Flying with Faber: A Drive Along the California Coast
By Stuart J. Faber
Whenever I travel, especially in California, my conveyance of choice is my airplane. For example, I can fly from Los Angeles to the Bay Area in just one-and-a-half hours. On a good day, the same trip by car takes around seven hours. A few friends of mine have bragged that they have whizzed along Interstate 5 and made it in five-and-a-half to six hours. To those who have never driven along the dreary I-5, I certainly don’t recommend it. Along that route to San Francisco, there is little scenery other than miles of arid flatland with hardly a tree or body of water along the way. Several gas stations, along with a Denny’s here or there, look no different than similar car-stops on any Interstate in the country. Perhaps the mile-high advertising signs are substitutes for trees. One exception: Harris Ranch with its great restaurant and hotel (not to mention, its own landing strip), about halfway up the road is one of my favorite places.There are times when Cheryl, or others whose enthusiasm for flying, especially in heavy IFR conditions, is somewhat less than mine, will conspire to conduct an aviation intervention. Screaming, kicking and scratching, I will be forcibly removed from my airplane, strapped in a car seat and pointed in the direction of our destination. Even under those circumstances, there is one thing upon which I will insist – we must avoid the Interstates.I grew up alongside country roads. So when my son, Brad was around nine years old, we embarked on the first of our annual explorations of the United States. We would fly from Los Angeles to some central point in one of America’s great regions: The South, Eastern Seaboard, New England, Midwest, etc. The airplane tied down, we stopped in at the FBO and secured a rental car. Off we would go, heading to the nearest two-lane highway that led to the heart of what we referred to as “the real America.”For breakfast, we would stake out an attractive cafe, peek in the window and determine where the locals were hanging out. For lunch, we would stop at a local “un-super” market, stroll up to the butcher counter and purchase some hand-cut cheese and lunch meat. We would find a spot along a river or creek, toss in a fishing line and make our lunch. Dinner would be at a local roadhouse after which we would bunk down in a motel (or a campsite). Never was our motel a part of a chain. We met hundreds of locals and rarely encountered an unfriendly face. Folks taught us the secrets of the local fishing holes. Occasionally we shared meals together. On one occasion, when Brad was sick with a cold, a woman at a campsite nursed him back to health as if he were her own child.Today, on those rare occasions when I travel by car, I insist on the same protocol: Avoid the Interstates and search the region for the America that has resisted change. An example is along the California coast on Highway 1 from Monterey to San Francisco.To my friends who insist upon whizzing up and down I-5, I always ask them what they saw along the way. The usual answer is that they never bothered to look. On those few occasions when I have driven to the Bay Area, I generally take U.S. 101 to San Luis Obispo, cut over to Highway 1 and drive through Big Sur. But that’s another story. I do want to relate the tale of my recent adventure from Monterey through Central California along the coast.Throughout the past 50 years, I’ve been up and down the state of California more times than I can count. I’ve landed at most of the airports in the state. I love to fly IFR, so on many of the trips, I could not enjoy the scenery below. I must confess that, as well as I thought I knew California, I recently discovered treasures of which I was not previously aware.On this excursion, we departed Los Angeles, and, instead of heading to I-5, we took U.S 101 out of town. We passed through Ventura, Santa Barbara, San Luis Obispo and Monterey Counties. This year’s rainfall has left the terrain greener than I have ever seen it. The ocean was a rich turquoise. We proceeded to Monterey and spent the night in Carmel-by-the-Sea. The next morning, after a beautiful breakfast at the Hofsas House, we proceeded up Highway 1 to the Bay Area. Along the way, we did see a few Shell Stations – but not one Denny’s.Hofsas House, 4th & San Carlos, Carmel, Calif. 93921, 800/221-2548, www.hofsashouse.com
Operated for more than 60 years by the same family, the Hofsas House is within walking distance of everything Carmel has to offer, including a stunning beach, fine restaurants and shops and wine tasting. Yet, the 38-room classic European hotel is cuddled within a warm, graceful residential district. The hotel offers old world charm with an unobtrusive use of all the modern amenities. Dutch doors open to each room or suite – the doors are unlocked with genuine metal keys. Many accommodations have fireplaces, private balconies, kitchens and wet bars. Amenities include coffee makers, voice mail, cable TV and free Wi-Fi. Some units are pet friendly. In the morning, the hotel serves a complimentary breakfast of fresh orange juice, fresh fruit, home baked pastries, coffee and hot chocolate. The Hofsas House, our ideal springboard for a journey along Highway 1, set the stage for our trip back in time.Beach House, 620 Ocean View Blvd., Pacific Grove, Calif. 93950. 831/375-2345, www.beachhousepg.com
After we settled in at the Hofsas House, we took a stroll through Carmel, then headed up Highway 1 for dinner at the Beach House. Tucked away between Carmel-by-the-Sea and Monterey, the hidden village of Pacific Grove is composed of charming shops, Victorian homes and a picturesque ocean front. Overlooking the ocean, we launched the meal with a crispy, fresh salad of arugula and mixed baby greens lightly dressed with a balsamic dressing. I selected a heaping bowl of linguini bathed in a white wine sauce with butter, olive oil and giant clams. The dish was perfectly prepared. The linguini was al dente, the clams were huge and tender. The restaurant was packed, the tempo was swift. Nevertheless, service was impeccable. To me, it’s a mystery why so many restaurants, perhaps half full, have slow service while packed restaurants such as the Beach House, have outstanding service.Heading Up to the Bay AreaBelow is a partial list of the treasures that don’t exist on I-5. By the way, our trip through Santa Cruz and San Mateo Counties, which could be completed in under three hours, took about 10 hours – twice as long as an I-5 trip. But with every turn of the road, and numerous stops along this 100-mile drive, we enjoyed a thrill a minute. A secluded beach seemed to appear every few miles.Moss Landing Wildlife AreaThis is a spectacular preserve of more than 725 acres. Just north of the town of Moss Landing, it incorporates Elkhorn Slough, the largest salt marsh on the coast. Access is allowed only by hiking, but it’s well worth it for viewing a variety of birds, plus sea otters. The region has a colorful waterfront of fisheries, trawlers and packing plants.CastrovilleThe historic town of Castroville was, during the 19th century, inhabited primarily by Chinese immigrants, the folks who introduced the artichoke to the region. Today, Castroville is the artichoke capital of the United States. I always try to plan my trips to coincide with the artichoke harvest. I usually pick a half bushel – it’s hard to duplicate the taste of a freshly picked artichoke.WatsonvilleLocated south of the city of Santa Cruz, Watsonville is an historic city in the Pajaro Valley, a region of mild, pleasant climate. You can meander past acres and acres of farms which are well known for growing strawberries, apples, berries, mushrooms, lettuce and many other fruits and vegetables.Sunset State BeachNear the town of Watsonville, Sunset State Beach is a secluded, craggy area with about 1.5 miles of gorgeous beachfront.Bib Basin Redwoods State ParkJust 20 miles north of Santa Cruz is California’s oldest state park. You could literally hike the 81 miles of trails from the oceanfront to the Santa Cruz Mountain Range. The Skyline To The Sea Trail winds its way through the park along Waddell Creek right to the Waddell Beach. Along the way, you will observe waterfalls, large redwood trees, deer, raccoons, egrets, herons and acorn woodpeckers.Pescadero State BeachPescadero State Beach, about 15 miles south of Half Moon Bay, has a shoreline of about one mile in length with sandy coves, tide pools, picnic grounds and rocky cliffs. It is a very popular fishing spot.Duartes Tavern, 202 Stage Road, Pescadero, Calif. 94060, 650/879-0464, www.duartestavern.com
About an hour north of Monterey, an obscure sign announced that the town of Pescadero was off to the right. We took the turn and drove through some of the most picturesque farmland in California. It seemed that we went back in time to the previous mid-century. Within five minutes, we approached the western outskirts of Pescadero. Within a minute thereafter, we approached the eastern outskirts of Pescadero. This two-block long village, without a traffic signal in sight, is dotted with quaint shops and well preserved 19th century cottages. The centerpiece of the village is Duarte’s Tavern. I don’t know where the crowd came from, but by 11:30 a.m., the place was packed. The breakfast brigade was taking its last bite of farm-fresh eggs, ham or steak while the lunch crowd eagerly awaited their first glimpse of what we discovered to be the best Cioppino in California.
Before the Cioppino arrives, you will be presented with a basket of freshly baked sourdough bread. Don’t be tempted to devour the entire contents of the basket, as I was. Leave room for the Cioppino – it is delivered with mountains of whole fresh Dungeness crab in a succulent tomato sauce.AirportsHalf Moon Bay Airport (KHAF) is one of California’s historic fields. At an elevation of 65 feet above sea level, the solitary runway, 12-30 is 5,000 feet long and has RNAV approaches in both directions. We always try to make a special stop at the field just to enjoy what I consider one of the best breakfast joints in California. Three-Zero Café serves up the best eggs and steak this side of the Mississippi. Or, you can get a crab omelet (with real crab), an omelet with freshly picked artichokes or asparagus or a host of frittatas. Around 11 a.m., we couldn’t make up our minds between pressing on to Half Moon Bay for breakfast or waiting around Pescadero for the Cioppino. We solved the dilemma by having breakfast one day and returning to Pescadero the next.Monterey Regional Airport (KMRY) has parallel runways. R10R/28L is 7,600 feet long and has an ILS approach to R10R. Runway 10L/28R is 3,505 feet long. The airport is 257 feet above sea level. My FBO of choice is Del Monte Aviation, 831/373-4151.We loved our trip along the central coast section of Highway 1. The trip took about 10 hours. Next time, I hope it will take about 10 days.
