Half Moon Bay
It is barely light when we leave San Jose just before 7 in the morning. The day is bright and the mountains surrounding us were clear and sharp.
Here in the Bay Area most of the trees do not shed their leaves in the Fall so we do not see many trees changing color. Along I280 there were a few trees showing there autumn colors. There are very few shivering Aspen trees here though.
As we approached Hiwhway 92, the sun was beginning to cast shadows on the forest to the west of Crystal Springs. Today the reservoir lives up to its name. Though the level is very low. This is the end of the journey for some of the water from the Sierras via the Hetch Hetchy Aqueduct.
I just love this drive on Highway 92 into Half Moon Bay. At this time of the day we have a clear run. Come lunchtime this road will be bumper to bumper, slow moving traffic. Today though it is fun. We climb over the Santa Cruz mountains and as we crest the summit, we get our first view of the ocean.
Coasting down the hill we begin to pass the ecletic businesses along the way. We pass one place selling huge metal sculptures and other displaying carved wooden animals. Then there are the nurseries and fruit stands and even a winery.
Half Moon Bay is the ‘pumpkin capital of the world’ so naturally there are many pumpkin patches with pumpkins littering the ground and covering every surface, each patch vying with their neighbors to provide a better attraction - mazes, tractor rides and pony rides to name but a few. Every year in October they have a Pumpkin Festival here.
At 7.30 we arrive in Main Street. We plan to have breakfast at the Main Street Grill but it doesn’t open until 8 a.m. so we look for coffee. We discover a gem called Coffee Company, just off Main Street. Their special at the moment is pumpkin pie latte but Tom stuck to his regular Fresnch Roast and I had a small latte. It came in a tall glass beaker and looked very attractive with its three layers - milk, coffee and topped with foamed milk. I was looking at the range of teas they serve and it is extensive. Over 36 varieties including Topical fire, Caramel, Rose, Maple and Orange Pekoe.
October 22 2007 | Neighborhoods | No Comments »
