This morning’s run was along the Pacific Ocean, covered in a shroud of heavy fog. The haziness was also the result of too much wine drinking, starting with an afternoon at the Hearst Ranch Winery. The sea air was crisp and cool with no smokey odors from the California fires like we encountered in San Francisco. This area reminds me of the Oregon Coast with steep cliffs and big rocks. These giant boulders would be described as moonstones, unlike the haystacks back home. Our hotel balcony overlooks the ocean with a beautiful view once the sun burns off the haze.

Dinner last night was at vegetarian friendly Robin’s restaurant in Cambria, with two more bottles of wine. There was a lot of catching-up to do after twenty years of separation. Our Indianapolis  friends settled here about 13-years ago, but we were the first to leave with jobs in Illinois and Texas. We’ll have one last meal with them this morning before we head to Palm Desert. The temperature here is consistently in the mid-sixties, while the desert will certainly be over a hundred degrees. Hopefully, the swimming pool will be open. So many amenities and services are unavailable or limited in these pandemic times. 

Today should be wine-free, with about six hours of driving involved. It’s day four of our Coast-to-Coast adventure, having reached the furthest west point of our journey. Our final stopping point will be the Gulf of Mexico, now only 2,338 miles away. So far, we’ve gone about 850 miles south of Portland. Once we arrive in Desert Springs tonight, we’ll then have a full day tomorrow to explore the area. I’m excited to see this popular golf mecca for the very first time. We’ll be staying at the Marriott Shadow Ridge Enclaves.