Last of the Best 15 US Roads Challenge!

October 17-18, 2012

CA-1:  Monterey to Morro Bay

Missions San Miguel and San Luis Obispo

Monterey Bay is sooooo nice in the early Fall!  Yesterday I rode all about the town, then out to the Navy Golf Monterey Pines and played 9 holes, absolutely awesome!  I could really enjoy living our here except for it being so cold and wet in the winter.  Oh, and IF I could afford a place to live our here….pretty expensive area!

It was an easy morning ride out of Monterey towards Carmel probably because it was a Sunday morning.  Today’s ride will be on CA-1, Cabrillo Hwy south to Morro Bay.  Anticipation was high as I imagined the views I will be treated to while on this road, and I was not disappointed.  It was only about 50 miles outside of Monterey that I came upon the first bridge with the support arches under the road.  Very picturesque style with the hills and the ocean surrounding it.  Snoopy liked the views and the unlimited supply of fresh ocean air flowing upon us from the Pacific.  Much of the road at the beginning just follows the coast and you can see the rocky shoreline or the uninhabited beaches.  Then in Big Sur the road cuts a bit inland only to once again come back out onto the coastline above the water.

Later down the road I came to a small restaurant/shop/motel area called Fernwood and posed for a photo there then on to what is the Big Sur Ranger Station.  All along this road you get beautiful views of the ocean, the hills, and I was surprised to find so many campsites where I could pitch a tent and hang out for a few days…..something I may do next year!  Then the fun of riding this part of CA-1 occurred, the sweeping twisties, the 180’s, the climbs, descents into climbing 180’s.  Ahhh, so much fun!

I came upon Gorda and stopped there for a soft drink.  When I was getting ready to leave the parking lot some German tourists came up to talk motorcycles.  Jack and wife Hetty and two friends from the Netherlands.  He rides a Harley also which made it fun to chat about riding with him. 

 

From Gorda the road took me past the Lion Seal Beach….hundreds of seals laying on the beach warming up in the sun….getting a sun tan??  Then past San Simeon and Hearst Castle through Cambria which brought back memories of a long ago vacation here.  Then it was off past Cayucos into Morro Bay where I got some gas and receipt for proof of visit and a brief self congratulatory….YES!  I have completed all of the Best 15 US Roads Challenge!

Now I must haul tail to knock off two Missions before I call it a night.  Out of the gas station I headed east on on CA-41 to Atascadero and took 101 north to Mission San Miguel.  Some photos, and passport stamp, then south on the 101 towards Mission San Luis Obispo de Tolosa. 

 

When I arrived in SLO and found the Mission, I parked in the rear garden.  From here I entered the Gift Shop from the rear entrance and got my stamp.  The shop was packed with visitor’s which I found very interesting.  With the stamp acquired, I now could go out and position Sophia in the right spot similar to the Passport photo.  Well, it was a good idea, BUT, when I got around to the front I discovered why there were so many visitors in the shop.  There was fair in process all around the Mission.  Many of the streets were blocked forcing traffic in directions that would not allow me to position Sophia for the desired photo.  So I did the next best thing….got Snoopy into the act!

 

With this I called it a day and headed to Vandenberg AFB where I would be spending the night.  Today was quite a day, only 250 miles were covered but many stops were made.  The ride is nearing the end of its objectives.  Only a handful of parks and missions remain to be visited.  Snoopy is happy, he was dancing in the parking lot as I unloaded Sophia and retired to our room.  I ate my KFC dinner and drank a beer.

Ahhhh, retired life is good J.

C ya mañana,

Gonzo

Twitter: @GonzoCrossUSA

Email: GonzoCrossUSA@gmail.com

Cell: 949-433-0761