Trip to Pacific Coast Highway, 2005
The previous year we made the trip from Phoenix to San Diego via the I-8, then up the Pacific Coast Highway to Monterey. From San Diego to
Santa Monica there is nothing but traffic on the PCH. It's not worth it, in my opinion. So that was 4 days wasted. Traffic, traffic, and more traffic. In
some places the area looked downright GHETTO. LA was disgusting, smoggy, dirty, and foul. I hate that place. Santa Monica was a step up.
North of Santa Monica things started to look better. Once you reach San Luis Obispo, you finally hit an area that can be labelled "beautiful."
So, for 2005, we decided to skip all the nastiness of Southern California, and just begin in Santa Monica. We followed the PCH all the way to San
Francisco. This time the scenery was much better, less traffic, less smog. It was a great trip.
Santa Monica there is nothing but traffic on the PCH. It's not worth it, in my opinion. So that was 4 days wasted. Traffic, traffic, and more traffic. In
some places the area looked downright GHETTO. LA was disgusting, smoggy, dirty, and foul. I hate that place. Santa Monica was a step up.
North of Santa Monica things started to look better. Once you reach San Luis Obispo, you finally hit an area that can be labelled "beautiful."
So, for 2005, we decided to skip all the nastiness of Southern California, and just begin in Santa Monica. We followed the PCH all the way to San
Francisco. This time the scenery was much better, less traffic, less smog. It was a great trip.
Step1: Rent a trailer and load the
bike. I had to pay $250 to get a hitch
installed on my car. The trailer was
$14 per day. After we arrived in Santa
Monica I had to pay $20 per day to
park the car and trailer while I was
gone. The trip from Phoenix to Santa
Monica is normally about 6 hours but it
took 7 hours because the car was
struggling up the hills with that heavy
trailer. In addition, the trailer is not
made to go faster than about 55mph.
The wheels on that trailer are tiny.
Looking back, I wouldn't recommend
pulling the bike. It's so much extra
expense and aggravation. If you ride
from Phoenix to to Santa Monica it
takes about 8 hours. You do 1.5
hours on, and 1/2 hour off resting. 4
stops and you've got it. Anyway, if you
have a truck and a good quality trailer
such as a "Kendon" trailer, then I
guess it's o.k. to pull the bike.
bike. I had to pay $250 to get a hitch
installed on my car. The trailer was
$14 per day. After we arrived in Santa
Monica I had to pay $20 per day to
park the car and trailer while I was
gone. The trip from Phoenix to Santa
Monica is normally about 6 hours but it
took 7 hours because the car was
struggling up the hills with that heavy
trailer. In addition, the trailer is not
made to go faster than about 55mph.
The wheels on that trailer are tiny.
Looking back, I wouldn't recommend
pulling the bike. It's so much extra
expense and aggravation. If you ride
from Phoenix to to Santa Monica it
takes about 8 hours. You do 1.5
hours on, and 1/2 hour off resting. 4
stops and you've got it. Anyway, if you
have a truck and a good quality trailer
such as a "Kendon" trailer, then I
guess it's o.k. to pull the bike.
"Chewbekah"???
Bekah really is a good sport to allow
me to take this photo...
This was in front of a Halloween shop
on the "Promenade" of Santa Monica.
Bekah really is a good sport to allow
me to take this photo...
This was in front of a Halloween shop
on the "Promenade" of Santa Monica.
Wishful thinking? Santa Monica, CA
Ventura County
Beautiful Morro Bay. Here I am looking
at the famous "Morro Rock."
at the famous "Morro Rock."
Hi name is Lu Chi Fa, but folks call him
"Gordon." He was an orphan in China
at a time when there was no help for
the needy. He went to live with his
older sister's husband but he was
abusive. He was literally starving for
most of his childhood. You could
count his ribs. To make a long story
short, now he owns "The Tea Pot
Restaurant" in Morro Bay. His home
overlooks the ocean. He is obviously
very wealthy. It's a great story that the
poor starving child became a wealthy
restaurant owner. He is humble and
soft spoken. He wrote this book to tell
his story. It is an awesome book. Buy
it here. He is a real life example of the
American Dream.
"Gordon." He was an orphan in China
at a time when there was no help for
the needy. He went to live with his
older sister's husband but he was
abusive. He was literally starving for
most of his childhood. You could
count his ribs. To make a long story
short, now he owns "The Tea Pot
Restaurant" in Morro Bay. His home
overlooks the ocean. He is obviously
very wealthy. It's a great story that the
poor starving child became a wealthy
restaurant owner. He is humble and
soft spoken. He wrote this book to tell
his story. It is an awesome book. Buy
it here. He is a real life example of the
American Dream.
This is a colony of Elephant Seals.
The area of the beach is off limits to
people. It is a refuge for the wildlife.
This is located in San Luis Obispo,
near the Hurst Castle.
The area of the beach is off limits to
people. It is a refuge for the wildlife.
This is located in San Luis Obispo,
near the Hurst Castle.
In the same parking lot as where you
stop to view the Elephant Seals, the
wild Ground Squirrels have come to
trust the tourists.
stop to view the Elephant Seals, the
wild Ground Squirrels have come to
trust the tourists.
Man they REALLY trust those tourists!
Well this is what we came for: miles
and miles of twisty beautiful scenic
highway. Free of traffic or smog.
Mountains on your left and the ocean
on your right. Beautiful. Just beautiful.
and miles of twisty beautiful scenic
highway. Free of traffic or smog.
Mountains on your left and the ocean
on your right. Beautiful. Just beautiful.
Another 50 miles north and you get to
see the big Sequoia trees of
Pfeiffer/Big Sur.
see the big Sequoia trees of
Pfeiffer/Big Sur.
End of the journey- destination
Reached!
Reached!
Well, that's it. We ate some Gnocci in
Little Italy, then turned around and
went home back the way we came.
Was a great trip. Total time was about
6 days, total miles about 1500.
Little Italy, then turned around and
went home back the way we came.
Was a great trip. Total time was about
6 days, total miles about 1500.
