Pebble Beach

August 2 ~ 4

If Napa Valley is a wine lovers paradise,

Pebble Beach (pebblebeach.com) is golf in the kingdom!  Even if golf is an anathema to you, the famous coastal 17 mile drive from Pacific Grove to Pebble Beach is among the most stunning scenic drives imaginable.  First opened in 1881, the private road (fee of $9.50 per vehicle) takes you by enduring landmarks like the 250 year old Lone Cypress.

And while we managed to catch another cloudy, chilly day, the beaches still beckoned.

Bird Rock attracts not only its namesake, but also harbor seals and sea lions.

The seals also have one all to themselves.

The sinister Ghost Tree, bleached white by the wind, is an eerie stop along the route.

We pass Poppy Hills, Spanish Bay and Spyglass, (a wonderful course I was lucky enough to play a number of  years ago) then to mecca...The Lodge at Pebble Beach and with the magnificent finishing hole as a backdrop.

Lunch at the Stillwater Grill in the Lodge is the grand finale of our final days on the west coast.  It is wonderful.  There is a rather steep price for this pleasure, but at least they take the drive entrance fee off your bill.  If terrific food, combined with a great glass of wine, sitting overlooking the 18th green at Pebble Beach is your idea of heaven, you won't be disappointed.

Rick's Lobster Roll was stacked high with succulent meat.

My Dungess Crabcakes with Chipolte Sauce on a bed of jicama was near perfection.

The whole experience was capped off with a walk down the cartpath on 18th from green to tee and back.  This is one gorgeous place and I can almost see the images of Nicklaus, Watson, Woods...as a passionate golfer, this is sheer Nirvana.

The shops at Pebble are full of great temptations which we fully succumbed to. Did a quick drive through Carmel by the Sea.....a town straight out of central casting.  I wish we were staying longer, but this was just a day trip. 

We picked a place to stay, (coyotevalleyresort.com) which we thought was close enough to Pebble and San Jose where Rick wants to see some former work colleagues....turns out it was too far from either place to make any sense....it was billed as a luxury resort, it's fine but no where near luxurious and frankly it's in the middle of nowhere.

We'll find a place in San Jose tomorrow...the guys want to see Gigantor....looks like we're having another cocktail party in Tor.