DAY 3 - After leaving Monterey, Valerie and I stop in Carmel-By-the-Sea for lunch

There are a lot of Dutch doors in this town

Valerie and I walk down Ocean Ave, looking for a place to grab lunch

Valerie and I dine at Dametra Cafe...really good Greek cuisine...we'd definitely go here again

Looking northwest at the intersection of Ocean Avenue and Lincoln Street

Looking northeast at the intersection of Ocean Avenue and Lincoln Street

Porta Bella

Looking west down Ocean Avenue at Monte Verde Street

We head south from Carmel on Highway 1...the best way to travel between San Francisco and Los Angeles if you aren't in any rush

Not sure if Valerie is hiding herself or advertising Starbucks

Now we can see Valerie's face

California's Central Coast

We reach the Rocky Creek Bridge, first of several historic bridges on Highway 1 between Monterey and San Luis Obispo

These bridges are pretty cool

After continuing towards Big Sur, we stop at a hill overlooking a different bridge

Though she wants to get home quickly, Valerie is being a good sport about my wanting to take photographs

We return to the coast after a brief inland bit through Big Sur

Smoke from the Chalk Fire (burning since September 27) is visible to the south

This is definitely the right car for this road

I stop after we cross another bridge (Big Creek Bridge)

I think I have reached Valerie's threshold for photo stops

Sunlight filters through the smoke overhead

Southbound on Highway 101...traffic isn't too bad