Day 33: 5th June, Pfeiffer Big Sur - Kirk Creek Campground, 56km

For three very good reasons, we enjoyed a short ride today: Jean, the scenery and a long day yesterday. Almost out of gas, we cycled a mile or so North and had a lazy breakfast with Jean, treating ourselves to a change from oatmeal.

Reminiscent of our cycling days up North, we started with a 2 mile climb. The day was already heating up, and as we emerged out of woodlands, we peeled off our layers. 5 miles or so past Big Sur we pulled into a Coastal Gallery, where we were treated to artwork and some of Jean's homemade trail mix.

Our day was spent entirely on the cliff-hanging hwy 1. With every mile we cycled, came another view point and another reason to get off our bikes and take photos. Shortly before leaving the gallery, 3 other cyclists went flying past. Somewhere before Julia Pfeiffer Burns State Park we met up with them, as they paused to watch a group of Condors sawing above us. Round the corner we again all stopped and they introduced themselves as Karen, Rich and Sarah. Simultaneously we saw a Condor swoop within metres of a lady taking in the ocean view.

At Julia Pfeiffer Burns State Park we walked to a viewpoint of the McWay Falls - California's only waterfall running directly into the ocean. I'm embarrassed about continually writing this but the views were spectacular, and they made our lunch that little bit more exciting.

Again on the road, we cycled until Lucia where we found our first shop for 30 miles. It was expensive, but we were ecstatic to realise there was camping gas. Restocked we cycled to Limekiln State Park. It was only 30 or 40m long, but the road down into the campsite was practically a cliff. At the bottom we realised there was no hiker/biker section. Back up the road we went! Jean and I were pootling along behind Tim, when Jean stopped to talk to a lady who earlier on in the day had mentioned that the next campsite had non-potable water. She verified this but with Tim so far ahead we couldn't stop him. Armed with my bottles and Jean's, I cycled back to the State Park, down the cliff, and back up it, again. Who says chivalry is dead ;-)

When I got back to the campground, the boys were setting up. We were positioned on a bluff with far reaching views of the ocean, Lopez Point and the peaks behind us. Before dinner and sunset we ambled down to the rocky beach where we sat in awe of the ocean.