WEDNESDAY - We've got 110-miles of coastal California driving to do today to reach our next destination.
Once again we'll be staying in another California State Park campground. Compared to our other camping options, the $33 a night senior rate is not that bad. Of course there are few amenities, no electric, no water, no dump station, but they do have bathrooms and showers, although you'll need a fistfull of quarters if you want to wash you hair.
Last week Tricia checked off an item from her personal bucket list when she spent 7-hours exploring the Monterey Bay Aquarium. Today, I checked an item off my personal bucket list and I did it in less than 3-minutes. You'll figure it out when you get to the middle of the slideshow!
TRAVEL DAY SCENERY
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Looks like more coastal erosion repair up ahead from last months damaging storms.
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Pigeon Point Light Station (1872) State Historic Park
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I can't imagine how much damage was done by the storm to these "clay" looking cliffs.
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I also can't imagine how this road is getting beyond that outcropping ahead.
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Now I know! It's the Devil's Slide Tunnel just south of Pacifica, CA. on CA-1.
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You all know how much I like my Taco Bell! Well now I have a new favorite location too.
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It's not because the food is any better here, it's the view from the back patio dining area.
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Thanks again David for the recommendation, I'm giving this place a thumbs up!
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They even had room for parking one Airstream out front.
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Our first glimpse of the iconic San Francisco bridge peeking out over the rooftops.
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How about that! A Shell Station and not one single gas pump?
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The General Douglas MacArthur Tunnel is located in the Presidio of San Francisco.
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Like the sign says, "Last SF Exit". Don't turn here and you're heading over the bridge.
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The DING DING DING sound is my GPS informing me I've exceeded the 45MPH speed limit.
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The Golden Gate Bridge North Vista Point offers probably the worst view of the bridge.
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Don't worry, we've got all week to get some really stunning photos of the bridge.
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Also from here there is a view of the San Francisco – Oakland Bay Bridge.
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Anybody know the name of this island? It's been in the news lately.
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Again, not a great view, but I know that Tricia will do better from somewhere else.
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The Lone Sailor statue is also here honoring those in the U.S. Sea Services. (i.e. the Navy, Marine Corps, Coast Guard, and Merchant Marine)
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This tunnel was renamed The Robin Williams Tunnel in 2015 to honor the late comedian and actor, a longtime local resident. It's located between Sausalito and the Golden Gate Bridge.
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A view of Sausalito from US-101 North.
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We made it into our campsite here at Samuel P Taylor State Park.
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We've even got a huge redwood just outside our rear window.
THURSDAY - Over the last couple of weeks we've talked about our quest to visit all 51 National Parks in the lower 48 states and how we plan to accomplish that by the end of October this year.
Well we also have a quest to visit all 10 of the National Seashores in the lower 48 states. Seven of the ten were easy, as they are all located on the Eastern Atlantic Coast between Massachusetts and Florida.
Two more are located on the Gulf Coasts of Florida/Mississippi and Texas. We visited all 9 of them before we were done with Year #3 on the road.
It's Year #7 and finally time to visit that last one, #10, here on the Pacific Coast of California.
POINT REYES NATIONAL SEASHORE
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Bear Valley serves as the main Visitor Center for the entire National Seashore. It's here where I got my Passport Book stamped and watched the park video.
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The very next activity we did was collect a small sample of sand from the seashore. I now have a complete set of 10 from all the National Seashores.
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Unlike all the other National Seashores, this one has cliffs at the shoreline.
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There was also a wide marsh area between the shoreline and the mainland.
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This bridge allowed us to not get our feet wet trying to get to the seashore.
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A Cypress Tree Tunnel, planted around 1930, leads to the RCA marine radio station.
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Tule Elk are only found in California, in addition to the Roosevelt Elk.
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Fewer than 30 Tule Elk existed in the 1870s, now nearly 600 call Point Reyes home.
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The other endangered species found in the park are the Elephant Seals.
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Not nearly as many as we saw before, but it is nearing time for them to head out to sea.
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These few seemed to stay separated from the group?
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It seems as if the elk in this area are all males?
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We are going to go and try to see the lighthouse here, but I'm not feeling very lucky.
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Something spooked this entire flock of birds, I hope it wasn't us!
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I'm not sure if these two are young elk or a couple of the estimated 70 deer in the park.
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I just thought this photo was so cool I just had to share it.
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Now we know where all the female elk hang out.
Looking for our Visited States Map and Data? How about our State by State Bucket Lists or Visited Campgrounds List? If so, click on the sign below to be taken to our other website.
Looks like more coastal erosion repair up ahead from last months damaging storms.
Pigeon Point Light Station (1872) State Historic Park
I can't imagine how much damage was done by the storm to these "clay" looking cliffs.
I also can't imagine how this road is getting beyond that outcropping ahead.
Now I know! It's the Devil's Slide Tunnel just south of Pacifica, CA. on CA-1.
You all know how much I like my Taco Bell! Well now I have a new favorite location too.
It's not because the food is any better here, it's the view from the back patio dining area.
Thanks again David for the recommendation, I'm giving this place a thumbs up!
They even had room for parking one Airstream out front.
Our first glimpse of the iconic San Francisco bridge peeking out over the rooftops.
How about that! A Shell Station and not one single gas pump?
The General Douglas MacArthur Tunnel is located in the Presidio of San Francisco.
Like the sign says, "Last SF Exit". Don't turn here and you're heading over the bridge.
The Golden Gate Bridge North Vista Point offers probably the worst view of the bridge.
Don't worry, we've got all week to get some really stunning photos of the bridge.
Also from here there is a view of the San Francisco – Oakland Bay Bridge.
Anybody know the name of this island? It's been in the news lately.
Again, not a great view, but I know that Tricia will do better from somewhere else.
The Lone Sailor statue is also here honoring those in the U.S. Sea Services.
This tunnel was renamed The Robin Williams Tunnel in 2015 to honor the late comedian and actor, a longtime local resident. It's located between Sausalito and the Golden Gate Bridge.
A view of Sausalito from US-101 North.
We made it into our campsite here at Samuel P Taylor State Park.
We've even got a huge redwood just outside our rear window.
Bear Valley serves as the main Visitor Center for the entire National Seashore.
The very next activity we did was collect a small sample of sand from the seashore.
Unlike all the other National Seashores, this one has cliffs at the shoreline.
There was also a wide marsh area between the shoreline and the mainland.
This bridge allowed us to not get our feet wet trying to get to the seashore.
A Cypress Tree Tunnel, planted around 1930, leads to the RCA marine radio station.
Tule Elk are only found in California, in addition to the Roosevelt Elk.
Fewer than 30 Tule Elk existed in the 1870s, now nearly 600 call Point Reyes home.
The other endangered species found in the park are the Elephant Seals.
Not nearly as many as we saw before, but it is nearing time for them to head out to sea.
These few seemed to stay separated from the group?
It seems as if the elk in this area are all males?
We are going to go and try to see the lighthouse here, but I'm not feeling very lucky.
Something spooked this entire flock of birds, I hope it wasn't us!
I'm not sure if these two are young elk or a couple of the estimated 70 deer in the park.
I just thought this photo was so cool I just had to share it.
Now we know where all the female elk hang out.
