The Mission Mission Continues ...

On Sunday we continued our long postponed Mission mission hitting the road with the "J" and visiting Mission Nuestra Señora de la Soledad and Mission San Carlos Barroméo de Carmelo. This was a long roadtrip starting at 7:45 am and ending at 9:15 pm - 13 and 1/2 hours on the road. Even though it was very long, we all had a great time.

The wife and I picked up the "J" and headed up the 101. We were supplying the transportation and the food, the "J" supplied the witty repartee. It was warm and the sky was absolutely clear - perfect roadtrip weather. We stopped in King City around 11:30-ish and had lunch at Margie's Diner which proudly boasted that they served Real Food. The place was a typical roadside restaurant that served good portions of pretty good food in a timely fashion.

After fueling up our bodies and the car, we headed to the Soledad Mission. This mission is in total disrepair. The standing buildings are replicas of the original. Only the foundations and slowly dissolving adobe walls remain. We walked through the grounds, examined the fountain with the goldfish, and visited the rebuilt and actively used chapel. Pictures are here.

We got back in the car and took a road through central California farmland around the mountains to the city of Carmel-By-The_Sea. In Carmel we visited the Carmel Mission. What a difference money makes. Soledad was out in the middle of nowhere surrounded by farmland. Carmel is located in an affluent city surrounded by money. The mission has been restored to its original splendor. Carmel Mission is famous for being the resting place of Padre Serra, founder of many of the missions including the first in San Diego. We walked around and took pictures. Note the skewed window in the Mission. Not sure why it leans as it does. Pictures can be found here.

After leaving Carmel we drove south on CA-1. The drive from Monterey to San Simeon is one of the most beautiful drives I have every experienced. The wife is suffering through allergies and she slept through some of the drive south. The "J" also slept part of it. I was driving so I didn't sleep and saw all the beauty of the drive. We didn't stop along the CA-1 so no pictures were taken. Some things cannot be captured in photographs - some things have to be experienced or in this case, driven. We arrived at Cambria at about 5:00 so we decided to stop for dinner. Dinner was at the Main Street Grill followed by some ice cream. A little shopping we were back on the road. The next three hours was uneventful except for fighting Santa Barbara traffic. There were a a lot of highway patrol out this labor day weekend.

Some of you may not believe that driving for 10 hours is fun but it is. I like to drive as long as the destination is worth it and there is no traffic. I had a good day. Good Driving, Good Food, Good Missions, Good Company. With these two missions, we have now visited 13 Missions. The next will probably be Capistrano. Not sure when.

On a little side note, the "J" came through again giving me a foot spa to soak and massage my feet. I used it today and it felt wonderful. It relieved my tendonitis ache. Thanks "J"!