Day 88 / Tag 88 June 8 Pismo Beach to L.A. Strictly Highway One now

GPS and Google Maps neglect Highway 1, they always propose 101 as a route.

On top, Highway One at some points melts into the 101, later appears again on the map, this is going to get tricky, outsmart the two Gs, Google and Garmin. ;-)

Out of Pismo I pass a Rock'nRoll Diner, but I had so much coffe at the Dolphin Cove, I don't go in,

I have an apointment with a former colleague from Hamburg, Mikaela, in Santa Monica at 6 pm.
Plenty of time, so I take it easy on the road.
Highway One sure takes you to Small Town America, and the more you go south, the more you see

Day 87 / Tag 87 June 7 Monterey to Pismo Beach

Today I want to drive through Big Sur, supposedly one of the most beautiful parts of this road.
I've known it by the books of Jack Kerouac and Hunter S. Thompson.
The coast is frequently praised for its rugged coastline and mountain views. As the "longest and most scenic stretch of undeveloped coastline in the United States,"it has been described as a "national treasure that demands extraordinary procedures to protect it from development“, and "one of the most beautiful coastlines anywhere in the world, an isolated stretch of road, mythic in reputation.
Wikipedia has a good article on it (Click, opens in new window)


Breakfast close to my motel at Denny's Diner in Marina

Yes, this is ONE breakfast... ;-)

From Marina, north of Monterey, I find my way to Carmel-by-the-Sea, the Carmel Highlands,  and Highway One South. Beautiful spots.

Sidekick: Clint Eastwood was mayor of Carmel for two years. (Click, opens in new window)

Day 86 / Tag 86 June 6 Santa Cruz to Monterey

Leaving Motel Capri in Santa Cruz around 11 with coffee only, but no breakfast, back to Highway California One, going south. After one or two hours I stop in Seacliff, getting hungry. After an American breakfast at Sno-White Diner

I discover the Laundromat in the back and wash some clothes, dark.

The grocery store sells soap

Day 85 / Tag 85 June 5 Highway One San Francisco to Santa Cruz

I had always wanted to drive down Highway California 1, aka Pacific Highway One, or PHW1.
I had been driving and delivering cars all across the continent during my last (and first) stay in the US, back in 1986. But I didn't find a car to deliver from SF to LA then, so I took the Greyhound bus at night. What a shame, this is supposed to be one of the most beautiful roads ever. So I wanted to do it right this time:
Rent a decent car, take my time and enjoy the ride. Made it a Ford Mustang Convertible, five days and all my equipment ready to go.

After a gorgeous breakfast at Mel's Drive In, Belgian Waffle with hot strawberries and whipped cream, some freshly squeezed real Orange juice and Coffee refills,

I drove to Best Buy in Geary Ave to take care of the electronic devices.

Tested everything in the shop: Power Plug Adaptor ok, found the right cable for my external drive, et voilà, it works! Glad, it wasn't the drive itself, but the cable.

Last Station SF: Haight Ashbury, just around the corner.

50 years anniversary of Summer of Love '67, even my GPS

Day 84 / Tag 84 Sun June 4 San Francisco lazy sunday

Have to get used to that car. Booked a convertible, got a Ford Mustang. Man, I'm not used to these modern cars and automatic transmission.

I reset my camera to local time, that makes it a bit complicated to find the right pictures...

I decide to take a tour to the Muir Woods and Stinson Beach north of SF. This will take me over the Golden Gate Bridge and back. Toll is automatically collected by License Plate and covered in the rental agreement. So let's go!

Stop at the northern end of the bridge, of course, taking the usual pictures here, and finding out how to adjust that driver seat properly.

Day 83 / Tag 83 June 3 Hawaii to San Francisco

 
Travel day.
Brad and Julia give me a lift to the airport. Big Mahalo for that!

Brad finds a used Hilo Hattie Shirt in the back of his car, original, with coconut buttons, as he says, and gives it to me. A beautiful shirt.

flight to Frisco

Day 77-82 / Tag 77-82 May 28-June2, Hawai'i. Chill days in Waikiki

"Time is not wasted, when you enjoyed wasting it."




I wake up in an apartment on the 11th floor of Marina Tower Waikiki, prepare some breakfast.
What a change compared to the days before...

I take the bus line 42 down to Kewalo Basin Harbour and find the pier