Half Moon Bay

It was a happy coincidence that our friends Howard and Jenny would be in Half Moon Bay precisely when we would be passing through on our way to Napa Valley. Considering that we are from Connecticut and they are from Australia, this is truly remarkable! So, we found a campground in HMB, Pelican Point, and called it home for a couple of days.

This park is an island in a sea of golfing greens. A paved pathway down to the beach doubles as golf-cart roadway, and protective fencing prevents pedestrians from taking a Titleist in the temple. The beach was a beautiful little crescent that, at low tide, connects to a seemingly endless stretch of sand. It turned out to be dog-friendly as well, and many local people brought their canine companions there to play. Toby had a blast and met a variety of new friends each time we went down. Our boy loves a good beach, especially if he can be off-leash.


Howard had caught himself a rare mosquito-borne virus while on some walkabout deep in the dingo-infested wilds of western Australia, and had the doctors in the Bay Area trying to figure it out. We imagine them scratching their heads, flipping through their old textbooks, going on webMD... Anyway, between his trips into the valley for tests we were able to meet up for a visit and dinner out. Their excellent and hospitable friends and hosts Bobbi and Wayne live in Half Moon Bay, as it turns out just about 1/4 mile from where we were camped! We went there and visited over snacks and gin & tonics, then popped into town to enjoy a very good meal at the restaurant It's Italia. For those of you not lucky enough to know them, that's Jenny & Howard on the left, Bobbi and Wayne on the right:


It was so great to see our friends again, and we hope to do so again in Maine this fall.

Also while in HMB I found a very fun little coastal trail that followed the edge of the bluffs along the bay. I scouted it myself the first day, then, having found it to meet Nancy's strict criteria of what-makes-a-trail-worth-riding, we both went out during our second day.