Cruisin’ California – Part 3

(A blog series on the adventures my wife and I enjoyed during our honeymoon.)

Our travels took us to some truly beautiful places on this particular day. 17-Mile Drive, winding through the Monterey Peninsula, was very much one of the highlights. Wow.

This drive is absolutely worth the few bucks that you pay to travel it. Along the way you are treated to beautiful ocean views, a chance to gawk at some visually stunning homes that you’ll never be able to afford but yet are still fun to check out, and some really sweet golf courses. I mean, really. Check out this hole!

Plenty of photo ops along this drive, including the area near the Lone Cypress. Basically, you drive for a a few minutes, then stop and take photos. Repeat. This was great with me, as I love taking pictures. My wife was patient with me and just enjoyed the views while I was busy snapping photos left and right. Thanks, babe!

Another highlight of the day was being able to not only visit, but also walk out to the 18th green of Pebble Beach Golf Links. Seriously? I had no idea this was allowed, but kudos to the folks who run the course for allowing it to happen. So much golf history here! Hallowed ground for golf fans. It was fascinating to be able to stand just a few feet away from the place where major championships have been won and where the legends of the game have walked and perfected their craft.

We wrapped up our trek on 17-Mile Drive and then headed to Point Lobos State Natural Reserve. More beautiful views! Why not? I mentioned the strong winds in the previous post, and that was definitely the case here.

Elevated hikes at this park lead you to panoramic vistas, where you can see the waves crashing against the rocks, below. You can also nearly blow over when the winds are as strong as they were that day! The park ranger said it was easily the strongest winds of the year that day. More good waves to photograph and enjoy, though! We loved this place and I’d definitely recommend it as a stop on your journey.

We wrapped up the night in Carmel and enjoyed a meal at Affina.

Nice vibe in there, the waitress was very friendly and helpful with our various questions and we had some nicely cooked steaks. One of the side items they served with the steaks – sunchokes. Ever had them? It was a new food for both of us. Not bad.

Afterward, we stopped at a candy store for some sweet treats and took a leisurely stroll through downtown Carmel. Another great day in California.

More to come in the next post…you’ll see another breathtaking bridge, waterfalls, seals, and a seaside sunset. Check back soon and have a great day, everyone!

Good Times in Green Lake

My wife and I took a road trip to Green Lake, Wisconsin this weekend. Really enjoyed it!

The downtown area of this town is a fun place to spend an hour or two, walking around and enjoying the shops and restaurants. Nice people there, too…very friendly.

The place we stayed at was very nice, would love to go back there. It’s called Heidel House Resort & Spa. Here’s some information on it if you’re interested in checking it out.

Dozens of rooms at the resort have a full view of the lake (a pretty good-sized lake, in case you’re wondering) which is great for boating and fishing, or in our case, just staring at and enjoying the view from our window.

The restaurant at the resort was terrific and had an amazing view of the sunset. Good food and more nice people working there.

We got in a round of golf as well. Right across from the resort, you’ll find a nice course with, you guessed it, more nice people working there. Everyone is friendly in Green Lake! Tuscumbia Country Club is the oldest golf course in Wisconsin. It’s in good shape and we enjoyed our round there.

All in all, it was a terrific weekend and experience in Green Lake. I’d definitely recommend it as a vacation spot. Check it out sometime!

Storm Chasing

My wife and I recently went on a random road trip. In the process, we ended up dodging some nasty storms, but then, following them so I could get some pictures.

Just like the storm chaser folks, right? I’m a bit of a weather fanatic, so it was a lot of fun getting to take photos of the storms as they passed by. Here are a few of the photos…and if you’re bored sometime, I highly recommend taking a drive somewhere and checking out new places. You don’t have to go far to find something cool out there!

Have a great day.

Fun with Fatherhood – Beach Bound

I have a rental car packed with suitcases, a beach umbrella, paddle ball paddles, a football, sunscreen, a blanket, towels, a big bag for collecting seashells…and no socks. Must be time to go to the beach 🙂

Taking the kids on a road trip to the Myrtle Beach for the weekend. Should be awesome. Can’t wait to get back to the place I called home for nearly six years.

I can hear the ocean already…