Raven's Roads
Living an interesting life: the travels and musings
of motorcycling author Linda R. Moore

Jul 28, 2004

Santa Cruz Mission

Filed in Landmark-Hunting, Monterey 2004, Raven's Quest

I spent a bit of time sorting out my luggage and papers etc., made a call or two, and had lunch. Then I set out for a walk.

I took the steep walkway down from the cliff, and headed into downtown, walking right the way up Pacific Avenue until it bumps into Mission. It was different this time, lots of homeless people and outright stoners, not as many tourists as the last time I was here.

Figuring that Mission was probably on Mission, I went up the steep hill. I walked past lots of intriguing looking little sets of stairs, which were all gated off :: sulk ::

There’s a little park up top, and I sat in it until I got my breath, left a book behind, and then did my snarf ritual at the marker. This is the 12th mission, should you care, and it fell down in an earthquake about 150 years ago.

There’s one original building left, a lovely old adobe, but - guess what - it’s open “Thursday through Sunday”.Uh-huh. So I didn’t get to see it, but I did stand and look down on the city and wondered where the ghostly music was coming from - it seemed perfect.

I sat in the park again and enjoyed the trees, and a nice break, and then checked out some nearby old-looking houses which, lo and behold, had City of Santa Cruz historical plaques on them. I think one of them was the Widdell house and the other was Alvarazo House, but as they were private residences I didn’t nosey. They were hard to read.

Across the street was a wildcard marker showing the original site of a church.

Then I walked through the town until I found the library, and here I am.

My next job is to read some of these history books, and release my books, and then find a supermarket so I won’t starve.

Monterey tomorrow! :-)