We usually have a respite from rainy weather in the first month of the year, but even for Northern California it's been an unusually warm, dry January. We decided to take a spin up the San francisco Peninsula, driving North from Santa Cruz on Highway 1 up to the town of Pacifica. I've always loved this road, a smooth open route that winds up the coast through mostly agricultural land extending to the cliffs that fall into the sea.
We stopped at a few spots along the way, marveling the larger than normal waves, and then pulled over at the Pigeon Point Lighthouse. A picturesque local landmark that was built back in the early 70s — the 1870s! There's a great spot where you can drive across a lumpy, muddy field right out to the edge of the cliffs and admire the wonderful view. The weather was downright balmy — it rarely gets this warm in the summer time - the place is cloaked in a heavy fog most of the time.
When we got up to Pacifica — a rather unremarkable town bordering San Francisco — we had enjoyed the ride so much we decided to drive the same way back south again, taking in a spectacular setting sun all the way down. A great day of Smart driving.
