Monterey & Big Sur

We went up to Monterey for Ben's birthday weekend! A year over due, as we were supposed to go up to San luis Obispo last year.  We were so thankful to finally explore some new territory of California.

Saturday morning, Ben and I went for a run.

Finding food was a little bit of a challenge, as Monterey was even more locked down than Camarillo, but we made it work.  We found an Italian place for lunch that had a pick up window and we ate in the car next to the ocean.

Then we drove down the 1 to Big Sur.

 No one got car sick and the views were incredible!

It looks like a painting, but this was real life.

Why go all that way and not go for a little nature walk?  We went into the state park to see the redwoods and somehow we ended up with a little more adventure than I planned for.

 

 

This is a classic mom picture.  I'm wearing Alison's old coat that we realized on the trip is too small (why does that always happen?!?!) and holding a comic book that Eli brought along under my arm...and jumping across a river.  I really should learn to just carry a giant backpack with me everywhere.

 

Don't you strike a yoga pose when taking hiking pictures?

We were back in Monterey for dinner and found a Mexican restaurant that had a few tables outside.  It was really cold by this point and we all huddled together next to the one working heat lamp.