May 3, Santa Cruz

May 3, Santa Cruz

Our day started with a one hour beach hike beginning at the Franklin Point Trailhead. On our way to the trailhead we watched a deer in the field and heard lots of birds. The trail led us over a marshy area, over sand dunes and finally to the beach. We walked along the beach and followed the trail up over the rocks to the edge of a rocky cliff. It was windy, the waves were strong, the water cold but the sun was bright.

When we returned to the campground we readied the RV for takeoff, unplugging the power, water and grey water hoses. We decided to spend the rest of the day in Santa Cruz and go to the Aquarium in Monterey tomorrow.

Along the way we noticed a sign that said "free jam tasting at organic farm". I know that many people visit California for the wine tasting at the many vineyards, but to us, the jam tasting was much more appealing. What a great place it turned out to be. We not only sampled jams, we ate truffles, a gigantic strawberry scone and drank organic coffee and Mexican hot chocolate. To me, one of the best things about this place was that, even though there were a few staff people milling about, paying for one's purchases was on the honor system...an open cash register...yes, in a place where you cannot pump gas until you pay first, there was an open cash register! It was amazing.

The drive to the Santa Cruz Boardwalk didn't take long and we easily found a place to park. This beach amusement park has been around for over 100 years.

Spring breaks are over and summer vacations have yet to begin, and so the Boardwalk was not busy. We walked the boardwalk and then to the end of the pier, which is lined with restaurants, fish markets and shops. Lots of people fish from the wharf, while sea gulls, seals and sea lions wait for someone to drop something. We chatted with a guy who runs a hot dog stand here in the summer who told us that over 2 million people visit the area every year and that we were smart to be visiting in the spring. Even though it is still spring it was very hot today...high 80's.

We tried our luck at the arcade shooting gallery, listened to people scream on the rides and walked the rest of the boardwalk. The GPS navigated us to our next campsite, where I took advantage of the heated pool and the hot tub. Tomorrow we will visit the Monterey Aquarium before heading to Big Sur.


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