After arriving in San Francisco, Donna, Phil, and I drove south to Monterey,  where we ate a late lunch on a pier over the bay

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Big Sur

Then we headed south on the Pacific Coast Highway

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I had been wanting to share this view with my kids for a very long time, the image having been seared into my memory ever since I drove the Pacific Coast Highway in my early 20s

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Passing my mind’s image on to the next generation

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This is going to be fun!

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Donna and Phil ponder the immensity of the Pacific coast

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This little cove struck all of us as the very image of paradise, and it inspired us to find a similar beach that we could walk to and enjoy

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The magnificent blue water beckoned to Phil despite it’s cold temperature.  He later got a chance to endure the frigid water at a beach at the end of an unmarked road in Big Sur.

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The thin waterfall perpetually falling onto this cove brought land and sea together to complete the picture for this idyllic scene, not to mention Donna and Phil’s smiling faces

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After spending the night in a cabin amid the redwoods at Big Sur, we set off for a hike to the top of a mountain

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Enjoying the view at Big Sur from a higher altitude

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The forest looking eastward from the ridge had its own grandeur

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Muir Woods

The next morning, we set off to explore the Redwood forest at Muir Woods National Park

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The Redwood trees are so large that we were able to stand in the hollowed out bottoms with room to spare

 

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We left the beaten path at Muir Woods National Park to climb another mountain on Redwood laden paths

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Resting at the halfway point, several miles in

We all enjoyed our encounter with the big, tall trees

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San Francisco

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Enjoying the West Coast Vibe

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Street Art in the Castro

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Exotic Food in the Mission District

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Altered Perception in Haight Ashbury

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Whacky Adventures with Donna’s Friend, Mike

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At the park above the houses known as the “Painted Ladies”

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With a few images, reminiscent of 70’s era Polaroid photographs, I captured Phil and Donna enjoying the beach on our last day in San Fran’

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And lastly, a parting shot, somewhere in San Francisco

I have not yet developed the roll of black and white film I shot on this trip, so there may be more pictures added to this record at a later date.

I hope that you enjoy the photos.

Bill Gatesman