Central Coast Weekend!

Monterey Fisherman’s Warf
Santa Cruz Half Marathon
Carmel Mission
Bubba Gump Shrimp Company

Monterey Fisherman’s Warf

We had a wonderful weekend on the Central Coast Saturday and Sunday. It was good to get away for the weekend and participate in some family activities, yummy food, running, and some sightseeing. Our first stop on our excursion was the Old Fisherman's Wharf, Monterey Harbor in Monterey. The Wharf has tons of shopping, dining and restaurants, and whale watching and bay cruises. We settled for food at one of the local chowder places. Bubba’s had to wait for the following day, as we were a tad bit rushed. We had to get to Santa Cruz by 3:00 so it was eat and go. Bubba’s was down Cannery Row and we parked at Fisherman’s. "Let's see if we can come back," I said. The sites were good, but it was windy and cold in Monterey. I gave the restaurant two stars. Brendan and James got four and a half stars for being very good during the outing. Brendan loved looking at the sea lions, the sea gull that sat at our table, and crawling at the end of the pier while we were waiting for our food. Where is our food by the way?

Santa Cruz Half Marathon

Arriving on time in Santa Cruz was a breeze (literally). I had signed up for the half marathon in town, which was the main reason for the trip, and the excuse to get away. We had to get accommodations, our race number, food for the evening, and get settled. The number was quick and easy, and parking was easily found as well. We walked on the boardwalk and found the start and finish line, we found a place to stay at the Travelodge, we drove up the coast to see the course and to look for the lighthouse that I couldn’t find (It is there somewhere!), and we ate at one of my favorite restaurants, Taqueria Santa Cruz. We also stopped at Natural Bridges State Park for a few photos and to get out of the car. Brendan was just done by now. “I am done now Mommy, out of the seat.” The night concluded quickly and the family was tired and beat.

The next day also came quickly. The two-star Travelodge had a convenient location and I didn’t want to spend all evening hotel shopping. It was nice to stay where some of the running pals were. The elephants upstairs also made for an interesting morning, or was it the thin walls? At least they went to bed early. After restlessly sleeping in the two-star, the running pals and I met at the lobby and we went to the start line to get ready.

The course was beautiful. I ran the half marathon by myself and loved it, even with a fierce storm approaching. The pending storm made the waves even more amazing as they crashed over Cliff Drive. Sailing would have been treacherous out there as I thought of Dad out on the sailboat. I was thankful the rain held off till after I had crossed the finished line. This is the third time I had run this race. It is good to note that pulling a Personal Record (PR) was probably more challenging here because of sections of the course; the wind, the hills, the trails, and the funnel-effect at the start with all the people on the tight streets. But you won't regret it when you see the view, running through Wilder Ranch State Park and the homes on Cliff Drive. The weather was just blustery. It was cold and windy, potential rain for the last mile, but what a view from the trails and path along the cliffs. The water stations were great, good support from the volunteers, and there were chilly smiles from start to finish. The course offers beautiful views of the ocean, and finishing on the beach made me feel I could run all day. The Santa Cruz atmosphere was also fun and made me feel free and alive. The race was well organized and I had a great time. Hot chocolate anyone?

Carmel Mission

Our third event of the weekend was to the historic Mission, San Carlos in Carmel. This was the second mission in northern California, and home to a practicing Catholic parish. This mission is the seventh mission on our mission expedition. Mission San Carlos Borromeo de Carmelo, also known as the Carmel Mission, is a Roman Catholic mission church in Carmel-by-the-Sea and part of the National Registry of Historic Places. It was the headquarters of the original Alta California Missions headed by Father Junípero Serra from 1770 until his death in 1784. Serra is buried inside the mission church.

This particular mission was destroyed in the mid 1800s, and was restored in 1884. It is regarded as the most beautiful of all missions by many, and is the only one to have its original bell tower dome. This mission was first established on June 3, 1770 and was named for Charles Borromeo, Archbishop of Milan, Italy. Mission Carmel was Father Serra's favorite and, being close to Monterey, served as his headquarters until his death. In 1961, the Mission was designated as a Minor Basilica by Pope John XXIII. In 1987, Pope John Paul II visited the Mission as part of his U.S. tour. As a result of his dedication, the Carmel Mission church is one of the most authentically restored of all the mission churches in California.

The Mission Carmel grounds are also the location of the Junipero Serra School, a private Catholic school for kindergartners through 8th grade, a nice gift shop and a museum. Several notable people are buried in the church and churchyard to include:

Juan Crespí (1721–1782), Spanish missionary and explorer

Fermín Lasuén (1736–1803), Spanish missionary

José Antonio Roméu, Spanish governor of California

Junípero Serra (1713–1784), founder of the mission

The grounds were beautiful, the rain poured as we toured the site, and inside was a cozy-comfort to the downpour outside. There was a church service going on inside the main chapel so we didn’t get to meet Father Serra. After our tour of the site, it was off to see Bubba.

Bubba Gump Shrimp Company

Our last venture before heading home was a visit to Bubba Gump Shrimp Co. where food is the hero. This particular restaurant and market opened in 1996 on Cannery Row in Monterey. At the core, Bubba’s is a small chain of seafood restaurants committed to providing a casual environment where everyone can enjoy a great meal and have some fun too. Of course shrimp is the main attraction, or is it the memorabilia from Forest Gump the movie. “If we haven’t met yet, we hope you’ll stop in soon to have a great meal and make some new friends.” It was a fun food experience. The kids got gold stars for the outing, and it was time to head back to the Central Valley.

“All Done!” Brendan said, waving both hands.