[VLOCT]

My tribute to you, Sam Kapasi, dearly know as YETI by the Team-BHP community

I’ve been wanting to post this travelogue for a long while. However, the recent tragic event of our most valuable and dearest online colleague, Sam’s untimely passage to a better place, prompted me to postpone this posting as a mark of respect and to give everyone some time for grieving. I only knew the man and Jenny thru his wonderful travel diaries, with his playful humor and zest for life. His friends and acquaintances who knew him in person were very lucky indeed for the opportunity. We will miss your postings and musings, dear friend.

I also think however, that true to his character, he would want everyone to go on and attack life with exciting travels and discoveries. And for me, I could not think of a better way to honor his memory than share our visit to the gorgeous Southern California coast.

Honey, Cali!!

Whew, Vegas is HOTTT, I was thinking. It’s the end of June and felt like we’re already deep into the summer of 2012. The temps were already well into the 110s F. The heat is relentless with the ground, people and any kinda life being slowly and surely baked into submission. With the July 4th long weekend around the corner, it felt as good as any time for a mini vacation. And hence the above query. She flashed her smile, the one that says “you serious?”

Being a jazz aficionado, Monterey, CA looked interesting, this being where the yearly Monterey Jazz Festival is held. Never been to the place. Hmmm, the temperature 65 F!! Must be a mistake or an anomaly. That’s a 50 F difference. That’s jacket weather, in the middle of summer? It looked great. Perfect weather for some open top driving. And also the chance to check-off driving Route 1 or popularly known as the Pacific Coast Highway (PCH) in a convertible, from my bucket list.

So, off we went to in our favorite steed, the Pontiac Solstice GXP. I hope everyone here enjoys this photologue.


Lunch @ Tehachapi, CA. The desert ends and fertile lands starts here



On our way..





The first glimpse of Monterey with the ever present summer fog..



The magical Monterey Bay.









The famous Cannery Row, immortalized in the novel by John Steinbeck.





DAY 2 - Enchantment continues..

The amazing and famous Monterey Aquarium

























More Monterey magic..







Fisherman's Wharf - our destination for dinner.

[VLOCT]

Continuing the evening...

We'll try dinner here.



Dinner with a view..



















Day 2 - A visit to the 'Mecca'









The famous 'Lone Cyprus' - this Cyprus has been featured in a number of Hollywood movies.







Of Golf that is..



Lunch at Pebble Beach..









As if we need reminding that we're in the land of uber rich - a Ferrari, Cadillac and an Audi. Predictable!!



The 18th Green. Amazing.







Onward..

[VLOCT]

The story continues...





Day 3 - We bid adieu to Monterey for back home.. Or so we thought. We take the PCH. A dream drive..











The view from 'NEPENTHE' - the restaurant is perched 800 ft above the Pacific and the views are stunning indeed. Needless to say, the waiting period for a table is around 30 minutes minimum for the outside. Will you complain with this view. And why would you sit inside, anyway. The food is decent and the home wine is quite good.















Back on the road.. and the views are just spectacular..



























The mountain section is over. Oh my, that was 100 miles of nirvana for any enthusiast. Anyone who has a chance to do the PCH, please, it's once in a life time experience. Personally, I'll not speed it up, and take a whole day to do it. What's the hurry? Life is a long grind, take the time to enjoy the little goodness we come by. This section is south of Monterey, CA. I haven't done north of San Francisco yet on Route 1 (PCH). That's also supposed to be spectacular.

[josejoseph]

Thanks VLOCT for the pics.

Monterey is a beautiful place. Calm, quite & serene. Once you gothere, you never feel like leaving this place.

Have you tried the place during August when there are a bunch of events for auto enthusiasts? Pebble Beach car show, Monterey Sports at Laguna Secca are few of them.

Thanks,
Jose

[VLOCT]

So we're on our way back home to Vegas as planned.

I asks my wife, "Do we need to go back yet? Let's go to Santa Barbara. It's only 100 miles while, Vegas is still 300 miles away?" I grew up on 'Santa Barbara', the TV series. Never been there. She gives the nod.

This turned to be the discovery of a gem of a city that we fell in love with. It's most definitely one of our favorite cities now.

A room with a view..











Wouldn't you love to have that view from your house!!





It's July 4th and the festivities are fully on. The beaches are filled with thousands of people with hundreds of barbecues everywhere. The city has provided tents for people to have their barbecues. What a sight..





Our favorite past time - People Watching



With 'Rusty's Special' - MMMM























Finally, on our way home. I'll miss this Pacific fog. Oh well, back to the furnace that's Vegas.







Yah, I see that turbo badge, alright. I ain't messing with you.. well, maybe a little. My 350 bhp against your 400+ bhp. Just to feel good, ok!!





Hope you have all enjoyed this travel diary. Hopefully, this has brought some good cheer after the grief we all felt. If I have managed to bring even a little cheer, I'll consider this a success.

Go out there and find new places and experiences and do it by driving or riding or whatever that gives you pleasure. Don't wait for the stars to align perfectly for that vacation or trip. Life is too short for regrets.

Cheers to all. Have a great day everyone.