Big Sur Marathon Weekend - Part 4

As I mentioned in Part 3 of this post series, the day after the Big Sur Marathon, Chris and I headed just a bit north of Monterey to the Elkhorn Slough, and we had a great time staring at adorable wildlife.  After we disembarked from our pontoon boat, we walked the short distance to our chosen lunch spot (picked via earlier research but also recommended by our guide), Phil's Fish Market and eatery.  On the way, we grabbed some shots of the unique offerings in the Moss Landing area:

Well, did you?

One of the dangers of working near the docks.

Attempting artsy photos of seafood traps

Finally, we made it to Phil's!

Our roasted artichoke starter -

they are serious about artichokes around here.

Our meal was great - I had the fish and chips, which were 100 times better than Chris' the day before, and Chris enjoyed a fried fish sandwich.  The portions were huge - we easily could have shared a meal, and everything was tasty.  After lunch, we wandered to the rear of Phil's to look over the ocean and enjoy a bit more wind:

You can see some hearty souls eating waaaay out

at the end of the shot here - as we were walking back,

they ended up moving further out of the wind,

and we helped them carry their drinks.

Before we left home, we originally booked the 1:30 Safari tour, but when it didn't have enough folks to run, the office asked us to do the 11:30 instead, and we agreed.  Thus, we now had a few hours more than we expected, so we headed down the coast on Highway 1, so I could show Chris the route I'd run the day before.  Although it was windier, it was also sunny, so we grabbed some shots as we drove from Carmel to Big Sur.

I did wait in the truck for a few stops...

...but I absolutely got out at others.

That looks familiar!

Driving around took a few hours, so after heading back to Monterey (the cruise ship hordes had thankfully abated), we rested in the hotel for a bit and then wandered down the street to Alvarado Brewing again.  We grabbed some pints and a snack (their "veggie" dip, which as our waitress concurred, is really queso with corn on the side - it was still delicious), and finished our time there with a bottle of their reserve line - everything was great once again!

Noms!

That night for dinner, we headed to Montrio Bistro, which was across the street from the back entrance of our hotel (literally - we didn't even put on coats - the walk took 30 seconds); as part of the Travelzoo deal we'd purchased for the hotel, we had $80 in gift cards for Montrio, and although we would have eaten there regardless of its quality due to that, it was fantastic.  Our server was on point and charming, and all of the food we tried (scallop crudo, Caesar salad, duck breast, and the pasta special, along with craft cocktails and wine) was delicious.  After a leisurely dinner, it was back to Alvarado (see, we went there SO many times) for dessert and a nightcap, and then it was home and to bed!

Tuesday morning rolled around, and it was time for one last breakfast in the area - this time, we headed to Crepes of Brittany, a shop on the way to Fisherman's Wharf, not too far from the Convention Center.  Although there was a slight mix up with my crepe - apparently, another customer took it and cut into it before she realized it wasn't hers (lady, there's an order here!) - everything was delicious; we headed back to the hotel, packed up the truck, and got on the road.  We stopped for lunch at Harris Ranch in Coalinga; Chris has fond memories of stopping here on trips from his home in Sacramento on the way to visit his grandmother in Oxnard while growing up, and we were both pleased that his memory of the quality of the place served him well.  We both enjoyed some of their steak/hamburger offerings (they are a beef ranch), and then, it was back on the road.  We made it home right around 4pm, and we were joyfully reunited with our kiddo!

Overall, a great trip and a great run!

Later!

Amy