Brokeback Nation

From Phoenix cruised open top desertmobile to San Diego, and marginally avoided sunstroke – blagged the Penthouse suite at the Sheraton (which is very nice !) Beat that, blaggers !! Spent a lot of time on the private rooftop patio, it deserved to have a party there but couldn’t round up 200 society peeps at short notice. We followed the SF Giants baseball schedule, – Barry Bonds is close to Babe Ruth’s homer record. 6 baseball games - can’t face another hotdog !
Slowly due north up the coastal road then (straight through LA which we hate), notable stops at Santa Barbara (say hi to Michael darling), Carmel (make my day). Arnie is in charge of California, you know……! Susan loves the Pacific ocean.
Nice long stop in San Francisco – visited some favourites like the Italian restaurant on Columbus discovered with Andy Lowe one time, and some new things like the bar at the St Francis, the bar on top of the Hilton, the Sliding Door restaurant at the Ferry Building. Started talking about North CA wines and drinking them ! Nice wine bar in Sausalito with an art gallery to peruse. Saw the SF Giants play the Diamondbacks twice - Barry Bonds almost hit a homer – in bleachers met a Giants fan who was stalking one of the Diamondback players, her ID said ‘patient’, we wonder why ?
Watched the Kentucky Derby from the Pied Piiper bar at the Palace, met Michelle from Las Vegas who wrote the 10 best things to do in LV from a local’s perspective on a bar napkin – this proved useful later on. Her horse tip was good too, Bluegrass Cat came 2nd at 28/1 - but being bullish Doug had it to win.
And so to our own version of ‘Sideways’, stayed in Santa Rosa for exploring Sonoma wine region – met some more nice people who helped us drink if not completely understand the wines. Had some sublime wine. There was a shooting about 300 yards from the hotel one night….hmmmm.
Slowly northward, ever northward on route 1 – fantastic rugged coast geology, world class. The highway suffered badly from recent rains and the road was rugged and only just passable due to slides and collapses.
Somewhat inevitably the hire car got a puncture – so down to three wheels and one pram wheel – Avis suggested returning it to Sacramento (about 500 miles south) but we boldly continued north. Elk – fantastic little town in North CA.
Stopped over at a motel in Fortuna, middle of nowhere – right next to a microbrewery – thank you the baby Jesus J
North to Eureka, exchanged broken hire car for Lincoln Town car (boat with wheels) – slowly north on Route 1. Avenue of the Giants – Redwood trees are massive, so massive Doug drove into one that leapt out in front of him– doh !
NB not all roads shown on map in Oregon are passable – doubled in spades if in a Lincoln Towncar – 10 miles of gravel track on a mountain pass probably not the most sensible drive we’ve taken ! Stopped for a pee nearby a mountain stream – a mile or so downstream saw peeps collecting water from stream for bottling drinking water J !! Agness – truly the middle of nowhere. Stopped to ask which roads were passable at a small local store where met Leyland a local chap who was complaining to the storekeeper "my sixpack is one short" – storekeeper said Leyand had lived there all his life, wow ! Small airstrip that looked as flat as the Epsom straight, herd of deer grazing on the airstrip. Apparently it’s a presidential retreat………..they’ll never find us here !
Up to the high elevation of Crater Lake – the opening day of the park season, bring your own shovel to dig the lodge/visitor centre out of the snow ! Very high, very snowy – Crater Lake is beautiful and serene.
South through the olive growing regions of North CA, back into San Francisco for a quick stopover before flying to Las Vegas – sanctuary – the pool at the Mandalay Bay is one of the seven wonders, surely. Won a bit of money (hoorah), did the usual things of which will never get bored J
Lastly to Santa Monica beach – it’s OK there on the boardwalk.

Vintage trip !