July 14, 2009
Day 5: To Pfeiffer Big Sur State Park
I got up before 7 but it was past 9 before I got on the road because I spent so much time talking to all the other folks at the busy hiker/biker site. I climbed up the hill on Skyline Drive, then down to Carmel. I took the "book" detour to downtown Carmel and the beach.
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Then back to Hwy 1 on the road that passes by Mission San Carlos. I took the picture from the mission's front gate without paying the $5 admission fee.
Back on Hwy 1, it was only a short distance to the turnoff for Point Lobos State Reserve. I was pleased to discover that cyclists don't have to pay the vehicle admission fee. I spent more than an hour walking several of the loop trails, about 2 miles. The trails are all lined with ropes to keep people on the trail. That keeps the surrounding vegetation from being trampled by the crowds. It was crowded, but I really enjoyed Point Lobos and feel that my photos didn't really capture how enchanting the place really is. The temperature was 70F with sunshine and light wind. Very pleasant.
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It was past noon by the time I got back on Hwy 1. Traffic was heavy and the road has little or no shoulder. But the views are outstanding. I appreciated being able to stop and take pictures in places where a car could never stop. The views are wide open after passing the community of Carmel Highlands. No trees to obstruct the view, and lots of flowers.
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7 months ago
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7 months ago
On the final big climb before Pfeiffer Big Sur State Park it was warm enough in the sun that I got sweaty for the first time on the tour.
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I got a site ($3) at the large hiker/biker camp at Pfeiffer Big Sur State Park. The hiker/biker area is in a redwood grove, but very close to the highway. Fortunately there was very little traffic at night. The site was in dense shade and somewhat buggy (previous campsites were bug-free). Two other touring cyclists were camped there, on their way home to San Diego. It was a refreshing change of scenery to camp in a redwood grove. This is the only place I'll see redwoods during this tour, so I decided to stay 2 nights to spend more time in the redwoods.
Distance: 38.7 mi (62 km)
Climbing: 2653 ft (804 m)
Average speed: 9.3 mph (14.9 km/h)
Max speed: 38 mph (61 km/h)
Hiking: 2 mi (3.2 km)
Today's ride: 39 miles (63 km)
Total: 223 miles (359 km)
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