After the wonderful evening and meal of the night before, we woke up fairly early. The plan was to be out the door by 8:00 and we only missed it by a few minutes. After taking a few pictures and thanking Suzan for a wonderful time, we rode back down to the beach front, then out onto the pier for breakfast.
After breakfast we decided to return to Solvang (the Danish town that Nannette and I had visited the previous day). John asked me if I knew of a back way into Solvang that would avoid the freeway, but I didn't, so we got back on the 101 and headed North. (By the way, we paid $4.99 for gas).
There was thick fog and a real chill in the air for 25 miles until we turned inland. We reached Solvang, and the first words from Shauna were "Why didn't we take the back way that avoids the freeway?" It hadn't occurred to us to ask Shauna for directions. We noticed that all of the hill around the area were very dry, and all the grass had died. Someone told us that the hills aren't "Brown", they are "Golden" and beautiful. Suuuuure they are.
We wandered around Solvang for an hour, then headed back to highway 1 and turned North. In this area, the PCH cuts inland, so we just rode through hills on a 4 lane highway. Nannette said that she was having Walmart withdrawals, so when we got to Lompoc, we found a Walmart and went in to buy a few essentials.
We talked about getting lunch in Lompoc, but decided that it was too early, so we continued North. When we got near Santa Maria we noticed a bad odor in the air, and allot of manual harvesting going on in the fields around us. It was either cabbage or broccoli being harvested right up to the town boundaries, so we decided not to eat there. We continued on to Oceano where a much better odor assailed us from a BBQ place. It was a good meal, but a bit pricey.
From Oceano we got on the 101 freeway and headed up to San Louis Obispo. We have friends whose son is on a Mormon mission there, and Nannette got his address. Nan led the way with the GPS right to his door, but he wasn't home. Since it was 4:00 in the afternoon, that was probaly a good thing. We wrote a note to leave on his door, then got ready to continue driving. Just as we pulled out, Elder Bittner and his companion pulled up. Nannette started waving and it took a second or two for him to figure out who the weird lady was.
He finally recognized her, then thanked the person giving them a ride and came talk to us. He looks really good and healthy and had a great spirit about him. We chatted for a bit, then took some pictures and said our goodbyes.
Nannette again lead the way North to the freeway, then onto highway 1 through Morrow Bay and on to our hotel in San Simeon. We had bid for 2 star rooms through Pay Pal and had won rooms in the Days Inn. From the looks outside we were a little worried, but the rooms themselves were recently redone and very nice.
All of us ready to start the ride up the PCH
Greg and Shauna on Greg's 80 something Goldwing painted Ford 72 blue (we've teased him)
Riding out onto the Pier
Parking by the restaurant for breakfast.
Riding into Solvang (looking back over my shoulder)
John and Angela parked in Solvang
Nannette and I in Solvang
Riding through the "Golden" hills of Southern California
John who can't believe he's in a Walmart on his motorcycle ride
Nannette in our support vehicle. We kid her about not being on a bike, but the car is full of all our stuff
Nan and I with Elder Bittner (by me) and Elder Broadbend
Elders Bittner and Broadbend on their new "bike". I wonder if pres will approve?
A rare gap in the coastal fog as we enter Morrow Bay
A scenic overlook just past San Simeon where we stopped to check on the hotel location.
John and Angela by the restaurant in Cambria where we got pizza
Nannette and I
Homes up on the hills in Cambria. They looked much more mystic with the fog in real life.
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