Big Sur, Ripplewood Resort

Our day started off by diverting from our map and taking the bike path along the bay, past Cannery Row, the Monterey Bay Aquarium and through Pacific Grove to 17 Mile Drive. Wonderful weather, lots of stops. We stopped in Carmel Corners when we got back to Hwy 1 for lunch at BG Burgers which was recommended by Delanie, the proprietor of Exotica. It is not what you think, she sells imports from Indonesia and a really cool kite that looks like a Monarch Butterfly. We had a photo op with Mona out in front of Exotica, Interesting but not my type.

Picked up some Gatorade, a couple of apples and oranges at Safeway and headed South on 1.

Some good hills but generally very good time as we had a tail wind. However, the wind does not always blow from the same direction. On the hill just south of the lovely Bixby Bridge circa 1932, as seen on live TV during the Tour of California bike race a couple of years running, it got exciting. We headed up the hill and the wind was blowing very hard from our left front. It stopped us. We have never in all our riding pushed our bikes up a hill. We pushed them about a 100 yards up the hill, not because of the hill, but because of the wind. While pushing the bike, the wind would push my front wheel sideways a couple of feet making a nice furrow in the gravel. The down hill was great but we had to slow down as the wind was blowing us 4 or 5 feet to the side which is not to cool if you are sharing the lane with a car etc.

All in all, it was apparent today that my dear sister Carol's bible study group has been back in action again. When we rode from San Diego to Miami in 2001 they kept us safe and also provided shade in west Texas when we had flats. Remarkable.

We met Sandy from Scotland today. She saw us yesterday north of Monterey. She started biking down south and made is as far north as Ventura before she decided the wind was to much. This time of the year I think it is only possible to go south and nothing in the last three days has changed my mind. Anyway, Sandy is no fool. She shipped her bike and her self to Arcata, north of Eureka and is biking south. A delightful young lady. She took out blog address so, Sandy if you read this, leave a comment about your progress.

Well my feet are tired and I am standing as I write this as they don't provide a stool by the counter by the micro wave. Oh, a guy nuked his breakfast burrito and my computer is still working. But it did remind me that I am hungry.

Well, we went across the highway to a restaurant. We had a good dinner and delightful conversation with a young couple from Redondo Beach. They were celebrating their 2nd anniversary. Dave was originally from Ohio and Ali was from Colorado. He manages a restaurant in Redondo Beach and they were bright, friendly and interested in our travels. Of course, we have stories. Dave invited us to stop in for a dinner on him at his restaurant, Hennesseys in Redondo Beach. They will still be on vacation when we go through Redondo Beach but might have to stop in anyway.