Then Came Graybill

We drove the Pacific Coast Highway up to Carmel, in two days. Stopped at a campgrounds along the way and got drenched. As we lay there in our bed, wondering if we would ever sleep again, all we could talk about was the Southwest desert, asking ourselves: “Now remind me once again, exactly WHY did we leave there?”

Everyone should drive Highway 1 sometime in their lives, as it is a jewel. And I’m so glad we have the nice vehicle to drive, as it has all kinds of features to its transmission that make these kinds of drives nice. It has a 6 speed transmission, and a way of making it stay in any of the gears one chooses. That way I could use engine braking almost all of the time. We only saw one other RV on the road, a 5^th wheel. Once again, being small has its advantages.

In the late 1960s there was a television show called Then Came Bronson. It was about a guy who rode around the U.S. on his motorcycle. The show lasted only one season, but it should have done more. As I recall, the episodes were well written and entertaining.

At the beginning (or end, I don’t remember which) of each episode was a cut of him riding on the Bixby Bridge on Highway 1, near Big Sur.

I had seen this bridge some 20 years ago when I came from Illinois to San Francisco for a conference. I rented a car one day, and drove down Highway 1, just so I could see it.

It was as spectacular as it was then, and as it was in the old television show.

So we thoroughly enjoyed the ride.

The campground we stayed at was Pfeiffer Big Sur. It is huge—a state park like the one at Montana de Oso. Same rules, but a completely different place. Lots of tent campers here, and lots of bikes. Lots of groups of young people.

And lots of rain. And lots of rain.

I used to tent camp in the rain, and now I don’t know how I did it. It’s so miserable. Everything wet. No way to dry out until you get a sunny day.

We were so warm and dry last night in our camper. Today it will take us 10 minutes to get on the road after we decide to leave. We will get the heck out of the rain in Big Sur.

Then went Graybill.