USA - Canada - Mexico 2016 - Day 40

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Saturday, 15 October 2016 - Bakersfield, California - Monterey, California

I know I made a promise for better photos today on the way to Monterey, sadly, that didn't happen. Once again, a planned section to ride for the great scenery and road that it provides and what happens, low cloud and rain.

Over breakfast this morning we were talking to fellow guests about our travels and they told us about bad storms in Seattle. Now we have hardly looked at a TV the whole time we have been on the road and are a bit out of touch. Apparently heavy rain and high winds, including two tornados in the Portland/Seattle area and the storm front was still due to continue for a couple of days. We left Bakersfield early to ensure an early arrival in Monterey. Cloudy skies but fingers crossed. About 30 minutes on the road and the temperature had dropped to around 15 degrees C and the moisture content of the air was raising the chill factor. With the clouds getting lower on the hills, we were going to have to go through them. The wet weather gear was the go, if not rain, then the cloud would do the same job of wetting us.

This first section of road from Taft to New Cuyama was interesting. The area around Taft obviously produces oil, quite a bit judging by the number of pumps operating. The area also is a food producing one with vegetables growing and being harvested and a lot of grape vines growing. One of the interesting things was a large cattle property was being redeveloped into a massive grape orchard. Lots of new vines being established and more areas still being opened up.

Once into the rain, the usual things with glasses and visors fogging up occurred and the ride becomes more exciting as the available sight diminishes. Unfortunately, this situation continued all the way past Big Sur and didn't start to clear until we were approaching Monterey. This should have been a greet ride with the road having a lot of similarities to Victoria's Great Ocean Road. No great ride today though, just like the Blue Ridge Parkway a few weeks ago.

We did manage to get a cup of coffee in by pulling into a spot beside a Ranger station. Had a yarn to one of the rangers about the prevailing weather conditions, particularly the rain. He was happy; they had a hugh fire burning up in the park hills and the rain was helping control it. Started by a campfire, the major cause of fires in National Parks. The costs of these fires is in the billions of $.

Into Monterey for a look at the Point Pinos Lighthouse on our way to tonight's motel. This lighthouse was built in 1855 and is still in operation.

We are off to Yosemite tomorrow but the forecast does not look good.

475 klms today, total to date 15,381 klms.