It could be the drive of a lifetime!!

We left the motel in Downey at 7.15am and crossed LA and Santa Monica in rush hour – about 45mins. Honestly, Brisbane rush hour is worse. We headed north on the Pacific Coast Highway through Malibu where we had fruit salad for breakfast. We’d heard it said that this highway is one of America’s most breathtaking drives and it didn’t disappoint.

The road loops inland for several miles and we drove across thousands of acres of Strawberry farms. Then rejoining the Coast, we passed through Santa Barbara and stopped in the town of San Luis Obisbo. Named for the Mission there. The town is very pretty with handsome old buildings and tree lined streets. It looks like a picture from a story book. We would later learn that all of the towns along this road look like this. We had read about the 250 year old Mission in a book and wanted to visit it. It lived up to the expectations.

A few miles further north we stopped and looked at the Hearst Castle, from a distance. It sits alone on a misty hilltop, about a mile from the road. We viewed from the observation deck, because tours were too expensive (try $50 for two). And we didn’t want to spend the rest of the day there anyway.

We walked across the road to San Simeon Pier and walked out the 100 year old quarter mile wooden jetty and watched sea otters in the distance.

By this time the sky was grey and it had started to spit.

Fifteen minutes further north we abruptly stopped on a piece of road alongside the beach, where there was an entire colony of elephant seals resting. We walked right up to them and they seemed unfazed. Never seen them in the wild before.

Continuing north the road climbed the cliff-face. For 100 miles the road is a narrow two lane blacktop, cut into almost vertical cliffs. In a rare flattish spot we saw a coyote stalking prey on grass, 20 feet from the side of the road. The road became treacherous. There are frequent 10 mph hairpins that even Tasmania can’t equal. Steep grades, bad cambers and frequent rubble from avalanches, also frequent road works to clear avalanche rubble (this seems to be a frequent occurrence).

It was on this treacherous road that the rain started to fall and we discovered that our windshield wipers don’t work. After an hour of peering through a rain covered windshield, at one of the most treacherous roads we have ever travelled, we have delighted when the wipers started to work (this issue still to be resolved).

Soon after we stopped in a small town called Gorda, with a very quaint wooden general store - gas station/ lodging and restaurant. Out the front a colourful fellow whistling beautifully in time with his banjo, with a cat sitting by his side. We topped up oil here and continued up the road.

Shortly after we stopped in a turnout to take some pictures of the amazing view and had a chat with two Aussie women in a rental van (somewhat like a Wicked Van but better). They were on their way back to LA having spent the last month touring the US West. They told us that Yosemite and other areas that we wanted to visit were still closed to the public from heavy snow. One of the girls handfed a squirrel and we took his picture. Very obliging fellow.

Daylight was running out and we decided to stop in the Big Sur State Park. This must be one of the loveliest places on earth. We parked in a camp site, among the Sequoia’s and walked to the Lodge, where we had a lovely restaurant dinner. Then returned to Sacky to …errr… Hit the Sack.

It is very cold here. Tonight we are sleeping in long-johns, in sleeping bags in the van. Today has been majestic and breathtaking all the way.

Funny Fact: this morning we passed Malibu Creek State Park where much of MASH was filled in the seventies and eighties. And also, we just realised Sacky is the first vehicle we’ve outright owned. Feels quite nice.