Okay, so I wasn't able to post to my blog on a daily basis! My apologies.
Riding was so much fun, and our days were so filled with riding, eating, riding some more, taking pictures, drinking coffee, getting settled and then going out for the evening..well, you get the picture don't you? Besides, most of our stops were far removed from internet services. Good excuse, heh? So, now that some time has passed I'll just give you a quick recap of my favorite days of riding. I can tell you up front however, that I can not put into words how amazing this adventure truly was.
I believe the ride from Monterey to Big Sur was most spectacular. Day 3 took us thru Pacific Grove and 17 mile drive, an AMAZING place to take pictures of the ocean, bluffs, seals and dolphins! Of course we stopped for a photo op at the famous Lone Cypress..(most photographed tree ever!) Riding thru Carmel we saw beautiful coastal homes,quaint downtowns, and a magnificent old adobe mission.
Next? Pfeiffer Big Sur State Park!!! This is the most beautiful section of coast in the world. We took tons of photos and you'll see them in the photo album. Simply spectacular...i think this was the place I kept pinching myself to see if I was really riding along this amazing coast in the beautiful weather with so many new friends! THIS was a fantastic day!
This day also included the famous bridges along the coast; Rocky Point bridge and Bixby Bridge. Bixby was a graceful concrete arch bridge over a deep canyon that ends in rocky points and white sandy beaches! The bridge curves to fit the canyon! It was beautiful!
The final treat for the day was stopping at Big Sur River Inn in Big Sur. Great burgers, salads and beers that you can eat at a table IN THE RIVER with your feet in the water! (see fotos!)We camped in Big Sur that night, and some of us stayed in the lodge..I think we could have stayed here for a week...but morning, as usual, came early....
OFF to San Simeon! This was another "up" and "down" day for sure! Better have your climbing legs again for this day! The descents were a dream for any cyclist who has a need for speed. Downhill speeds were easily 40+mph for those brave souls! OMG..they were smooth and fun!!!
We rode along the coaast the ENTIRE DAY! The cliffs were jagged and really steep!! California Condors were seen soaring above the cliffs and sitting on rock ledges! We had an opportunity to visit some hot springs, so we went! The guys wore their bathing suits and I opted for "just the legs"-I had not a bathing suit with me, but it was really nice for my legs! We ate some pizza there for a snack and moved on toward the finish line of the day!
Before we got there though, we saw Elephant Seals sleeping and pushing/shoving/fighting on the beach! They are protected mammals, but the walkways allow you close enough for some great photographs. The colony is currently estimated to be about 7,500 seals, making it the largest in the world. Pretty darn amazing (and funny)! Arriving "home" for the night we were at Hearst State Beach which has a great view of the Hearst Castle. The campground had a wonderful beach and pier. Really lovely! But, we rode past the castle arriving at our own little castle on the beach..nice hotel with amazing views of the ocean and evening sunset..What a remarkable way to end this day...We were tired of the chicken and pasta dinners (although the food was fabulous!) so we went out for mexican food and that was AFTER a wonderful massage at the spa next to our hotel!!!
