Day: 89
Now this entire trip I have been staying in sites in the California campground system reserved for people who either Hike in or Bike in. The cheap price ($2-$5) per night is a way for the state parks to encourage this type of travel, in some areas (mostly populated areas like Pismo and Carpenteria) they have problems with people taking advantage of this by parking their cars outside and walking in or moving into the sites for extended periods of time. They are also trying to keep the vagrants out. Carpenteria now has a one night Hike and Bike area that can’t be checked into until 4pm and Pismo plans to close their Hike and Bike entirely for the summer. Needless to say that this abuse by some effects everyone who wants to use our parks in the way I am trying to. Now the point to this rant.
Last night I meant a married couple who have been biking the coast (north to Oregon and back) for the last four months, they were on such a tight budget that at one point they had to stop and work on a farm for a month to raise money to make it home. They shared the Hike and Bike area with me, as did two women and a 4 year old little girl. I thought it odd that the women and the little girl we’re in this area, but they were near another site and gave them the benefit of the doubt. Well, this morning the ranger also thought it was weird that a 4 year old little girl was hiking the coast and came over in his truck to question the one woman who was there. She quickly folded and said they parked their Escalade in the overflow lot and only paid $6 for the three of them instead of $25 for their own site. A $40,000 car and she couldn’t afford an extra $19 a night… right. I was furious, and what was worse was that the married couple, who are actually using this site rightfully and needed the discount to enjoy our state parks at all were sympathetic to her! People don’t be such asses, some idiots are ruining a good thing for us all. I was ready to yell at the women myself but the staunch ranger had already brought one of them to tears. Ha!
Anyway after that episode of rage I got on my bike and rode the five miles to Hearst Castle, the reason I spent two nights here in San Simion. The hour and a half tour (which you had to take) was expensive, $24, but it came with a ticket to watch a 40 minute IMax movie on the building of the castle. I arrived at the ticket window at 9:18am and was in luck because the next tour started in 2 minutes. I was given my ticket and rushed out the door to get on the bus up Hearst’s Enchanted Hill. We (12 of us in a tour that in the summer has 40) meant our guide, Glen, at the top and he set off to show us all around this eccentric castle. Hearst had acquired art and architecture from all over the world and build them into his house. Spanish ceilings, Italian statues near the pool, Persian rugs and a vast assortment of worldly treasures. As I was taken around the Castle I was impressed, it wasn’t just a big house like I expected, it was a full on museum built into a house. The only disappointment was the Neptune pool wasn’t full of water (earthquake repairs), but Glen said it best; “Millions of people have seen it full of water, only you and a few thousand other have seen it empty.” What a crock.
The Imax film was great and I left feeling like the $24 wasn’t quite the rip-off I thought it’d be when I bought my ticket. I jumped back on Moanahh, and rode her back to the campsite to grab my computer then a few more miles into Cambria to buy some groceries for the next few days (the married couple warned me that my next stop was desolate), and try to find an internet connection. Found the food, but no luck posting my blog, it looks like it may be four or five days until I am back to civilization and can get caught up. I made my way (against the harsh afternoon wind) back to camp, finished reading A Brave New World (one less thing to carry), ate a small dinner and went to sleep shortly after dark.
A side note; as I was falling asleep I realized it has been two whole days since I’ve had a drink. I can’t remember the last time that happened. You probably can’t either.
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