Report on a fast trip 10-27-17

It was a fast trip to see Mary & Joe in San Juan Bautista, CA, and pay a visit to Back Porch in Pacific Grove, CA.  I spent the first night (Tuesday) at Harris Ranch near Coalinga, CA.  It is one of my favorite overnight stops, I can't explain why exactly.  It is like visiting something from the past and also of my past since I have stopped there many times over the last 30 years or more.  It is all tile roofs and floors, uneven stucco outside and plain painted walls inside with stick furniture (attractive, but not comfortable) and fluffy covers and pillows.  It is very "farmy" including the eau de cow if the wind is coming from the north where the feed lots are along the freeway.  Harris Ranch beef is prime.

For dinner at the "kitchen" I had a bowl of squash soup and a fall salad with lettuce, dried cranberries, sliced almonds, grated carrots and honey mustard dressing on the side.  The way to have just a little dressing is to stick my fork in the dressing and then load it with the salad.  Just a taste. 

In the morning I drove on to San Juan Bautista with terrible stop, stop, go, stop, stop. stop, traffic on CA 156 where they are patching the pavement.  Since it is a two lane road the work requires stopping one lane, letting a number of cars to proceed, then stopping that direction and letting cars move into the lane and proceed.  This road has a million trucks on it since it is in the middle of the produce farms and plants in the valley.  Fortunately, I was not behind a semi hauling veggies during the stop and go.  They tower threatening above me and give me the fidgets so I always leave a huge space in front of the car.  I could never drive a Mini-Cooper!

We had one of Mary's delicious chicken salads for dinner and it was plenty for me since I had done nothing but sit since I left home.  I did the blog that night but didn't plug the laptop in again until I returned home. 

On Tuesday I went to the Gilroy outlets and was thrilled to find two pair of Easy Spirit shoes - one pair has zippers up the front like those that Mary wears.  AND a pair of black pants at the Dress Barn.  They have completely changed their store and seemed to be all about dressing up, while I was looking for some plain black pants with POCKETS.  I found a pair, but the pockets are very small, I guess I'll have to add to them.  And I will have to shorten them, as I almost always must, since manufacturers seem to think that if one is THAT big around they must also be equally THAT tall.  I swear I'll have to cut off a foot of the legs. 

Then on to Pacific Grove on CA101 which is also under repair, so it took an hour and a quarter to make the 45 minute drive.  This was a trip with construction and TRAFFIC.  Back Porch, the extra special, super fabric store was as wonderful as ever and I made a nice donation to the economy.  Bought a few fabrics for Ruth McDowell, including the light value she says one should always buy when shopping for fabric.  I had lunch at Peppers (fish tacos) because I forgot that The Red House is not open all afternoon.  I asked for a box and took one of the tacos and the fixings to eat for dinner.  Driving along the south side of Monterey Bay is always fascinating and this time I discovered a number of new houses going up.  Of course, they are McMansions, outshining the lovely old beach houses that have stood the test of time over many years.  But the view is of the smashing waves and flying spray - it was great with the blue sky and the sun shining brightly.  It was quite warm.

CA 68 starts at Asilomar Blvd, wanders through Monterey, and along the hills covered with California live oaks, and ends in Salinas on Hwy 101.  It was slow going - so much traffic just bumper to bumper.  I was quire a way south before the traffic lightened up.  I called ahead for a room at HIE in San Luis Obispo.  Where I finally ate the rest of my taco lunch,  went to bed and slept well.  Guess it is all the tension on the highway.  I was up and gone at 7:30am trying to make the drive home in four and a half hours.  Turned off 101 at Ventura and took CA 126 to the I-5 and then to the 210 Fwy.  Stopped for gas in Fillmore and then just headed home.  A lot of stop and go, just because there was heavy traffic.  Some construction along 210, not unusual, and I suppose people making a three day weekend by leaving before noon on a Friday.  So, I arrived at Dee's house at 12:10pm to pick up KoKo. 
We came home, I unloaded the car and before we both had a nap.  I suspect KoKo is tired because Dee's little Harper is very hyper, so KoKo has to be on his toes while he is there.

I hadn't intended to make it such a fast trip, but the opportunity presented itself with nothing on my calendar for this past week.  I especially wanted to see Dolores Roseveare's quilts hanging in the gallery at Back Porch.  She has made all of them in (or after) Empty Spools classes at Asilomar and the teacher name is on the identifying placard of each quilt - nice touch.  And almost all of them are sold or NFS.  Nice work Dolores! 

It was almost 1000 miles and I loved being on the road again.  Only I missed my KoKo!

I'll look at the pictures I took after I posted last time and post whatever is worthwhile
tomorrow. 

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