I did as instructed by Isabel the housekeeper and arrived at a secret garden on the side of Route one near Big Sur. We entered the steep downhill driveway and drove down to the front of the house. It was so foggy and wet that it felt like someone cranked up the humidifier in the whole area. We were all alone there and felt extremely special to have the opportunity to sleep on our very own cliff on the Pacific Ocean. We pitched our tents on the grass in the exterior garden, and walked down the narrow pebble path to see the view. It was just stunning! I felt like I was in heaven. Below us the waves were hitting the rocky cliff in such intensity that it felt as though they would cause an earthquake. In the distance we could hear the sea lions crying out to each other and tried to figure out where they were laying. I turned around to see the house and was impressed by the newish design it had. It was all made out of wood and glass and gave an illusion of a small hovel, but as you got closer you could see it was quite large. Uri and I are so grateful for all of Rick's help in finding new and exciting places to stay at on our voyage, and are pleased to meet these kind people too.
It was a cold night but our sub-zero degree sleeping bags did the job. We packed our gear, locked the gate behind us and headed out into the cloudy mountains of Big Sur. As I was riding through the misty terrain it seemed as though it would clear up any minute, but it didn't. This is typical weather for the coastal area at this time of year, and I understand that in the winter, on the contrary, it clears up. We stopped at a tiny gas station on the top of the hill and were shocked to see the price of gasoline, $5.99, which is the most I have ever paid on our trip. The double espresso at the small coffee shop gave us both a boost of energy and we continued on the beautiful scenic road. On our way we saw plenty of bikers and they all had the courtesy to wave us hello. It also is common to see cyclists biking from San Francisco to LA which is considered one of the more difficult rides, but most scenic of them all.
After the short visit with Daphna and Peter we unpacked our gear in their house because we were invited to stay, in Daphna's words, for as long as we want. We were very happy and gracious on the warm and loving hospitality they had to offer. It was getting late so instead of going into San Fran we changed our plan and got some snacks and rode up to Uvas canyon and sat on the lake to see the moon rise. We relaxed on the shore and talked about this and that. Our whole bike trip has had ups and downs, and I always enjoy sitting in the outdoors and forgetting about all the logistics and small details of life, and just letting my mind settle. It got dark so we took the ride back slowly and carefully so as not to have an accident. We slept the night at Daphna's house which was on soft cushioned beds that made it feel like I was at home.
