Day 13

In our business we are constantly facing and trying to avoid the question of: How long it would take to get to town XYZ? The reason for our desperate avoidance is that we could only give the predictable and predictably stupid answer of "It depends on."
The roughly 140 miles between Monterey and Morro Bay sounds a ridiculously short leg on a motorcycle trip and you might start wondering what on earth would you do in Morro Bay after arriving at noon? Well, if you put on your blinders and tie yourself to the saddle you can definitely make your way to the destination in a couple of hours. If, however, you let your interest in the surroundings surface, the same distance might very well fill your day. The same dynamics manifested on day 13 in our group. Some of us were concerned about the limited distance (ie: the danger of getting bored) in the morning and at the end of the day we barely made it to the dinner table before all the restaurants closed in Morro Bay.
Sadly the famous "17 mile drive" in Monterey is shut down for motorcyclists. Loud pipes might save lives, but they also result in more and more pissed off people who do everything in their power to keep them away from their homes. This is exactly what happened with the scenic ride that is on a private land. The action of the annoying few led to the ostracizing of the entire group. While no more riding on the 17 mile drive, the Ocean View Blvd that hugs the Pacific Grove at the northern tip of the Monterey Peninsula is still a must.
From there on, it is really up to you how much time you spend on savoring the coastal ride, visiting some points of interest or taking a plunge in the Pacific Ocean. One thing is sure. There are more options than you can accomplish in a day.


View 18 Day Calif­orina Tour - day 13 in a larger map



In a short walk in Monterey's Cannery District we found us in the company of John Steinbeck and another capuccino from Ghirardelli.



Ready for attacking one of the nicest stretch of PCH.



One thing better than having an ocean front home: an endless ocean view ride.



Is there anything that beats the freedom of a ride like this?



When you stop to indulge yourself in the view and absorbing even more freedom, you still need to remember earthly things, like turning off the ignition. If not, exercise might follow. In our case - after stalling the bike right when it picked up - the jumper cable turned out to be the ultimate solution.



We looked a bit weird in full m/c gear on the beach. Make sure that you bring your swimsuit and spend some time at Big Sur. Had we not lost time beacuse of the depleted battery, we'd have done so too.



If you avoid the lunch rush at the Nepenthe, you can easily get a table with a view.



The lights only get better after the sun passes its zenith.



The Nacimi-Fergusson road is a short detour. A hidden gem, not for the faint of heart. The road features drop-offs of hundreds of feet and stunning views.


Fishing boats were docked across the street from our Morro Bay accommodation and five restaurants which convert the daily catch into delicious dinner were in walking distance. Since we arrived after sunset, this picture was taken the next morning. Morro Rock is in the background.


We followed our host's advice and went to Tognazzini's Dockside Restaurant which we did not regrett at all. We missed the catch of the day, but the food was still very nice. Nothing fancy, just good food. That was exactly what we needed after a wonderful day like this.



The picture album of the day: