Take a hat

Day 11 - Flying down to Vegas Heading to LAX again, this time to catch a plane to the desert City of Las Vegas. As expected, it was a busy road towards the Airport but we made time for a drive through Hollywood and Beverley Hills en route. We did not plan it at all and just put Sunset Boulevard in the Sat Nav. Some of the side streets were nice and TW jumped out at Hollywood Boulevard and looked at the Walk of Fame symbols built into the pavements. Lots of iconic street names flashed by. We tried to follow a Tour Bus for a while and then headed for the Alamo depot to give back our Malibu. Pretty slick operation, we did not have a chance to say goodbye before it was whisked away. Crossing the Desert One transfer bus later we were in the AA Terminal. Flying First Class this time as, with bags in the hold, it was cheaper than Economy. Security was tight and slow again, no not even tissues in your pocket! The Check-In staff said we could go into the Business Lounge but the grump o...

Day 10 - Beside the Sea In tandem in Santa Barbara Our Motel was actually quite a distance from the Ocean but there was a bus into the City which was quite entertaining. We did not want to drive anywhere, anymore. Seemed a lot busier than on my last visit nearly 40 years ago. Still lots of smart shops and plenty of bars. Renting a tandem and pedalling along the coast was the highlight of the day. TW was the stoker and had no brakes but she had pedals and we did rather well. We lunched very nicely in a popular seaside cafe much like the ones at home but the waitresses probably had better legs. It was even warm enough to sit on the beach! Santa Barbara American buses are great places for people watching and the ride home from town was a classic. My favourite person was fairly large young Lady carrying an enormous Pizza. She was incredibly polite and said things like, you are a very nice man, to a disabled chap who moved aside so she could put her pizza down. TW went ...

Day 9 - Hearst Castle and Sea Otters What a View Bluebird Inn Cambria proved to be the perfect overnight staging post. The Bluebird Inn was a great Motel and, because it was in town, there were several Restaurants to choose from within walking distance. We chose Robin's and were not disappointed. The bill was a bit heavy but it rounded off a perfect day. Nitt Witt Ridge TW decided she wanted to visit Hearst Castle and the Motel Receptionist was really helpful in getting us booked in for a Tour for later in the day. A good Breakfast and were all set to go. First stop was to Nitt Witt Ridge. An eccentric chap who was a bin man built this house out of junk and maybe inspired shabby chic. I thought it might give us some suggestions for our refurbishment but TW was not impressed, she is a bit John Lewis. Not sure the Nitt Witt was a great neighbour. It was a useful counterweight to our next target, Hearst Castle. Might seem odd going to visit a Castle in the USA when we ...

Day 8- Heading South to Carmel and the Big Sur Who is looking at who? Elephant stare This was the best day in the car of the entire trip and perhaps we should have allocated an extra day to this stretch of seaside. We hit the Coast and made our way onto 17 mile drive. There was a 10 Dollar toll to pay but it was worth it. We stopped for coffee at Pebble Beach. It is a Public Course, anyone can play. Well if you have 500 Dollars in your pocket you can. We made do with a look at the practice putting green, that was free. Carmel by the sea beckoned. We did the Tourist thing, a wander on the beach and then a nose around the shops. It was still a bit misty and cool but we enjoyed our time in this very pleasant town. Our aim was to have Lunch at the Mission Ranch, owned by Clint Eastwood a former Mayor of Carmel. We found it OK but they were only serving Dinner. Must have a word next time I see him, Go on Clint, Make my Day - open for Lunch (please)! Tee in the rocks Tea for tw...

Day 7 Coastal Caper Seals at Monterey Back in the Malibu for another long drive down from the Sierra Mountains towards the Pacific Coast. It started as a pleasant easy run on a quiet road flanked by Pine Trees. The forests are sadly being depleted by a combination of a prolonged drought and a dastardly beetle. Anyway, we were soon on the fertile inland plain that runs the length of California. They can grow practically anything here, everything from Almonds to Zucchini. Spot the fruit was a good game to play as we headed down the long straight roads. We took a Lunch break at Hollister which was a little frustrating. Jerry's looked from the outside to be fast food but it was pretty slow and mega portions. A massive Gammon steak turned up after a delay and alongside were Potatoes, Pancakes etc. Hollister was previously only know to me as a sporty tee-shirt brand from Southern California. From today it will be a mega meal destination with very leisurely service. Eventually we tr...

Day 5 - On the safe side of the street Leaving the San Francisco skyline behind Time to pack up and pick up a hire car - but not before a walk around the City. TW wanted to have a look around Macy's. I planned to sneak a nice coffee and cake but sadly their Cafe opened too late. Off to Alamo  at mid-day to pick up a very tidy Chevrolet Malibu. Hire companies always try and up-sell and we bought additional roadside assistance. Not really sure why the standard roadside assistance does not cover tyre issues? Bit (very) concerned about driving out of the busy, hilly city that is crisscrossed by tram lines in an unfamiliar car on the wrong side of the road. One wrong left turn and we would be dicing with the cable cars and definitely heading for the stars! Our route to the Freeway was planned meticulously and our strategy worked famously. We were soon heading East with the traffic on our carriageway going in the same direction - phew! Only 4 hours to Yosemite National Park. Not a b...