Day 68 - (09/24) Ventura, CA

Today was a full day.  We began with tour #2 of Hearst Castle, then drove south to Ventura.


We connected the trailer and drove to the Hearst Castle Information Center for a tour starting at 10:20.  All guests are transported from the Information Center to the Castle (5 miles) by bus.

Ocean view from Hearst tour bus

The Castle evolved over 28 years (1919 to 1947).  The tour left us with an impression of gross extravagance.  However, the pictures below show part of a creation that will never be duplicated.  

Neptune Pool

One of three guest houses (Casa del Monte?)

Entrance to Casa Grande

The grounds are carefully groomed

Mt. Hearst's bedroom - 1 of 56 in the castle

Mr. Hearst's office - Gothic study

Hand carved teak cornice

Casa Grande Roman Pool

The drive south took us through Morrow Bay, San Luis Obispo, passed Vandenberg AFB at Lompoc, Santa Barbara, and on to Ventura.  State parks along the ocean are packed.  There aren't many private RV parks in this part of the state.  

We stayed at Ventura Beach RV Resort.  It's a very nice park within walking distance of the beach.

Site #? - Ventura Beach RV Resort

We had an early dinner at Jack in the Box in Lompoc.  Carol had a Sirloin Cheeseburger; Dick had an Ultimate Cheeseburger.  Both were very good, but not good for us.


Map Tracks
Start:  Hearst San Simeon State Park - San Simeon, CA
South on CA-1 and US-101 to Ventura
End: 189 miles @ Ventura Beach RV Resort - Ventura, CA

Day 67 - (09/23) San Simeon, CA

We left the campground at 10:30 and headed for CA-1 and Big Sur.


Travel south of Carmel was pretty slow.  It took about an hour to go 35 miles.  This is without a doubt the most striking coastal area we've been in.  We don't know how to describe the magnificence we saw through words or pictures, but here are a few pictures.  

CA-1 south of Carmel

CA-1 south of Carmel

Looking north along CA-1

Looking south along CA-1 toward Big Sur

Point Sur Naval Facility
(Just north of Big Sur)

This part of CA-1 travel had few services we could use.  There isn't much space to build them and there isn't much space for RVs when they do.  We were able to stop at The Whale-watcher's Cafe in Gorda.  Here we discovered the significant costs associated with services in a remote area (hamburger $13.95, soft drink $3.75, regular unleaded gas $4.90/gal.).

Englebert tries to make high prices more palatable
(We didn't ask his last name, but it's probably not Humperdinck)

Highway past Ragged Point descends toward the ocean

We found a great campsite at the Hearst San Simeon State Park.  The site has no water or electric service, but it's convenient to Hearst Castle (4 miles south of the castle).

Site #4 - San Simeon Creek Campground

We set-up the trailer, then did some exploring.  Our first stop was at the Hearst Castle Information Center to select a tour and purchase tickets.  We got a view of the castle high on the hill.  We'll see it up close at 10:20am tomorrow.

Hearst Castle in the distance

We drove a few miles further north to the Piedras Blancas Elephant Seal Rookery.  The information displays were interesting, the seals weren't.

Elephant Seal info - part 1

Elephant Seal info - part 2

Elephant Seals ... doing absolutely nothing

We returned to the campground and had a light dinner.  We try to conserve trailer battery power, so we played Bananagram by flashlight.  

Map Tracks

Start:  Laguna Seca Campground - Salinas, CA

West on CA-68 to CA-1 at Monterey

South on CA-1 to San Simeon, CA

End: 109 miles @ San Simeon Creek Campground - San Simeon, CA

Day 66 - (09/22) Monterey, CA ... day 2

Today is "17 Mile Day".  We took the 17 mile scenic drive around the Monterey peninsula.  There are four entrance/exit points, the daily entrance fee is $9.50 per car, the route includes: coast scenes, historic points, golf courses, seals, birds, and some of the most beautiful homes we've seen.


We drove through Cannery Row before starting the 17 mile drive.  The streets have become very touristy thanks, in part, to John Steinbeck.

Canneries along Monterey Bay

Monterey Bay Aquarium on Cannery Row

Fishing boat off Point Cabrillo
(Ocean View Blvd.)

Surfers wait for "good waves"
(Asilomar State Beach)

Surf at Asilomar State Beach

Golfer tees off on Point Joe at Monterey Peninsula Country Club
(lots of balls get pretty wet here)

One of many gorgeous homes along Fan Shell Beach

Swirling water at Sunset Point

The Lone Cypress
(over 200 years old, official symbol of Pebble Beach)

We were here, but Tiger wasn't

We left the drive briefly at Carmel by the Sea.  Carmel is a serious, high-class community.  Though we were clearly out of our element, we had a wonderful lunch at a French/Italian restaurant (Le St Tropez) and found the  fudge store/candy shop we had visited 10 years ago.  


The Cottage of Sweets has been in the same place, with the same owner, for 29 years.  Carol was taken by their fudge 10 years ago and loved this batch as well.  The owner let us know that Clint Eastwood had been in the store, but didn't buy any for himself because he was "watching his weight".

1 1/2 pounds of "Vitamin C" in the bag

We headed back to the trailer around 4pm and had a quiet evening.


Map Tracks
None for the day.

Day 65 - (09/21) Monterey, CA ... day 1

Today we moved from rural, sparsely populated areas to busy, crowded cities.  The day was beautiful, the transition went pretty well.


We started in wine country (Sonoma County).  Here's a view of vineyards in the valley below the KOA Campground.

Above - vineyards in the distance
Below - grapes look really good up close

We left Cloverdale on US-101.  Highway 1 joins US-101 at Sausalito, continues across the Golden Gate Bridge, and separates from US-101 immediately beyond the bridge toll booth

Southbound on Golden Gate Bridge

Highway 1 goes south through western San Francisco

Beach near Pacifica from Highway 1

Cliffs near Pacifica from Highway 1

Pigeon Point Lighthouse
(Between Half Moon Bay and Santa Cruz)

Shoreline at Pigeon Point Lighthouse

Wind surfers
(From Highway 1, near Santa Cruz)

We're camped at Laguna Seca Recreation Area.  It's between Monterey and Salinas.  It has interesting amenities like ... a Mazda race track, a shooting range, a racing school and other stuff we don't understand yet.  The entrance has a 16% grade for about 1,000 yards as it climbs a hill; you certainly don't get in here accidentally.  Camp sites have water, electricity and phenomenal views.  The campground has rest rooms, showers and a dump station.

This is quite a campground

Mazda Laguna Seca Raceway

Drivers making practice runs

Raceway at turn 6

Site #5 - we're on top of a ridge

Looking east from our site

This was a pretty long driving day.  We went to Fisherman's Wharf in Monterey for dinner.  Our table overlooked the bay.  We watched seals play (show off?)  and the sun set as we dined.  Try the baby spinach salad and clam chowder at Old Fisherman's Grotto.  We did ... they are wonderful.  This was a delightful day and evening.

Fisherman's Wharf - Monterey

Monterey Bay Marina

Monterey Bay Marina after sunset

Map Tracks                                                                                                                                            

Start:  Cloverdale KOA Campground - Cloverdale, California

South on US-101 to CA-1 at Sausalito

South on CA-1 to Monterey

East on CA-68 to Laguna Seca Recreation Area

End: 219 miles @ Laguna Seca Campground - Salinas, California