Ten Fifty-nine

[LongRanger]

. . . on The One

There’re some peaks, just to the West --- outta place/lumpy/bread-loafy . . . but dramatic, still. They remind me of Morro Rock --- but I don’t know their names . . . and I’ve been coming this way for almost 40 years, too. I like seeing them, again . . . familiar

Further along North, the fields close, then draw back --- we’re running in a valley, w/ranch land + farms + country roads . . . then we spill out + onto the coast. And Morro Bay . . . the one w/ the power plant’s three stacks

Then Cayucos, on the hillside, along the way . . . and the chain-link + the homes w/ no trees, power-lines hanging. And the now the ocean, close + trying to fog . . . cooler, here . . . and I turn on the heat

With so little traffic, + the road gliding down . . . the Pace picks up. Never see Law, here, so --- the passing gets more authoritative

Line up

Close up

Signal

Bam!

[LongRanger]

Monday = Car Day



. . . = glide . . .

[LongRanger]

Harmony, CA . . .



. . . population = 18



Note the psyclistes

[LongRanger]

From Cayucos, The One tucks inland . . . back into ranchland, a few sweeps, then --- houses-on-the-hillsides = Cambria . . . a cute almost-resort-type town. You can’t see much of it from the road . . . but there's a tidy little downtown w/ shops + crafty places, small restaurants, a few hotels on the beachfront, + gas. Looked-into buying property here, w/ The X, some years back. At that time, we were told that there was 7-year wait for municipal water . . . but you’d never know, driving. Gets hot here, too . . . but not today

The One rolls on, North, through the hills + past the trees . . . then, dry grassy space . . . and finally the coast --- w/ surf rolling in . . . glimpses of beach --- out-of-sight, almost . . .

[LongRanger]

San Simeon

Citizen Hearst

The jetty was his --- and everything else . . . as far as he could see

[LongRanger]

Once more, inland . . . fewer sweeps --- and longer

Some scenic turn-outs . . . . but any traffic is usually seen from a distance

[LongRanger]

I love Mondays

[Tom Michelsen]

The nine sisters.....I'm moving to Shell Beach in about 9 months....

. . . on The One

There’re some peaks, just to the West --- outta place/lumpy/bread-loafy . . . but dramatic, still. They remind me of Morro Rock --- but I don’t know their names . . . and I’ve been coming this way for almost 40 years, too. I like seeing them, again . . . familiar

Further along North, the fields close, then draw back --- we’re running in a valley, w/ranch land + farms + country roads . . . then we spill out + onto the coast. And Morro Bay . . . the one w/ the power plant’s three stacks

Then Cayucos, on the hillside, along the way . . . and the chain-link + the homes w/ no trees, power-lines hanging. And the now the ocean, close + trying to fog . . . cooler, here . . . and I turn on the heat

With so little traffic, + the road gliding down . . . the Pace picks up. Never see Law, here, so --- the passing gets more authoritative

Line up

Close up

Signal

Bam!

[LongRanger]

From San Simeon, The One wheels West, then comes around North, again

Up Here, this is all formally called the Cabrillo Highway --- after the first European to navigate this coast . . . four-and-a-half centuries ago. Amazing to see such place so open, still

Kinda the most relaxing part, here. Only scattered civilization, from now on. One fuel stop . . . but the next real town is prolly Big Sur --- another 60 mi/100 km away . . . + Monterey’s 30 mi/50 km further

I feel like a kite. This is the fastest stretch --- also, the last place to pass easily. Road’s almost always wide-open, here. Cattle in the pastures . . . but I’ve never seen one loose = past the fence. I have seen Tourist-Goofballs park-up on the road-side, then --- dart across (!!) . . . to see the rocks or the waves or the elephant seals or whatever would prompt someone to stop/dart. And when it rains, the low-points can fill w/ water. I love bombing through here, but . . . try to stay smart

Then . . .

. . . juuuuust when This Place is at its emptiest . . . and the time and the traffic and the distractions are pretty-much gone/forgotten . . . and the land and the sea and the sky --- and The One . . . all fuse grey in the distance . . .


. . . there’s this oooooooooooone last fast-little sweeper . . . bends under some trees, carves by a hill/berm, leaving me facing this wall of stacked green ---


Been waiting for this . . . all morning . . .

. . . for months

Same Place = Same Thrill


. . . there’s this dot of bright yellow --- sorta pops-up + outta the back-round --- almost outta nowhere, jarring

Yellow diamond w/ 35 + Big J --- hooking down/right

And behind it = another arrow --- straight right, this time --- an exclamation point ---->


I duck in + charge past the diamond, change down, take a deep breath, and then? . . . .


Squeeeeze the brakes --- kinda hard

Good thing that I haven’t used ‘em much for, like, the last 10 miles

Nose nudges down, suspension settles forward --- me, too! --- tires plant --- turn in/right . . .

~10:45 AM, mi = ?

[LongRanger]

Another ---> . . . what does that tell you?

The One bolts right/dives down. Not much camber, that I remember --- but the apex is outta sight . . . and after floating along for the last few miles, this corner can really spook . . . especially if it’s foggy/wet

Try doing this at night . . .

. . . I dare you


Anyway, if this 1st corner is bit of a jolt? . . . then the next one feels like a relief --- a big fat lollypop, banked, even . . . + seen-from-above + swooped-in on, so you can build up some speed again . . . re-compose

This corner's double-striped, now. Too bad. One of my favorite places to pounce/pass

I remember when All of This --- from Hearst Castle to Carmel . . . used to be broken-yellow/pass-when-safe/etc

But I’m old


Just watch out for the psychlists