James Raia

James Raia has been writing about the Monterey Peninsula for more than 20 years. He's also editor and publisher of the web sites:
ByJamesRaia.com
GolfTribune.com
MontereyPeninsula.org
TheWeeklyDriver.com

Articles by this Author

Floyd Landis: Pedaling In Monterey To Tour de France Tragedy?

By James Raia
Published 05/11/2007
Sporting Scene

Four years ago in April, Floyd Landis began his comeback to professional cycling on the opening day of the Sea Otter Classic. The race was a disaster; Landis fared considerably better.

Race officials, seeking to expand the event outside of the Monterey Peninsula, began the 13th annual event in Redwood City. The race course wasn't secured properly and stage results were eventually nullified.

Three months earlier, Landis crashed while pedaling home from a health club workout near his Murietta, Calif., home and suffered a broken hip. The Sea Otter Classic was his first competition following weeks of rehabilitation. He walked with a prominent limp, but he completed the race.

AT&T Pebble Beach National Pro-Am Turns 60 (Part 2)

By James Raia
Published 05/7/2007
Sporting Scene

Winds gusting to more than 45 mph and heavy rain halted the 1967 Crosby Clambake and resulted in third one-day suspension in tournament history. Spyglass Hill joined the course rotation, and Jack Nicklaus' accuracy propelled him to his first Crosby title.

The winner's purse increase by $5,000 with Nicklaus earning $16,000 with his sterling final round. He birdied five of the final seven holes, needed only 13 putts on the back nine en route to a 31 and shot a 68 to defeat Billy Casper by five shots and Arnold Palmer by seven shots.

AT&T Pebble Beach National Pro-Am Now 60 (Part 1)

By James Raia
Published 05/7/2007
Sporting Scene

Mature but still unpredictable, the AT&T Pebble Beach National Pro-Am — the Monterey Peninsula's reincarnation of Bing Crosby's dream — is 60 years old. It's had six official names. It's been played on five courses. And it has endured five decades of however nature and man have behaved.

Sam Snead to Ben Hogan, Arnold Palmer to Jack Nicklaus, Mark O'Meara to Tiger Woods, the world's greatest golfers have discovered, cursed and embraced its endearing mysteries.

Celebrities Andy Garcia to Huey Lewis and Glenn Frey to Kevin Costner have collectively experienced enough tournament frustration to figuratively fill the Pacific Ocean.

But, of course, the errant shots, the unforgiving bunkers and the fickle weather have all been conquered by humor.

Phil Harris to Ray Romano, Tommy Smothers to Bill Murray, Jack Lemmon to George Lopez, the tournament by any of its names has offered the perfect golfing recipe — golf at its competitive best outdone only by humor and good karma.

George Lopez: Golf Clubs And Comedy At Pebble Beach

By James Raia
Published 05/6/2007
Sporting Scene

Comedian George Lopez has a home in Pebble Beach, and for the past several years, he's become among the most popular celebrities competing in the AT&T Pebble Beac National Pro-Am and WalMart First Tee Open, both at Pebble Beach Golf Links. One day last year following a round a Pebble Beach, I interviewed Lopez on the putting green at Pebble Beach for the back-page feature of PGA TOUR Partners Magazine.

Kabush, Gould Claim MTB Titles As 17th Sea Otter Classic Concludes

By James Raia
Published 05/4/2007
Sporting Scene

Geoff Kabush gave himself one day late birthday gift and Georgia Gould continued her dominating winning ways Sunday on the sunny and wind-whipped final day of the Sea Otter Classic.

Kabush (Team Maxxis), the Canadian veteran who's competed in the festival of cycling at Laguna Seca Recreation Area since 1996, claimed his third straight cross country win this season when he emerged from a three-rider sprint to capture the 2-lap, 38-mile pro men's race in 2 hours, 21 minutes and 50 seconds.

Like Kabush, who went to the front of the field with nearly a dozen others early on the first lap, Gould (Luna) of Missoula, Mt., also emerged early in the women's race. But she rode alone. After building a 2 1/2-minute lap after the first lap, she extended it to more than a four-minute win.

Bill Murray+Scott Simpson: A Golf Marriage At Pebble Beach

By James Raia
Published 05/3/2007
Sporting Scene

Late one early week afternoon several years ago, the scene at AT&T Pebble Beach Golf Links was a chamber of commerce freeze frame. The temperature was dropping quickly and the setting sun provided an ideal backdrop. A few spectators drifted in and out of the upscale retail shops that parallel the practice green.

No one was putting until a solitary player arrived with an open bottle of wine tucked into the back pocket of his pants. It was Bill Murray, and it didn't take long for an increasing number of fans (and golfers) to watch his impromptu routine.

Running On The Monterey Peninsula

By James Raia
Published 05/2/2007
Sporting Scene

There's no doubt experiencing faraway races - the Big Sur International Marathon to a secluded mountain 5km - can be enjoyable. But the experience can also be frustrating. While trying to complement a vacation with a race, runners can instead increase the stress levels they're trying to reduce with exercise. It's not a bad idea, therefore, to forget about the competition while vacationing, and simply run for enjoyment. During several recent excursions in Pacific Grove, Monterey and Carmel, for example, morning runs along the Monterey Recreation Trail were energizing. There was no potential race-related stress.

Olympia Lodge In Pacific Grove Offers Quiet, Rustic Charm

By James Raia
Published 05/2/2007
Hotel Reviews

Nearly hidden among often flowering shrubbery, there's an old mural blanketing a small section of the recreation trail in Pacific Grove, Calif. The mural details the history of the quaint city and it features the enduring motto: "Carmel-by-the-Sea, Monterey-by-the-Smell and Pacific Grove-by-God." The slogan isn't fair, of course. It dates to bygone times on the Monterey Peninsula. What is relevant about the saying today is that the area's three primary communities have vastly different "personalities." Specialty restaurants to varying accommodations, the three primary peninsula locales are extraordinarily close geographic neighbors, yet they're surprisingly different. on a recent trip, I spent three nights at the renovated Olympia Lodge and rediscovered the serenity of the city and its wondrous small-town appeal.

Tradewinds Inn: Hidden, Quiet Paradise In Carmel

By James Raia
Published 05/2/2007
Hotel Reviews

Ocean Ave. is Carmel's main artery, and many of the accommodations are located among or within a few blocks of the epicenter's diverse collection of shops and restaurants. Through the years, Carmel establishments located off-the-beaten path, like Tradewinds Inn, have enticed a loyal following by offering a simple but important formula: quality rooms and service, plentiful parking and serenity.

Blogs by this Author

Pebble Beach Reality Check: Still Special After All These Years

By James Raia
Published 05/7/2007

After covering the National Pro-Am and many other golf tournaments at Pebble Beach Golf Links for more than 20, I've gotten used to the niceties of the place.The drive into the course along the famed ...

Kimberly Place: Former Apartment Now $600,000 Condo

By James Raia
Published 05/4/2007

Nearly 21 years ago, I moved from Sacramento to Monterey to take a sports staff writer and columnist position at the Monterey County Herald. I looked at a few places to live and eventually rented a on...

Strong Coffee & Good Wifi On The Monterey Peninsula

By James Raia
Published 05/1/2007

For the past 20 years or so, I've traveled to the Monterey Peninsula at least three times per year. If there's any marginally important reason to go, I go. But I've also realized and accepted that the...

Big Sur International Marathon: Show Me No Money?

By James Raia
Published 04/30/2007

The Big Sur International Marathon (BSIM) offered its yearly dose of great race organization, scenic wonderment and good karma Sunday. But there was also a post-race revelation by race director Wally ...

Sea Otter Classic: One Team Really Gets It Right

By James Raia
Published 04/27/2007

Two weeks ago, I reported on the 17th annual Sea Otter Classic. The event, held on and around Laguna Seca Raceway in Monterey, features several cycling disciplines, mountain biking to road racing, BMX...

Pepper's Mexicali Cafe: The Locals' Hangout In Pacific Grove

By James Raia
Published 04/26/2007

One of Pacific Grove's great attributes is its evening calm. Most of the shops close at 6 p.m. and many restaurants don't keep late-night hours, particularly during the week. Drive or walk down Lighth...

KPIG (107.5FM): The Best Of Monterey Peninsula Radio

By James Raia
Published 04/25/2007

One of the best things about the Monterey Peninsula, at least as far as I'm concerned, is listening to KPIG (107.5FM), the eclectic radio station. It's radio at its best — freeform rock, blue...