Tuesday

Our morning started with sad “Adieu, bon voyage, adios, ciao, to Rose & Aldo as they had to leave the “six west coasters” to start their trek homeward. We sure have had a blast together. It was with heavy heart we watched them drive away.

So the troop now, the “Four west coasters”, left Santa Maria and started heading up the coast on Hwy 1 towards San Francisco. We stopped in a lovely little town Cambria, found a Mexican cantina and guess what….had a beer!! We tried deep fried avocado with a Chipotle ranch dip….Yummmm. Even Dave tried it. The temps continue to remain very cool… still in the low 70s. From here we started a 60 mile stretch of the most amazing scenery imaginable. Twisting, winding, turns through rock cuts-rugged and jagged, passing cliffs and vistas, rock crags. It is the most majestic, panoramic views of the Pacific Ocean. Turn after turn came even more beautiful coastline than the last one. For two compulsive “Cathy cameras”, it was a challenge to see who could stay seated on the bike and click the fastest.


I have never been to Scotland but I can only imagine that this would be what driving up the highland coastline would be like. Maybe someday soon!!! Brenda and Dave tell us that it is very similar to the Cabot trail they did last year. Both equally stunning and breathtakingly beautiful. We stopped outside Big Sur at a road side Inn for supper and to warm up. Boy when the sun starts to go down and the fog rolls in…its very damp and chilly.

Made our way to Monterey, just outside Carmel, and bedded down for the night. The evening temp is down to 45 F. Turn that heater on HIGH!!!!

We stopped at a gas station for gas and beer, and there was this guard duck on duty. Here's Ted trying to get in....


My hopes for seeing that big cactus is slowly dissolving. I did see a really neat variety coming out of Ojai. They were bluish-grey, round bottomed (about the size of a dinning room table), long sword-like blades with serrated edges…almost like a huge Aloe plant. Amazing…just plain amazing. I will have to wait until I get home and pull out the National Geographics. Strangely enough, we did see a light house….which I didn’t get to see last year on the east coast.