Thursday 9th May LA to San Diego

Woke up this morning – in San Clemente apparently. Looked out and found I was in a room above a charming flower filled court yard with the bike nestled safely next to the roses!

 

Had a great breakfast, dropped down to the sea only a quarter of a mile away – if you felt sorry for me when in that parched desolate desert (what, not even a little) then this makes up for it

 

 

 

 

- and then set off to continue my ride south to dear friends Lee and Gary in San Diego. 

However – on realising that I was only 7 miles from a beautiful 1776 mission at San Juan Capistrano I doubled back – seems to be a habit of mine, seem to go too far and then have to go back – usually to apologise!

The mission though is worth it, one of 21 built along the Californian coast by Catholic Franciscan priests. I always thought the distance between them was as far as a man could travel on a donkey in a day but I may have made that up.

The gardens were a beautiful mass of colour – and a mass of not so beautiful school kids and amazingly patient teachers – and in the quiet spots, sitting in the by now glorious sunshine I could find real peace. Swallows return here to nest here every March and they were flying around but I was more interested in the humming birds, the first I had seen on this trip. They were though very elusive and flitted into the shrubs and away again so fast that I couldn’t really focus my eyes in them let alone a camera.

 

After spending some time there and then having a Italian sausage sandwich and fries across the road I was ready for the run down the coast to San Diego.

Stopped at a view point on the way and chatted with the guy who owned this bike – no not a Harley, a Honda so he obviously a wise man – and he was so proud he rode it “and he was 62 you know” – yeah, know the feeling!

 

Arrived at Lee and Gary’s and after a very warm welcome, with lots of hugs, from Lee too, I soon had a cold Newcastle Brown in my hand.  Life is good!

Got a week’s break now before I drive up to Pismo Beach with Gary for a couple of days and then on to Seattle.

Chance to get the me and the bike washed, my laundry done properly and my boots re-soled – I thought I had worm them out on the rough terrain but thinking about it it was probably on the carpet of that very nice country kitchen café I stopped at – the carpet was toxic I’m sure.