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.
