Day 22 (A Traveling Day) Petaluma - Pismo Beach 334.1 miles New Total = 5,069.6 miles
Awoke to the aroma of "Dairy -air". We were camped next to a cow pasture!
We had a treat this morning as we were to tour a friend's winery.  We arrived at the facility at about 8:30 AM.  This was not a vineyard, but a place where grapes, procured from various vineyards, were processed into wine.  Previously they produced as much as 18,000 cases a year, but currently are producing only about 1800.  No it's not the economy, but by choice.  They have chosen to become what I might call a "boutique" winery producing a high end totally organic product with very selective grapes.  We had a wonderfully educational and enjoyable discussion with Kevin Kelley, the winemaker, had a sampling of raw grape juice from a batch of Pinot Noir grapes recently squeezed, but before fermentation (no alcohol at this point).

We left the winery about 9:45 and headed down the 101 toward San Francisco.  About 10:30 we were crossing the Golden gate Bridge ( I think).  The bridge was so enclosed in fog that as we reached the top we could see barely 3 cars ahead.

entering the bridge span

approaching the top

After the bridge we moved back on to Rte 1 and wound our way down the coast.
At lunch, at a pull-of by the ocean, we watched surfers "catching the waves".

 In the afternoon we entered a significant agricultural area, with many, many square miles of gardens in various stages of maturity.  Some being readied for planting, some being weeded and some being picked.  The crops were not easily identifiable.  In one area where fields were being prepped, it looked like small lakes, but as we got closer, we saw it was acres of ground covered with black plastic reflecting the sun.

a sea of pasltic

picking time

Our last treat of the day was a beach covered with elephant seals.  We were told they come to this beach twice a year. They come here (about 4 miles South of The Hearst Castle near Cambria) in the winter to for a few months to give birth and breed, and spend a few weeks in the summer molting & resting, but the seals actually live most of their lives deep in the sea. There were many playing in the surf, some young males sparring but most were sleeping on the beach.  There were hundreds on this small section of beach and we later saw that other section of beach further on were also covered.  For more info on these fascinating creatures, visit www.elephantseal.org