Day 3: Carmel
7:30 We wake up less sore and have breakfast at the office. I burn my toast so Sandy takes pity on me and makes me a new one. I eat it with jelly, OJ, apple tea and cereal. We have some time before our ride is scheduled so we use it to explore the little streets of downtown Carmel.; art gallery, art gallery, restaurant, art gallery ... art is big business in Carmel. The stores are old-fashioned Swedish looking, almost like Hansel & Gretel. We decide to go back to the Village Corner for lunch and then go back to change for our ride. Pedometer total city walking: 2595 steps.
The equestrian center is along 17 mile drive, where the rich allow you a glimpse of their million-dollar homes for a mere $8.75 -- fortunately we don't have to pay because we are guests of the equestrian center. We arrive early and discuss which horse we'll end up on. We fill out the paperwork, while one of the trainers tells us she's only filling in because the other woman recently had a bad accident in which the horse landed on top of her -- "not to worry, the trail horses aren't like that." Okay, then!
I end up on a white gelding in his late teens called Twilight and Sandy's on a sorrel called Ringo. There's a young couple and the guy (wanting to impress his girlfriend?) asks for a spirited horse even though he's never ridden before. Strangely they grant his request and so I get to see him get run off with not once, but twice! LOL.
The ride is amazing! We leave the ranch and ride through the forest. Lots of ran has made the trails muddy and Sandy's horse goes through great lengths not to get his feet wet. Gradually the forest thins out and from high in the hills we catch our first glimpse of the ocean and the numerous golf courses. Pebble Beach is renowned for its top notch golf courses; there's 7 already and now they're planning to tear down the equicenter and part of the surrounding forest to make it 8. What a waste!
We descend from the hill into the dunes; the horses sink deep into the sand here. The sides of the road are covered with what looks like inverted green beans with red sprouting from the gound. They're in bloom.
The view of the waves crashing onto the rocks is amazing! When we get closer we see (and hear!) there's a sea lion on the rocks. This one's silvery, instead of brown like the ones at Pier 39. We go back up again past the golf course when we bunch of deer, dark with large antlers, are watching the golfers.
It's very cold by the ocean with the wind blowing over the water, but I'm glad I can unzip my polartec when we go back into the forest.
We're very hungry after our ride, so after our ride we tip our guide, Alicia, and go to the Village Corner again. Sandy has a gyro sandwich and I have a turkey sandwich with lime chipotle mayo, swiss cheese, pickles and tomato. It's really nice to sit outside by the fireplace with the sun on our back and the birds singing and hopping around.
After lunch we drive to Pinnacles National Monument, a rock formation of approximately 23 million year old volcanic peaks. It's pretty late when we get there because the way there (146) is mostly one-way, with sharp curves but it's totally worth it.
We watch the colors change as the sun goes down and then go for a 20 minute walk. It's so nice that Sandy wants to walk a bit longer to "see what's around the bend" ... and then the next, and the next, until finally we realize we'd better head back. By the time we get back to the car it's getting really dark so we made it just in time.
We drive back along our crazy 1 lane road (60) to 146, 101 and then in Salinas we lose track of 68. After getting some much needed gas we finally happen upon 68, only to find out we're heading the wrong way. In the end we do get it right, but we're tired by the time we get back so we have dinner at Little Napoli. Sandy has gnocci in gorgonzola sauce and I have grandma Celia's spaghetti and meatball. Sandy loves her food; I love the breadbasket, the rest is just OK, but the ambience more than makes up for it; wine bottles, Italian paintings, waiters in tidy black and white, nice lighting.
Sandy has a canoli for dessert, while I eat the strawberries and white chocolate that comes with it.
Weather: 58 degrees and sunny.
The equestrian center is along 17 mile drive, where the rich allow you a glimpse of their million-dollar homes for a mere $8.75 -- fortunately we don't have to pay because we are guests of the equestrian center. We arrive early and discuss which horse we'll end up on. We fill out the paperwork, while one of the trainers tells us she's only filling in because the other woman recently had a bad accident in which the horse landed on top of her -- "not to worry, the trail horses aren't like that." Okay, then!
I end up on a white gelding in his late teens called Twilight and Sandy's on a sorrel called Ringo. There's a young couple and the guy (wanting to impress his girlfriend?) asks for a spirited horse even though he's never ridden before. Strangely they grant his request and so I get to see him get run off with not once, but twice! LOL.
The ride is amazing! We leave the ranch and ride through the forest. Lots of ran has made the trails muddy and Sandy's horse goes through great lengths not to get his feet wet. Gradually the forest thins out and from high in the hills we catch our first glimpse of the ocean and the numerous golf courses. Pebble Beach is renowned for its top notch golf courses; there's 7 already and now they're planning to tear down the equicenter and part of the surrounding forest to make it 8. What a waste!
We descend from the hill into the dunes; the horses sink deep into the sand here. The sides of the road are covered with what looks like inverted green beans with red sprouting from the gound. They're in bloom.
The view of the waves crashing onto the rocks is amazing! When we get closer we see (and hear!) there's a sea lion on the rocks. This one's silvery, instead of brown like the ones at Pier 39. We go back up again past the golf course when we bunch of deer, dark with large antlers, are watching the golfers.
It's very cold by the ocean with the wind blowing over the water, but I'm glad I can unzip my polartec when we go back into the forest.
We're very hungry after our ride, so after our ride we tip our guide, Alicia, and go to the Village Corner again. Sandy has a gyro sandwich and I have a turkey sandwich with lime chipotle mayo, swiss cheese, pickles and tomato. It's really nice to sit outside by the fireplace with the sun on our back and the birds singing and hopping around.
After lunch we drive to Pinnacles National Monument, a rock formation of approximately 23 million year old volcanic peaks. It's pretty late when we get there because the way there (146) is mostly one-way, with sharp curves but it's totally worth it.
We watch the colors change as the sun goes down and then go for a 20 minute walk. It's so nice that Sandy wants to walk a bit longer to "see what's around the bend" ... and then the next, and the next, until finally we realize we'd better head back. By the time we get back to the car it's getting really dark so we made it just in time.
We drive back along our crazy 1 lane road (60) to 146, 101 and then in Salinas we lose track of 68. After getting some much needed gas we finally happen upon 68, only to find out we're heading the wrong way. In the end we do get it right, but we're tired by the time we get back so we have dinner at Little Napoli. Sandy has gnocci in gorgonzola sauce and I have grandma Celia's spaghetti and meatball. Sandy loves her food; I love the breadbasket, the rest is just OK, but the ambience more than makes up for it; wine bottles, Italian paintings, waiters in tidy black and white, nice lighting.
Sandy has a canoli for dessert, while I eat the strawberries and white chocolate that comes with it.
Weather: 58 degrees and sunny.
posted by Cat at 6:50 PM
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