After enjoying a waffle breakfast in our room, Cathy was patient and waited until my trike proved itself as roadworthy. I rewarded her with a ride on my machine!
As we were checking out a gentleman, John, rode by on his ICE Trice. I waved at him, and he waved back, and u-turned when he noticed I was a tadpole trike owner as well.
We chatted for a bit before he sped off. He said he was too old to be online when I mentioned Bent Riders Online.
I said goodbye to Cathy, thanking her for the wonderful time spent together and hit the road. A little while after I passed San Simeon, as always, nature called at the worst possible time. I failed to prioritize and stopped to take a picture of this tractor which made my situation worse.
I looked for an emergency place and thought of the story I would tell to use their facility. Luckily as I passed this small park, I looked back and saw the stick man and woman and headed there. I asked a man if he was part of a line or not. Fortunately he was just waiting for his wife. Unfortunately I gave him the opening he needed to ask about my trike. I answered his questions with as much patience as I could muster before dashing into one of the washroom doors as I answered his last question.
When I was done, I was surprised to find him and his wife hanging around where I left him, and I fielded more questions, this time mostly from Laurie. Kevin then said they ought to be going and I bid them farewell.
It's too bad our hotel owner had not told us about the small neighbouring community of Cambria. It had tons of great looking restaurants and antique shops like Grandma Had One.
They even had a cool local trolly bus to take you down the main drag. I don't think it extended beyond the Main Street like most little towns I went trough.
They had a cool little schoolhouse that reminded me of Little House on the Prairie. It seems Half-Pint Ingles sold out and turned it into an art gallery.
In the middle of town I found this awesome lighthouse lens. I had seen a number of similar lenses in lighthouses up and down the coast but this one was more easily accessible and cool to look at up close. I wish I had time to go and see all the crashed boats along the shore by the lighthouse, but had to keep moving.
I thought I saw a potential suicide attempt but it turns out it was just an effective attractant in the form of life size doll.
I was making good time and was close to Cambria. I had access to yelp so I was able to discover Ruddell's Smokehouse.
Of course, my knack for finding places to eat with no public washrooms showed no signs of slowing down. Luckily a little way down the beach were some public washrooms. I put my order for two Smoked Albacore tacos (over the twice the price twice as large sandwich) and realized too late that I could have chosen two different tacos.
I gave the name Kamal, my middle name and my day's first name, because they were already yelling Adam for an order that had been completed. I took my tacos to the beach with my lemonade. They were incredible, and had nothing Mexican in them, but were still fantastic. The smoked fish was topped with a lettuce-apple-carrot-tomato combo glued with a bit of creamy dressing.
I was desperate for drugs and I also needed some gifts. This store that offered one stop shopping for both called my bluff.
There was a really cool house hat had unusual architecture, an unusual storage canister in front, and a Dutch Courage dinghy.
I wasn't sure how to measure my life as I didn't feel like I had any problems. And I wasn't sure the size of a God would help me if I did know. Or did it mean the size of my God was in proportion to the size of my life? I thought my life was pretty full, so I guess my God was sated. Sweet! So was I after my fish tacos, so I was more like my god than I thought.
Unfortunately I missed Morro Bay which apparently is a beautiful little community. I think I got this picture of Morro mountain from the wrong side. The Bay was behind it. It was around here this guy on a loaded bike passed me. I liked the gallon of water he had connected to his rack!
I was making good time due to missing the Morro turnoff, and was hoping to hit San Luis Obispo for a bank machine.
When I got into town I stopped this guy on a corner to ask about a Bank of America. He wasn't sure but quickly suggested I should continue on Santa Rosa and turn down Iguera. He then immediately said with urgency and some exclamation, "Dude, you need a place to stay?" He was a bike tourer as well, but was ended a tour prematurely to save his hands; Bread and butter in his profession as a pianist. I appreciated the implied offer to crash at his place but wanted at least another 14 miles under my belt in Oceano. But we exchanged contact info and I thanked him for the help and offer. I would love to go back to visit Skyler and see experience what he loved about San Luis Obispo, which he said he kept coming back to because it was such a great little city! And the Bank of America was *at* Santa Rosa and Iguera!!!
I grabbed a blue cheese burger at a place on the outskirts of San Luis Obispo and after leaving I passed gallon-water-biker and then he passed me and I passed him again. I was quicker on downhills and had a wind advantage being low in th flats. His jacket billowed with wind when I was behind him. I stopped to verify my route and Tim and his gallon of water stopped to ask if I was resting. I explained my desire to check my that my path was correct and we talked at the intersection for a bit. He was mostly free campng and was on his way to South America. He had a mishap in Mexico and so was redoing this stretch from home back to the border to avoid the $135 fine. He didn't like to pay for unnecessary things, like the Visa for Brazil. He went off, and I caught up to him as I got close to Oceano, but he veered off in search for a good Freecamp area.
I got to the Welcome to Oceano sign which was across the street from where I would eventually camp. I was told at Oceano Campground that I would have to go back a bit and hit their RV park for hiker biker!
At the check in area, Carol wasn't sure if the hiker biker sites were full or not. She had me go investigate a few sites.
When I got to the first of two sites, I asked Ray if he'd mind if I joined him. He shook his head no, suggesting it would be fine. I went back to Carol and told her I was fine at site 22. Ray was a man of few words, but at the ame time very social. I think I thought he was quiet because he thought about how to respond, taking a few moments before finally replying with a succinct and perfect response. He chose his words carefully. I enjoyed his company, bug he hit the hay without so much as saying goodnight. And I slept.
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