach bum. The coast calls to me. Everything is alright with the world when I feel the sand beneath my feet and hear the tide in my ears.

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OMG BECKY! That was was COLD! BURRRR!!!!!!

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The sand in this part of California is very course and tan. I am a weirdo and collect sand from all over the place. One day I will show y’all my sand jar! Don’t judge!

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RANDOM STOP

I don’t remember the name of this place we pulled of at. I love, love, love the lifeguard stand. I wish i would have gotten out on the beach and taken more shots of it. If anyone knows the name of this beach, comment and let me know!

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PESCADERO BEACH

Another shot of the beach from a little pull in parking lot area. Looks like it might have been low tide tide as that big rock off to the right seems “exposed” at the bottom.

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PIGEON POINT LIGHTHOUSE – PESCADERO

The lighthouse was our turn around point.

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The wild flowers that grow in CA are amazing. They are everywhere, in sidewalk cracks, hanging off the interstate, on the rock face…EVERYWHERE. And my gosh the smell. I thought I smelled Sweet Olive the whole time we were in Cali.

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Mistaken celeb sighting: Flock of Seagulls
It was just a regular flock of pelicans.

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The last stop on this mini road trip was LUNCH!

C’mon!! I told y’all we like to eat!

Read the next blog entry to see our lunch spot.