On paper, the star of this stage was clear: Big Sur. The famous coast where the mountains meet the ocean, and at every bend you reach for your camera. But the real hero of this stage was not a bridge or a cliff. It was a washing machine. How? Let me tell you.
- Half Moon BaySan Francisco → Half Moon BayPacifica beach and the coast road. Night: Half Moon Bay State Park, two new friends from Mexico and their energetic dog.
- Santa CruzHalf Moon Bay → Santa CruzBeach, volleyball, roller coasters. Night: Santa Cruz State Beach, a signed "9 am" promise and raccoons.
- MontereySanta Cruz → MontereyA Trader Joe's pie. Night: Veterans Memorial Park, at the top of the city.
- Big SurMonterey → Pfeiffer Big SurBixby Bridge and the cliffs. A 60-mile plan, cancelled when we saw washing machines. Night: Pfeiffer Big Sur State Park.
- Plaskett CreekPfeiffer → Plaskett Creek → San SimeonA short day, no shower, an uphill grocery run without bags. Night: Plaskett Creek, then San Simeon.
- Pismo BeachSan Simeon → Pismo BeachSeagulls, waves and "triple power" with the Canadian girls. Night: Pismo Beach County Park.
| San Francisco → Half Moon Bay | 52 km | ↑ 480 m | ↓ 540 m |
| Half Moon Bay → Santa Cruz | 97 km | ↑ 760 m | ↓ 740 m |
| Santa Cruz → Monterey | 68 km | ↑ 270 m | ↓ 180 m |
| Monterey → Pfeiffer Big Sur | 56 km | ↑ 730 m | ↓ 590 m |
| Pfeiffer Big Sur → Plaskett Creek | 47 km | ↑ 460 m | ↓ 700 m |
| Plaskett Creek → San Simeon | 62 km | ↑ 540 m | ↓ 560 m |
| San Simeon → Pismo Beach | 83 km | ↑ 320 m | ↓ 330 m |
| Stage total | 465 km | ↑ 3560 m | ↓ 3640 m |
I could not keep a daily GPS log: in 2011 power banks were hardly a thing, and with GPS tracking on the phone battery died within an hour, which would have made recording the rest of the tour impossible. So these are approximate values from Google Maps cycling directions along the route I rebuilt from the location points on my phone. On the few days where Google pushed the route onto other roads, distance comes from my own route and climbing from an elevation model. Ferry crossings are not included.
Half Moon Bay · The ocean after the city
After the hills of San Francisco and the hostel bunk beds, the road met the ocean again. First the beach at Pacifica, then Highway 1 curving along the coast... In the evening we were at Half Moon Bay State Park. At the campground we met two friends from Mexico, Isac and Manuel. Both were very friendly. I can't say the same about their dog; it had a little too much energy for us :)
Santa Cruz · We signed, but...
In my notes I called Santa Cruz "a dream city". Beach, beach volleyball, roller coasters... What else do you need for a good time? The campground was on the beach, right in the middle of the city, so the rules were strict. Everyone had to sign a paper: we promised to leave before 9 am. We didn't :) Luckily there was a covered corner where we could eat. The raccoons? They were there too, as always. By now they were permanent members of the team.
We signed a paper saying we would leave before 9 am. We didn't :)
Monterey · A pie and a campground on the hill
Monterey was a lovely town full of cyclists. A man we met on the road showed us the city and the campground. We shopped at Trader Joe's. The pie I bought was so good that I wanted another one. But going back to the store was impossible: the campground was at the very top of the city, and the only way up was uphill. Climb that hill a second time for a pie? No, not that much.
Big Sur · The view or the laundry?
After Monterey, Big Sur began. Our first stop was Bixby Bridge: a concrete arch stretched between two cliffs, with the ocean foaming below. Then the road clung to the side of the mountains and curved south. Green mountains on one side, the endless Pacific on the other.
The plan was clear: that day we would cross two big hills and ride 60 miles. We stopped for lunch at Pfeiffer Big Sur State Park and noticed something: the park had washing machines. If you had lived through our nights in Oregon with no laundry and no dry towel, you would understand what that meant. I did not have one clean thing left to wear. The hills could wait. We parked the bikes and stayed.
At the same campground we met two Canadian girls, one from Quebec and the other from British Columbia. They were very nice. And we, like two fools, did not even think to ask if they needed anything.
On one of the most beautiful coasts in the world, we changed our plan. The reason: a washing machine.
Plaskett Creek · How light a bike is without bags
The next day we rode a short distance and camped at Plaskett Creek. There was no shower here. I had not had one the day before either. A cyclist with no shower for two days... I felt terrible; the hot dogs saved the evening a little. The nearest grocery store was 3 miles away, and the whole way was uphill. But this time the bags stayed at the campground. Riding up that hill on an empty bike, I understood something very clearly: travelling without the weight is so much easier. For weeks we had not been pedalling our bikes, we had been pedalling our luggage.
From San Simeon to Pismo · Seagulls and waves
After Plaskett Creek we spent a night at San Simeon, then rolled down to Pismo Beach. On one of these days, when my notes go quiet, we stopped at a beach full of seagulls. I could not hold back: first I ran in among the seagulls, then into the waves of the Pacific, at the end of October.
Pismo Beach · Triple power
We had said goodbye to the Canadian girls from Big Sur on the road, when they got a flat tire. To be honest, I did not think I would see them again. But right after we arrived at Pismo Beach County Park, they showed up too. What a coincidence! Camping was $22. The night was great; I can't say the same for my stomach. The girls ate only vegetables and fruit, and my stomach was not used to such a healthy menu. The next day the restroom and I became very close friends :) But before that, as usual, we ate a lot and shared everything: hot dogs, Coors Light and chips. I even gave it a name in my notes: triple power.
What do I remember from Big Sur? Bixby Bridge, the cliffs, the seagulls and an uphill grocery run without bags. But the first thing that always brings this stage back to me is that, on one of the most beautiful coasts in the world, we changed our plan for a washing machine. Next: Southern California, with sunsets, Halloween and Hollywood.
- Where we slept: Half Moon Bay State Park, Santa Cruz State Beach, Monterey Veterans Memorial Park, Pfeiffer Big Sur State Park, Plaskett Creek, San Simeon State Park, Pismo Beach County Park. For their status today: Where we stayed
- From my 2011 notes: camping at Pismo Beach County Park $22. No shower at Plaskett Creek, and the nearest store 3 miles away, uphill.
- Lesson from the road: A bike without bags is a different machine. If the store is far, leave the bags at camp. And when you see a washing machine, don't be afraid to change the plan.
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