Carmel Valley Road by Ewingjr98
The other day I was heading from Monterey to Soledad, so I looked on a map...about 45 miles and the route via Carmel Valley looked about the same as the route via Salinas on 68 and 101. Boy was I wrong...instead of taking about an hour, the drive took more than two hours along the narrow, twisty farm roads from Carmel Valley to Soledad. This area is so desolate, there are signs warning motorists that there are no gas stations for the next 41 miles. Along the drive I saw deer, turkeys, and redneck houses that were straight out of West Virginia. Nice drive, but no fun if you're in a rush to get somewhere.Of course, the lower stretch of Carmel Valley Road between Carmel and the town of Carmel Valley is much different. Here you will find expensive mansions, golf courses, equestrian centers, wineries and wine tasting rooms, numerous shops and restaurants, and the large Garland Ranch Regional Park.
