“Smell the sea and feel the sky and let your soul and spirit fly.”
—Van Morrison
Bill and I loaded up our bikes on the back of his bike rack and headed for a planned trip to Santa Cruz. We hooked up with Bill’s childhood friend originally from Ohio, Charlie Savoca at a parking lot near Natural Bridges State Beach for a planned ride to Capitola by the Sea. Boy did we luck out. I was so focused on what the weather would be on the coast (61 to 76 degrees), I didn’t realize that the temperature in Los Gatos was set to hit 97 degrees. Though the route we chose is no Tour De France, it is perfect for any rider in decent physical condition with a sense of curiosity and adventure. Natural Bridges is best known for wintering Monarch butterflies, the park boasts a sandy cover, tide pools and a bicycle path around the perimeter of the park. One of the major highlights of Natural Bridges that dominates the seashore landscape is the congregation of pelicans on the massive rock formation just offshore that has a signature cave-like arch underneath. This is the remaining portion a long, narrow peninsula that was connected to the shore and collapsed during a storm.
The best part of Santa Cruz is West Cliff Drive, along the ocean to enjoy the beautiful vistas. We also drove past the Surfing and Light house Museums, the Santa Cruz Wharf where you can see and hear the Sea Lions and the Santa Cruz Beach and Boardwalk, a classic seaside amusement park and the loop around scenic Santa Cruz Yacht Harbor near Aldo’s restaurant. At the entrance to the harbor for small boats is the Walton Lighthouse (aka Santa Cruz Breakwater Lighthouse) located on the west side of the harbor with easy access to Seabright Beach. As the need for lighthouses fades, the Walton Lighthouse serves as a beacon in memory of merchant marines, and the fascinating history of the coast including pirates and even shipwrecks. On the east side of the harbor, we drove passed the Twin Lakes State Beach, a popular mile long sandy shoreline popular for swimming and picnicking. The adjacent Schwan’s Lake is a favored bird watching area.
We continued on to Pleasure Point Park, passed the bluff above that is popular surfing spot in the Live Oak area of Santa Cruz. They climb down the stairs to beach below. Though there is a lack of sandy beach, surfers don’t mind it as they go out from this spot to the break point just offshore.
We made our way to Capitola by the Sea, a sandy city beach at the north end of Monterey Bay in Capitola, CA. Its vibrant hues is a reminder of small picturesque town on the Mediterranean. There were young surfers everywhere, some washing off their boards within a stone’s throw of the Britannia Arms where we sat for lunch, recommended by Charlie who frequents there and knows the owner who stopped to chat. It was a nice respite before our return back to Santa Cruz and home.
