Kiss From A Rose*

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Last night we stayed in Big Sur Lodge...actually cabins in the Pfeiffer Big Sur state park.  A great location but with a captive audience for dinner which was reflected in the prices.  Everyone carefully sat in small groups to avoid the 'large group surcharge' that seems pervasive round here but when the bill came they applied it anyway.  Everywhere in the Big Sur region of the coast is on the make...gas in California is usually between $5.5 and $6.5 but in Big Sur it is TEN dollars.  A cup of coffee?  $9.  A sandwich?  $22.  I get the sense that everywhere is trying to make up for the 3 years that tourism ground to a halt while the highway was closed.  

The whole point in coming this way was for the spectacular scenery but this morning we rode into a pea-souper of a fog.  We couldn't see a thing.  One or two of the group are nervous of sheer drops at the road's edge and we're grateful to be screened from them but it was a big disappointment.  

Today is one of the tougher with well over 5000ft of climbing including 3 bigguns.  A few elected to ride the van of shame but most gritted their teeth and got on with it.

The golfers?  No idea.  Last I heard they started their ride at 1:15, 5 hours after everyone else.  They should make good time because their wallets are now much lighter.

We are staying in San Simeon, a dormitory town comprising virtually nothing but hotels and associated services for people visiting Hearst 'Castle'.   I cannot adequately convey how chintzy and crap Hearst Castle is so Google it.  Of more interest is the huge colony of elephant seals that covers the beaches just north of the town.  You can't miss them...unless you nose has fallen off.

*Don't get it?  Oh come on...it's an easy one!

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