To Big Sur and onto Monterey
It took me a while to fix my pannier rack with the assistance of the mechanic in the local garage. I left Cambria and headed to the coast. I did not get far before deciding to stop in San Simeon for lunch.
I headed up the highway and came across a camping area. I decided it was time to use the tent. Shortly after setting up the tent and fellow cyclist arrived. The cyclist tuned out to be a bloke from Glasgow. We decided to head back to Cambria for a couple of beers at the Ale House.
Hearst Castle
Next morning I headed north, but again not too far before stopping at Hearst Castle. This really is an extraordinary folly. Check out the links.
After a tour of the castle, I watched a film about William Randolph Hearst on a big screen. This was surprising good.
I continued on to Ragged Point where I checked into the one and only hotel. I was a bit pricey, but it was good.
Next morning the place was covered in fog. While having a coffee I chatted to a young English bloke who had arrived from Kirk Creek. He said it great place to stay.
Spectacular Scenery
The road north became quite narrow. The scenery is very spectacular. At times the narrowness of the road makes riding quite dangerous. You always have to look out for bad drivers – typically in trucks or large 4WDs. As everywhere, the excessive size of a vehicle is inversely proportional to the IQ of the driver.
I arrived at Kirk Creek late I the afternoon.
On the track to the ‘Hiker/ Biker’ camping area I was greeted by a couple – Cheryl and Whit who told me that they lived in Cambria. Cheryl told me that she worked in Victoria as a teacher in the early 1980’s.
She told a very funny story related to the use of words in Australian and USA English. The two words central to the story were ‘root’ and ‘fanny’. The punch line of the story was that the headmaster of the school where Cheryl worked told her that he had heard reports that “she had been telling her students that she had sex with all of the Collingwood footy team and she has accused the boys of the school football team of having vaginas.
On to Pfeiffer State Park
I continued up the coast. The scenery seemed to be coming even more spectacular.
I checked into the ‘Hiker/Biker’ in the Pfeifer State Park. There were a few other cyclists and a Canadian girl with a cart. She is walking from LA to San Francisco. One of the cyclists was an American bloke who is riding both coasts of the USA.
They told me about a tavern about 2 klms up the road that is part of a private camping area and lodge complex. They said that there was a music festival at the complex. I decided to check it out. The music turned out to be mainly ‘country’ style which is to my taste. The tavern’s beer was good though.
I decide to stay in the State Park for another day.
To Monterey
I only had about 60 klms to go to Monterey. Again the scenery was spectacular. The road has a number of steep climbs and some great descents.
I stopped off in Carmel for lunch. The place had Welsh Rarebit on the menu. I gave it a try. The cook had obliviously been to Fortnam and Masons. It was the strangest Welsh Rarebit I have ever eaten .
The village of Carmel seems to all restaurants and art galleries.
A Place for the Rich
I took the road that follows the coast. There a gatehouse at which you are required to stop. The guard told me that it was a private road – a large gated community. I continued on. The houses are rge but overly so. It is a bit however, that they see the need to cut themselves off from the riff raff.
I have decided to stay in Monterey for the day. The Tour of California Cycle Race will be in town tomorrow.
Flickr Links
Garmin Links
http://connect.garmin.com/activity/497860287
http://connect.garmin.com/activity/497860264
http://connect.garmin.com/activity/497860233
http://connect.garmin.com/activity/498579041
billrider2013 