Going...Going...Gone...ROAD TRIP!

Well I’m on the first leg of my road trip through California seeing private clients, friends and family before flying to Florida. I have driven this same route many times but the difference this time is I’m not going back to Idaho. That has not really sunken in yet and probably won’t until I board the plane in Oakland and head to Tampa.

My last look at Sun Valley - December 31, 2010

This was my 7 mile daily commute for 14 years

I left the Wood River Valley on January 1, 2011 and drove 530 miles to Reno, Nevada. This is a good stopping point and gets a fair amount of the drive behind me. I spent two nights at the Peppermill Casino where I often stay on these trips. I like the Peppermill and it doesn’t hurt that my room and meals are comped so the price is right.

20 miles south of Sun Valley - 10am

Sunset 50 miles east of Reno - 5pm

I left Reno on January 3^rd and drove through the Sierras, which are covered with snow from the recent storms, over Donner Summit to the bay area. My next stop was Tiburon just north of the Golden Gate Bridge to see a client and then to San Francisco for the night. After my client I took a hike through the hills above Tiburon where there are great views of San Francisco, the bay and the Golden Gate Bridge to relax and take some photographs.

Crossing the Sierras just west of Donner Pass 

San Francisco and the Golden Gate Bridge from the hills above Tiburon 

I have a favorite hotel that I stay in the Marina District, the La Luna Inn (http://www.lalunainn.com/). For those of you that might be headed for San Francisco this place is a great find. It is nothing fancy but the rooms are clean, nice size and a great price under $100 that includes parking, which is usually $40 a night at most places. Over time I have gotten to know this area of San Franicisco. It is very safe, even at night and just a couple blocks to movie theaters, cafes and small shops.

The next morning I decided to take a scenic drive around the Presidio Park area, the Golden Gate and down Hwy 1 to my next stop in Pacific Grove which is in the Monterey/Carmel area to see friends for a few days.

Golden Gate Bridge from Presidio Park

The drive south along the coast was beautiful and I stopped to photograph a couple lighthouses along the way. I also stopped at Swanton Berry Farm just north of Santa Cruz for some homemade treats.

Point Montara Lighthouse

25 miles south of San Franicisco
7 miles north of Half Moon Bay

Pigeon Point Lighthouse
50 miles south of San Francisco
27 miles north of Santa Cruz

Northern California Coast just south of Pigeon Point

So far my journey has taken me to Pacific Grove, California. I’ll be leaving in a few days again driving south along the coast through Big Sur to see private clients in Southern California and to visit my brother in Laguna Beach.

I hope you enjoy my travels and the photographs. I’ll post again on the next leg of my trip through California from Pacific Grove to Laguna Beach to Yosemite and back to San Francisco for my flight on the 16^th.