Wow… what a couple of days. Apologies for the radio silence – we haven’t had internet all week!

On Sunday we left Santa Barbara and our lovely hosts Jim and Shari – thank you so much for having us. You were wonderful hosts and it was super to spend time with you and your friends Bob and Mindy.
In Santa Barbara we also said goodbye to our teacher Corina who had been with us for a few weeks – thank you so much for teaching our children!

From Santa Barbara we then cycled some of the most beautiful 475 kilometres I think we will ever cycle. We were also joined by Eric and his son, Sorren, good friends we made whilst in Alaska – Sorren (13) is cycling with us for a couple of weeks which is great.
Our route this week has brought us through Pismo beach, then along the beautiful Highway 1, through San Simeon, Big Sur and now to Santa Cruz; where we are staying with Jim and Shari’s Son and Daughter in Law, Tyson and Shanda- Thank you so much for having us also!!


Just north of San Simeon we went past Piedras Blancas lighthouse and the beach which flanks it; where 17,000 Elephant Seals now call home. It was amazing sight (and sound and smell!), and we were lucky to be passing at the tail end of mating season so the beach was a hive of activity.

Heading further up the coast, spring very much looked like it had sprung! It was beautiful with rape seed plants lining the streets with yellow flowers, and with the roads quiet and with the occasional migrating grey whale spouting keeping us on our toes it really was a stunning couple of days.

Just outside ragged point we found a state beach to camp on for the evening, after an incredible sunset and then a blanket of a thousand stars to bid us goodnight it was all set to be a lovely evening…. only to be awoken by the most almighty wind storm at 1am – with all the tents trying their hardest to fly away!


After a peaceful sunrise and a further 120kms cycling north we hit Big Sur for the evening and then onto Santa Cruz today for a busy week ahead.