One last trip on the 101...

We're not sure where we'll end up on the back side of our little European excursion (a.k.a., the opportunity of a lifetime) so we before we left San Diego for a few years, we decided to hit the road and head north for some R&R and to see some friends along the way. After braving LA traffic, we spent the first night in Morro Bay. This sleepy fishing hamlet is located midway between Santa Barbara and Monterey, about 20 minutes west of San Luis Obispo. We really wrestled with whether to stay here or in Santa Barbara, but we're really glad we chose Morro Bay. We got there just before sunset, took a few pics, grabbed some dinner and drinks at a swanky restaurant on the bay and hit the hay. The next morning we went for a run around the bay in the early morning fog, grabbed a tasty breakfast at the local greasy spoon called, "The Hungry Fisherman" (I'm not making this up), and hit the road once again. Enroute, we stopped off at Hearst Castle on our way to Monterey. That place is awesome. It made me want to go home and put up crown molding or something. The architecture is incredible. Next stop on our tour was Monterey to spend some time with our new Olmsted friends Dave and Becky (they'll soon be heading to Morocco!). We linked up with them and our friend Nick (soon heading to Hangzhou, China with his wife Bayley) for burgers and beers. It was great to catch up with them and hear all about how their language training is going. The next morning Jen, Becky and I checked out the Monterey Aquarium, and then it was time to hit the road again. Sacramento was our final destination, and Matt and Cara our final gracious hosts, who even made us towel love swans. We filled our time in Sac-town with lake kayaking, tapas, and ice cream sandwiches. It was nice to finally meet Bounce, and we were sad to say goodbye. We're so blessed to be able to embark on our Olmsted adventure, but it's fun mini-adventures like this that remind us how much we're going to miss this place!