Elk, California,

Another stop on our way down CA-1. Elk is a very small town (pop. 300), with not much more than a few beautiful houses, some bed and breakfasts, and one or two stores. Shitty guide book claims that Jack London used to come to Elk to write. We stopped for nothing more than a break and a sandwich at the Greenwood Pier Café.

Simple food and a very nervous young waiter added to a great pit stop. The world class flowers in the courtyard overlooking the ocean weren’t bad either. 300 or so pictures later, we got back in the car. This is turning into a day of colors: the greens, whites, and blues of the ocean, the yellows, reds, purples, oranges of the flowers, and the amazing light blue sky (no clouds).

Several more incredible vistas,** quaint towns, switch backs, and insane mountain passes before reaching Santa Rosa about 7.

** I am amazed at how well-protected the coast is. OR, CA, and the federal government have done an incredible job keeping the coastline development to a minimum. The views are for the most part unobstructed; there is no construction noise, no din of commerce, or much of anything at all to get in the way of enjoying the scenery. Hope it stays that way.