Well, actually a Monday. Memorial Day. A day we salute the fallen soldiers who have shed their blood to protect, preserve, and extend our freedoms. A moment of silence in their honor.

Then: rooooaaar! My wife's "new" '11 Carrera S Cab backs out of the driveway. Lila has the holiday off. It rained last night but today is mostly sunny with wispy strips of white clouds. "Drive me to the beach," she commands. She wants a ****tail before our trip. I happily comply, on both counts.

Nearly three months of ownership and this is only my fourth time driving. I like to keep my powder dry for those special days -- unseasonably warm, or hosting an out-of-town friend or relative, or with a special purpose such as a great meal in mind. The morning was a bit gray and cold, but the clouds parted and the ignition was lit.

We're lucky enough to live in the Highlands neighborhood of unincorporated San Mateo County, about 20 miles south of San Francisco. You might recognize the city name of San Mateo -- home to Barry Bonds of SF Giant fame and current NFL great, Patriots QB Tom Brady. They both attended a Catholic boys' high school here, Serra, and they and others have gifted so much money their practice field rivals any NFL team's.

Anyway … just west of us on Highway 92 lies Half Moon Bay. 92 is a fairly nice road, a bit choppy, but usually heavily trafficked. Still, Penelope (Lila's permutation of "Pcar") handles things wonderfully, and we glide to the coast and then a bit north to Miramar Beach House. The restaurant is busy, but a fun busy, with clientele focused on food, drinks, and the terrific view. Waves are crashing HARD, 6-8' and totally closed out with emerald barrels forming before churning into white bursts of seafoam.

We order oysters Rockefeller and a split of champagne, to be followed by lobster po'boys and a bottle of Rombauer Chardonnay. All delicious. We don't quite finish the chard -- I'm driving home, after all, technically just my FIFTH time driving P. But I want to make this one count! We stash the remaining wine in the frunk and head south. And more south … rather than take 92E straight home, we have some time so continue on Highway 1 with an eye toward Highway 84 east. 20 miles or so of twisties, with the Pacific Ocean in view 80% of the time, we hit 84 and jet east toward home.

84 is another wonderful highway, a favorite among sports-car enthusiasts, motorcyclists, and bicyclists alike. Heading east from 1, it twists and turns east through farms, oak-studded creek valleys, and redwood forests. Perhaps 10 miles later, one comes to a four-way intersection with 84 continuing east through Woodside (home of Larry Ellison, the late Steve Jobs, and rocker Neil Young, among others) and eventually reaching Hwy. 280, the Bay Area's Autobahn. But if you turn left on Skyline, aka Hwy 35 -- which, if you turn right, heads south through Los Gatos and eventually other roads that lead down to Santa Cruz -- you're presented with yet another sinuous road snaking through coastal redwoods. I must admit, I only reached 50% of Penelope's flat-out capabilities once, passing a Ford hybrid something-or-other that was barely making speed limit and less so around corners.

Skyline ends at 92 (again) and we turned right, or east, for home. Left onto Skyline's extension off 92, right on our neighborhood exit, a couple more turns this way and that, and home.

Not sure I've ever felt more enervated, at least not lately. Whew!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Cheers,

-Dalancroft

 

Nice story. Sure wish I had had more time to check out some of these great roads when I was there in December.

 

I love California, been here since 72.im not near the ocean but closer to Tahoe but I can get to the coast in a few hours. raised on east coast with snow etc...im staying put

 

OP...have you been to Alice's? Now Hwy 35 is a drive. Used to take that on my GSXR750 and love it. Now with the PCar, a bit more pleasant and just as fun.

 

80 or 50? We have friends with places near Northstar and Sierra-at-Tahoe, so my (recently traded) Mazda CX-9 and (now) Audi Q5 get their snow paws wet once in a while. Cheers!

 

live in Placerville(hangtown)off #50 elevation 1400' close to where Marshall discovered gold, I haven't seen any..

 

Skyline is sweet all the way!

 

We have friends who have a ski house outside of Pollock Pines so we go through Placerville every so often. Nice town; we usually stop for lunch and/or fuel.