It’s 09:00am and we all gather for breakfast at Alice’s Restaurant on Skyline Blvd - close to Vijay’s place – There’s Mack (Auckland), David (Seattle), Vijay, Richard (local) who we first met on Tuesday evening, and myself & Ellen. Before 10:00am we all set off towards the Pacific coastline.
BUT, I have had better starts!
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Now it has been said that a rider + pillion is most vulnerable during the first and the last 100 miles of any long-distance tour. This morning I proved that this can occur during the first 10 miles. I won’t go into detail, but here’s clue as to what happened to me within the 15 minutes of setting off.
MENTAL NOTE MADE: Must do better next time!
30 minutes later, despite the initial setback, we pull-off and park-up temporarily at Pescadero Beach alongside the Pacific Ocean. It is a beautiful morning.
After the brief respite it’s time to move on down the coast along Highway 1. This particular section is referred to by the local-regional name of ‘the Cabrillo Highway’
Terrific scenery .. as we pass through townships with romantic names like ‘Santa Cruz’, ‘Monteray’ and ‘Big Sur’. Then Richard peels off and returns home to the south side of San Francisco. 
Bloody breathtaking ..
.. so it is ..
.. no I mean it, really ..
.. it is – well, see for yourself!-------------------------
By around 5:30pm, and approx near two hundred twisty coast road miles behind us, we decide it call it a day then check-in & shack-up at a Motel6 in the seaside village of San Simeon.
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Friday, March-21
The following morning, not long after breakfast - certainly before 10:30am – we’re on our way again. After another 50 miles down the coast we say farewell to the Pacific Ocean at San Luis Obispo Bay .. 
.. and turn left, inland and head east towards the Sierra Mountain Range. 
I cannot help noticing how green the hills are right now. Within a couple of months, under an unrelenting summer sun, all this will have all turned to the much more lifeless colour of golden-brown
Soon we also say our goodbyes to Vijay, our host and guiding light for the last five days, who must return to his home in the San Francisco suburbs, Thank you so much V & Mo for all your kind hospitality.. see you in England one day soon, we hope.
Onwards we - the three remaining riders - Mack (Auckland), David (Seattle) & Me an' 'Er indoors - stop briefly at Lake Isabella 
after which time we ride off into desert landscape .... towards our stopover destination of Lone Pine township on the north-west periphery of Death Valley
2 comments:
This is the third test call, but so far, no luck.
Hi Keith & Ellen
What a start to your trip, mouse eaten wiring, a puncture and a fallen machine. Keith as you are a temporary Honorary Merrycan, you MUST replace that brand new yet punctured rear tyre as soon as possible or you will be labeled a lunatic by them ;-) It's great to see the pics as they remind me of 2006; Big Sur and Alice's Restaurant. Ride safely friend,
Paul & Heather
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