Or indeed anywhere on the west coast as far as we can tell. We entered our fourth week with absolutely perfect weather – clear skies, temperatures in the low 70’s and a gentle breeze to keep things comfortable. We enjoyed another 40 miles of classic ‘Big Sur’ country with loads more Mustangs as well as the odd Corvette for good measure and we are starting to see plenty of ‘premium’ European cars too. Once we get to Malibu every third veeeeehicle will be a Ferarri or a Lambo.

We are now in San Simeon – home to Hearst Castle. William Randolph Hearst was a mega-rich industrialist and chum of the Vanderbilts and Rockerfellas, though you may know of him thanks to his granddaughter …..Patty Hearst! Anyway, to show everyone how impressively minted he was he commission a ‘castle’. The design approach appears to have been to use money and taste in inverse proportions resulting in something that even Walt Disney would be envious of. We saw it distantly from the route but maybe some of the punters will have take the detour and taken the tour.

Other than the castle, San Simeon seems to entirely comprise motels, hotels and other establishments to house the tourists…..or tired cyclists riding the Specific Coast Highway.

On a more mundane level I would like to record that I am sick of camping! There is nothing basically wrong with it that a comfortable bed, proper bath, TV and door wouldn’t fix but after 3 weeks I would like to return to the sort of life I spent 30 years working to afford!

Steve
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