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[JCZ]

Thanks for the great pictures JC... Interesting shots as always.

Hope you guys are enjoying a wonderful Chrsitmas and ride safe.

We're having a "green" Christmas here as well, just a  tad too cold to be riding though.
All the best for a happy & healthy 2012!

Gerbing eXtreme Element XE pants and jacket will take care of that.

[Sea Biscuit]

Great pictures JCZ...thanks for taking the time to post!

[JCZ]

We woke up yesterday (and today) to the sounds of the surf crashing on the beach.  It's almost hypnotic.....the rythum and soothing sound......and now I get it.  It's not just the view, the scenery, it's also the sounds that go with it....seagulls chirping from time to time.  Puts you right back to sleep....two, three, four times in a row.

The view out the front door first thing in the morning.....







Just to get our day going.  A bite to eat and a cup o' joe at the Verve Coffee house in downtown Santa Cruz...







and the Santa Cruz Mission.  Unlike many of the California Missions....there isn't much left to this one but here's what's there...









Riding along Cliff Dr. here in Santa Cruz...

[JCZ]

And our next stop is the Surfer Museum, which is inside an old retired lighthouse.  I've passed by here many times in my life but have never stopped.  We stop on Christmas Eve morning and the sign on the door says "Closed Christmas Eve and Christmas Day".    Still some awsome views though it made it hard to think about it being Christmas.  You see.....in my mind, Christmas and surfers or girls running in shorts don't go together.















Looking back at the Santa Cruz pier....





A surfer told us that these are 20' waves.  But they're not the big waves.  The paddle out and sit on their boards and wait.....sometimes for half hour or more....for the big one to come in.  To give you an idea of the scale.....the black dots out there in the ocean are surfers sitting on their boards waiting.  The further out (where they're at) when the big waves come, they're actually a rolling tube.



I wondered.....how do they get in the water with jagged cliffs, rocks and the surf constantly beating up against it all.    The stairs down to the rocks are the key. 

[JCZ]

See the surfer that just popped up on the back side of the way (to the right of the pic)...







The stairs again.....and a surfer about to descend to the depths below.    You've got to be kidding me.....that's how they get in?  I've got to see this!  



and a memorial to the surfers, both men and women that have died in these surfs and on these rocks....all died doing what they love to do....surf!







Here he goes....they stand there for awhile....getting a feel of the rythum of the waves and more importantly, their timing.  As it was explained to me, it's not just a matter of picking a time to get into the water as much as timing the waves so that the surfer has time to row out a ways before the next wave comes, so that he's not slammed back into the rocks.  It was very interesting.  Just watching it, I could feel my heart racing like I was the one about to jump in.....



and a couple pigeons that sit on the cliff watching, the whole time



and he's off (by the way, this guy looked to be at least 50 yrs. old)....





and then he paddles in a very fast but very rythmic motion....



and the two pigeons are still sitting there watching....

[JCZ]

We're rollin.....north, along the coast....









To the right of the sign is a Blue Hearring Crane (only know that because that's what the park ranger told me it was  )



more shots of the crane...











And now we move on to the butterflys.  It's where they migrate to in the winter....tens of thousands of Monarch's

They're pretty inactive until it warms a bit and then they all start being very active.  The tops of the eucalyptis trees are full of them hanging inclusters.  A few on the deck...

[JCZ]

Uh-OOooohhhhhhhhh   



It was everywhere back in here.  The orangish/reddish bushes on the right.  It's easy to spot in the fall but the rest of the year also, if you know what to look for.  It grows in three leaf clusters...













Believe it or not.....we were riding 60 mph up Hwy. 1 when I caught this shot over my left shoulder......they were pacing us, approached from the rear.  I think they were doing survealance.

[JoMo]

Thanks for sharing your christmas adventure with us. Great job!

Yes thanx for sharing your xmas and once again great pics.

                                    Jo Mo NYC  

[JR]

Wow...some great pictures as always JC! Thanks for the adventure! Merry Christmas and God Bless ya's.

[ak]

Cowwabunga Dude ! Thanks for stopping by yesterday,AK

[erniezap]

Sorry that we didn't get to see each other yesterday!  Great pics and I am glad that you guys are having a great time!

[LovemyCVOgirl]

As I'm sitting here today working, but I'm taken to a new and exciting place with your great pictures.  Thank you so much for the scenic Christmas present.  I would wish you and Terrie a Merry Christmas but it already look's like you had one!

[CVOThunder]

What a great way to spend Christmas!!! Congrats!

[JCZ]

Pigeon Point Lighthouse has an international hostel.  Private rooms (share kitchen and bathroom) are $75 a night and they have a hot tub on the side of the cliff.  Nostalia, history and scenery all rolled into one and where else can you sit in a hot tub on top of a cliff overlooking the ocean at night.

the hostel.....lieteraly right at the foot of the lighthouse and on the edge of the cliff...







the fog horn building....







the light....









and the fog horns...

[JCZ]

We turned off Hwy. 1 and headed east to Pescadero.  A nice little town....

For the Nor Cal members on this forum.....a great ride, go east past Pescadero to right on Alpine Rd. to Page Mill Rd. a very nice ride as the pics will show.  If you're looking for steep and narrow twisties, this is the road you want.



This little store in Pescadero has a little deli counter in the back that makes some really great sandwhiches...worth the ride and the stop!



This is a little art studio that was built in the mid 1800s.  The lady said the palm tree and the English Ivy was planted at the same time.....referred to it as mother nature's artwork.  Definately unique!





we continue east, looking for Alpine Rd....