check6
Recycles dryer sheets
- Joined
- Jan 7, 2009
- Messages
- 471
Alan, what kind of vehicle are you using?
Long distance driving holiday
- Thread starter Alan
- Start date
OP
OP
A VW Golf. In 2013 we hired one in England and drove it for 6 weeks, 4 of those in Ireland, did a lot of miles in it and loved it. We bought a new one in January.
In 2012 when we did a similar 5 month, 3,000 mile driving trip in the USA we drove a Prius which also worked well for us.
Am enjoying your journey, and look forward to following you on Google Maps Pro... (look up and wave) 
If you go by Watsonville on your way to Santa Clara... say hi to the town... Was one of my stores... and if you go by Gilroy, sniff... you'll know when you get there. Other places Turlock, Livermore, Auburn, Grass Valley... back in '85...30 years ago.
For a future trip, maybe gold country around Placerville or Sonora and Yosemite.
A vicarious adventure for DW and me... best part, doing it from my recliner.
Looking forward to your updates. Thanks for sharing.
“Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things you didn’t do than by the ones you did do.” – Mark Twain
Good to see you avoiding disappointment!
If you go by Watsonville on your way to Santa Clara... say hi to the town... Was one of my stores... and if you go by Gilroy, sniff... you'll know when you get there. Other places Turlock, Livermore, Auburn, Grass Valley... back in '85...30 years ago.
For a future trip, maybe gold country around Placerville or Sonora and Yosemite.
A vicarious adventure for DW and me... best part, doing it from my recliner.
Looking forward to your updates. Thanks for sharing.
“Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things you didn’t do than by the ones you did do.” – Mark Twain
Good to see you avoiding disappointment!
LRDave
Thinks s/he gets paid by the post
Tynesidish talk!
OP
OP
Absolutely, although strictly speaking I am a Durham lad.
Today we are at Moonstone Beach, near Cambria. We've had a walk along the beach followed by lunch of New England clam chowder and salmon tacos. We'll have a drive into Cambria later for a little look around.
Tomorrow we plan to drive to Monterrey and stay for 2 nights.
OP
OP
Here is a photo of the car at the hotel in Moonstone Beach
ETA
oops, it came in upside down, and I don't know how to turn it around. It's not upside down on my iPad.
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REWahoo
Give me a museum and I'll fill it. (Picasso) Give
Are you sure you aren't back in Australia?
Even upside down, it looks like the Pelican Inn--is it??
Stayed there six weeks ago. Moonstone Beach is one of my favorites in all California! Hope you have a nice sunset tonight.
Alan, it sounds like you are making good progress on your journey. Hopefully we'll have some sunshine in store for you when you make it to the Bay Area.
OP
OP
The photo flips when I do that
That's probably it!!
Even upside down, it looks like the Pelican Inn--is it??
Stayed there six weeks ago. Moonstone Beach is one of my favorites in all California! Hope you have a nice sunset tonight.
It is the Fireside Inn, and it is looking like it is indeed going to be a beautiful sunset.
Alan, it sounds like you are making good progress on your journey. Hopefully we'll have some sunshine in store for you when you make it to the Bay Area.
Do your best with the weather for us, we'll be moseying up Big Sur tomorrow. 2 nights in Monterrey then onto Santa Clara to stay with a nephew and his wife of DW.
OP
OP
Meadbh
Give me a museum and I'll fill it. (Picasso) Give me a forum ...
- Joined
- Jul 22, 2006
- Messages
- 11,401
I drove down Big Sur from San Francisco in 1999. The elephant seals were very impressive. You are right by San Simeon (Hearst Castle) which I found fascinating, but may not be to your taste.
Happy motoring!
Happy motoring!
Hearst Castle is our next destination. We'll probably pass Mr. and Mrs. Alan on 101.
OP
OP
We did consider it but decided to skip it. A couple of years ago we visited Scotty's Castle in Death Valley which was excellent.
Be sure to wave and honk at every white VW you pass. One of them might just be us.
audreyh1
Give me a museum and I'll fill it. (Picasso) Give me a forum ...
That's amazing! I'd seen them on offshore islands, but had no idea they would cover mainland beaches in such numbers!
walkinwood
Thinks s/he gets paid by the post
Check out Backcountry Navigator for a hiking app. It allows you to download topo maps and trail tracks so you don't need a cell signal while in the back country.
OP
OP
Thanks, I'll look into it but I downloaded Gaia GPS a few weeks back and it does the same. It works really well, as long as you remember to download the area you need before going out of range of cell coverage, which I forgot to do once, although once we cleared the trees and got to he top I had cell coverage again and was able to get a map before descending.
OP
OP
After a week in California we have now arrived at our first booked condo where we will be for a week, Rainbow Rock beach, just north of Brookings, SW Oregon. For the first time since we set off we'll be able to unpack our suitcases. The condo is a 2 bed place with a separate detached garage and overlooks the ocean, with a footpath down to the beach. I've attached a photo from our balcony.
The weather is cold and misty so I hope it improves so that the views are more like those on the website.
Oceanfront Condo in Brookings at Rainbow Rock - VRBO
The weather is cold and misty so I hope it improves so that the views are more like those on the website.
Oceanfront Condo in Brookings at Rainbow Rock - VRBO
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Nice view even without the sun.
I have never made it to Oregon, Washington or Alaska. Hope to get up that way one of these days. It looks beautiful there. I hope the weather improves for you. Our weather basically went from winter to spring for a few days and is supposed to be high 80s today. I keep wondering what happened to our 4 seasons.
OP
OP
The sun has got his hat on, and we're going out to play....
Glorious morning today, what a perfect view while eating breakfast. My wife has just come through with the binoculars so we can watch a couple of boats with guys fishing.
Glorious morning today, what a perfect view while eating breakfast. My wife has just come through with the binoculars so we can watch a couple of boats with guys fishing.
