Sunday Coasting

Sunday was my day to decide what to do. Chris had mentioned that Slater's 50/50 had a burger of the month that was 100% ground bacon...off to Huntington Beach we went! Once there I decided against the heart attack on a plate and went with their classic 50/50 burger (1/2 beef, 1/2 bacon) with a LOT of onions. Chris, who is still skinny, ordered the 2/3 lb. bacon patty and added PB&J and sriracha!

Chris' "Modified Dee Snyder"

Chrissy's "Onion Lover"

We did NOT finish our lunches...

After lunch we decided to drive back home along the coast - we made our way past the crowded Huntington Main Beach and stopped at the Bolsa Chica Ecological Preserve. There is a small parking lot right off PCH on the East side of the road with a trail and a bridge that cuts across the wetlands. We didn't see a lot of  "creatures", save for some pigeons and tadpole-looking-fish-things, but it provided some beautiful scenery!

Top: View looking northwest; Chrissy next to the "Nesting Area"
Bottom: Chris on the bridge going east over the marshes; opposite view on the bridge looking west

We didn't walk around for very long, we hopped back in the car and continued along PCH. Along the route we passed through Sunset Beach, Seal Beach, and Long Beach. Then we got to drive over the two bridges that connect Long Beach and San Pedro: the Gerald Desmond Bridge and the Vincent Thomas Bridge. Usually driving over any type of bridge is a tad unsettling for me, I could hear in my head, a conversation I would always have with my mom when I was younger when driving over a bridge: "Mom, when did this bridge last collapse?" "Yesterday." :/ It was neat to go over the GDB though because Safework is working on a project there to replace it!

Then we were in San Pedro, making our way up to Rancho Palos Verdes (RPV). Neither Chris or I had ever been on this road before. Usually when people drive up and down the coast they take PCH and it doesn't take you along the coast near RPV. Crusing along Rancho Palos Verdes Dr. my eyes were bulging out of my head - the houses were incredible!!! And the views!! Driving north along the road there weren't too many scenic overlook stopping points but we did make a pit stop at Wayfarer's Chapel. Designed by Lloyd Wright (son of Frank Lloyd Wright), this chapel is breathtaking! I had wanted to get married at this chapel but as you know we ended up in Vegas (!).

Top: The view looking southwest; the backside of the chapel
Bottom: The inside of the chapel; west view; the back area of the chapel

Chris enjoying the westward view

The glass and wood chapel itself it quite small, but the grounds are lush - lots of grass, pine trees, a rose garden, and lots of benches to sit and enjoy the view of the Pacific Ocean!

We continued along Rancho Palos Verdes Dr. with me screaming every 1/4 mile or so, "What do all these people do for a living?! I want that house!...and that house!..." Finally we found a scenic overlook that faced the north side of the bluffs stopping point so we could get out a take some photos. There was some haze/smog/marine layer over the coast so we couldn't see too far, but if we squinted we could make out the Hyperion Water Treatment near Vista Del Mar!

Dangerously close to the edge...

The patented "hand on hip" pose!

Zoom! Zoom!! I can see my house! (No, not really...)

Looking north toward the beach cities of Los Angeles

After this spot it was a straight shot along the rest of the bluffs back to PCH and back home! Yes, it would have been a LOT faster to get home using the 405 (Chris' idea), but after the three-hour Sunday afternoon drive, we both decided it was well worth the time it took exploring a section of southern California we (natives) had never seen!

Our route back home

xx Chrissy