A detour takes us through tidy Cambria, a one street town of traditional wooden buildings, nearly all converted to holiday accommodation. The next settlement, Harmony, boasts "population 18" and seems to be one farm. Then there are still, burnt plains and farms on the left, but beautiful turquoise Estero Bay alongside on the right. A few surfers catch small waves.
At Morro Bay we camp in the State Park in a eucalyptus grove. These trees non-native trees were introduced as windbreaks everywhere, making some places look like outback Oz. The stringy bark and tough banana-shaped leaves are everywhere underfoot.
A natural history museum, perched on the headland, explains the flora and fauna and with a birds eye view of the Bay and across to Morro Rock, a granite volcanic plug rising high from the water.
Brown Pelicans fly feet away just outside the observatory glass and below 6 seals arch together out of the still waters. In the evening we follow a bird watching board- walk around the estuary and marvel as thousands of waders and pelicans circle and land nearby.
We recognise the other 3 American cyclists at our camp, one couple on their first tour, with a Bob trailer (Janet and Ian will remember, as we met them in a lay-by and we were impressed by their telescopic bike-stands!?) The other is a younger chap who has been beating us up all the hills.
Next day, more arid cattle and horse ranches inland and then the valley widens out to fertile farm land, raising strawberries, pumpkins, vines and flowers. "Nodding donkeys" are silently pumping up oil.
Pismo Beach is a holiday destination with the miles of sand dunes backed by dozens of motels and crowded RV Sites.
Back in the countryside, at Guadalope, the one street is of single storey traditional buildings, with Spanish signs.All the customers at the village shop are speaking Spanish. One poster is in English, with a picture of a lady bullfighter, advertising a 4 bull "bloodless bullfight"? Not sure how that works.
The wind is at our backs as we follow the straight rail line into historic Orcutt, an oil town established in 1910. Pastel painted wooden houses line the centre of town. In the modern outskirts we are welcomed by Bill, an avid cyclist who has just returned from cycling British Columbia (where we started back in August). He injured his knee mountain biking today and so is hobbling around, but this doesn't stop him barbecuing us a lovely beef supper.
Tour miles to date: 2,178
Location:San Simeon to Orcutt
