OK, on to the rest of our California adventure. We went to the winery that Julie and Mike recommended: Benzinger Estate. Although the Benzinger family was very popular in an earlier time, they have down-sized to a small, quality focused operation. They use a closed system to produce their wine. It’s very organic and quite refreshing to see. So, when we finally got to the barrels and tasting, it was with full appreciation of the process that we sampled their delicious product.
Julie and Mike gave us their special access passes that enabled us to try Benzinger’s best wine, It was certainly worth it. Admittedly, I didn’t know much about California wine before, but suffice it to say, I was pleasantly surprised by the quality.
After our time in Sonoma (where we also celebrated our seventh wedding anniversary), we drove south along Big Sur. It was an epic drive, as anyone who has done it can attest. Although we did the drive in a single day, we were able to stop a number of times and enjoy the journey.
Several stops were along 17 Mile Drive around and through Pebble Beach. If you look closely, you can see the lone cypress in the background.
The coast along the whole route was gorgeous.
Anna caught me trying to get an image of the seal island. It’s funny, I recalled stopping at the same place as a kid. Interesting what you remember.
The image I was taking.
There were seals all over! Very cute and playful.
Julia Pfieffer Burns State Park has a dramatic waterfall we stopped to admire (again on Julie/Mike’s recommendation). A worthy stop and view.
The same waterfalls.
The other side of the falls’ overlook.
A ground squirrel.
Some bi-valves waiting for water to return with the tide.
At the end of our Big Sur drive we came upon a series of beaches with Elephant Seals. These massive animals were fascinating to watch. We spent quite a while admiring these enormous creatures.
These mammals spend 8-10 months a year in the open ocean. The remainder of the time, they can be found in places like this beach.
December to March is the time where males bluster and flight for dominance and ultimately, males and females court and mate.
These animals were also very gassy.
A happy family. There are nearly 15,000 in the area we visited (although we only saw a fraction of that population).
A couple males fighting. These guys can not only spar with ferocity, but also dive to a depth nearly a mile deep and hold their breath for a couple hours. Those are some impressive skills.
A pelican enjoying the benefits of the ground effect.
The sunset was amazing. We were on a bluff overlooking the ocean with Julie and Mike near their home. It was a great afternoon and evening.
The coast bathed in the same sunset light.
That concludes our trip to California. What a great place and we really enjoyed spending more quality time with Julie and Mike. We look forward to seeing them again soon.
Next up will be a couple posts of our time in Washington DC this year. I’ve selected some images that are my favorites from the last few months here.
Finally, I will add a few more posts of our last trip. We took a “baby-moon” down to Florida with some time in Key West, then a cruise over to central America. But, first, back to Washington…
–Jim
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Our Family Story.