A Great Beginning...

"Honeymoons don't last forever." But I think sometimes we wish they would.....

After talking with many people who had been on honeymoons, often to far off places (sounds good), and spending lots of money (sounds not so good), feeling rushed to see the sights (really not sounding good), we decided to come back to California where we could save our hard earned money for a time where we would enjoy dashing off to see one amazing place after another. This trip was for being together!

Illinois to California is a bit far to walk, which meant a plane ride! Mumsie and Pops plus the gang dropped us off at the loverly O'Hare airport in the RV, where we boarded a tram to get to the terminal:

Thankfully, they had helpful signs for us ignorant travelers!

Our plane landed in San Jose, and our personal mode of transportation was in Modesto. For those of you unfamiliar with the geographic specifics of the Great State of California, those two cities are not all that near to each other. If you cannot take a plane, what is the next best form of transportation? That is true, but sadly, there are no camels in California; so we had to take the next, next best form of transportation, a train!

Hopping aboard a Great Iron Horse, we left the Bay Area, heading for the Central Valley! Gorgeous views abounded during the ride. Thank you to the Bunney family for picking us up at the station!

Driving towards the California Coast takes you through the orchards of California, and we just had to sample the fine produce. Guess what fruit is in season!

Being a passenger is hard work, which sometimes calls for a nap....

Beautiful vistas abounded as we made our way North on the majestic curvilineal Highway 1. Tiffany snapped this picture. She wouldn't let me drive and shoot at the same time....

Really, the ground is level here! God was merciful to us regarding the weather; whenever we wanted to be outside, it was sunny and warm, and while we were driving, it would get cloudy and rain. At the beach, it was nice and warm!

Making up for the warm sun, the water, in typical California fashion, was painfully cold!

Temporary graffiti, much like temporary tattoos do not have the same cultural stigmas as their more permanent cousins.

Crashing waves! It is interesting how you can sit and watch the waves, thinking that they come in and go out, over, and over, whether anyone is watching or not. The power and majesty, giving glory to their Creator, audience or no. A mere word from Him and the waves would be stilled, and the sea as smooth as glass.....

According to that sign, someone either died, was buried, or both, on that particular location. Nothing like a haunted cove to build romantic atmosphere!

The Olympic long jump should be held here! The landing is a bit rough, but I would still give it a 10!

There is one downside about the romantic atmosphere found at an abandoned beach, a distinct lack of people to take a picture of you! Long arms and a bit of patience is a good stand-in.

Wedded bliss and relaxation.....

"Why did you go up there to die? I didn't, I went up there to live!"

There are lots of cute shops in a little town called Ferndale, CA. One of the best is the hat room! Do you think Audrey Hepburn would have worn this hat?

Eat your heart out, Aretha Franklin!

This is the Victorian Inn, one of the many Bed & Breakfasts we found lodging in along the way. It used to have a steeple-ish addition in the very front, but that fell off during the 1906 San Francisco earthquake.

Whoever said, "Everything's bigger in Texas" obviously missed the Redwoods on the North Coast. See that little midget standing at the base? Well, that is me! (No, I did not suddenly become a midget!)

A sunset shot to close a post which gave you a small taste of one of the most relaxing weeks... No, I misspeak, the MOST relaxing week in this young man's life. An entire trip doing nothing but enjoying the company of the most important, wonderful, delightful, beautiful companion on the entire planet. It is going to be hard to top that one.......

BFH