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Trip Start Oct 11, 2008
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Trip End Nov 23, 2008


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Flag of United States  , California,
Tuesday, October 28, 2008

It's official, I am nationwide. I dipped feet and hands in the Pacific at 5 PM after a lovely meal at the San Simeon Beach Bar and Grill next to the motel. It had been a mostly hot ride from Barstow, put the wet vest and scarf on after shedding liners for my jacket, and kept hydrating every time at gas stops. The skies around Bakersfield seemed smog ridden, couldn't see the mountains or very much on the horizon, just a dim outline. Maybe the drift of the wildfires burning to the south?
The desert landscape did start to green up with fruit and nut orchards often on one side of the road, and dirt on the other. The kind of dirt that makes you think dust bowl.
But then came a freshness in the air, real trees in greener valleys and lots of winery signs. I was getting chilly. Thank goodness the vest and scarf were not cool any longer because the last 20 minutes of the ride would have been cold. Cambria signs and side streets came up and then, there it was - the Pacific. The sun was low enough that there was a silvery glaze on it. I rode past Cambria to a small collection of motels and chose my digs for the next 2 days. A little rest and explore before San Francisco.
Motel artwork update: The Courtesy Inn room has 2 disturbing paintings. They are beach scenes of sailboats, beach chairs, towels, beach umbrellas and picnic basket. Sounds lovely. But where are the people? Even the boats are eerily empty.
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