Cambria

December 3, 2020

Before we go to today’s ride, let’s pause to admire Bruce’s latest discovery. Ever since seeing those wierd steampunk creations back in Chico, he’s been scouring garage sales for more of the same. I expect to see a small steampunk corner back in their garden when we get back, wedged in between the Buddhas and exotic plants. A steampunk squirrel would be perfect.

The new have-to-have item. Especially great with accompanying mask.

Today for the first time here we start biking right from our motel. We’re on our way north to Cambria, biking the coastal gap between here and our ride to Ragged Point Tuesday. As it has been every day, weather is perfect - unless you’re hoping for some of the rain that this region so badly needs.

It’s comfortable already when we start out at about 9:30. We’re getting an early start partly to get our northbound miles in before the winds pick up, and partly so we’ll get back in time for lunch on the waterfront while the day is still warm enough to enjoy dine outdoors.

The ride to Cayucos, the next town north, is very nice. You can get most of the way on side streets and bike paths and are hardly on the highway at all until you’re a third of the way to Cambria. We’re surprised and concerned when we reach Cayucos though and find that it’s foggy, chilly, and not the ride we were expecting. The fog dissipates almost as soon as we’re beyond Cayucos though. Traffic is light, the shoulder is wide, and we enjoy a beautiful, generally flat ride the rest of the way north.

We’re briefly on Highway 1 as we approach Cayucos. From the looks of it here, it’s hard to believe it will be foggy when we get there.

I wish I’d seen this streamlined recumbent trike coming at us soon enough to get a better shot. He flew by so fast I almost didn’t have time to get him into focus.

We’d love to see Monterey again, but let’s just go as far as Cambria today.

Looking back at Cayucos. Foggy now, and still foggy when we return. I wonder if it’s often like this, and why. Maybe the effect of the reservoir just inland?

The only climb of note is over the shoulder of Harmony Headlands. At the top I stop in for a brief exploration of Harmony, population 18. We took note of this tiny place on our drive to Cambria, and I speculated that based on its name maybe it had its origins as a utopian community. Quite the opposite though. It was founded in the late 1800’s by Swiss immigrants who introduced dairy farming and established a creamery here. Serious feuding broke out between competing families, and once peace was restored they named the town to commemorate the armistice.

There’s not much to Harmony now, but it’s interesting enough to warrant a stop. And things are picking up - the town was purchased a few years ago by new owners with plans for a revival.

Harmony Headlands. There’s a small state park here providing the only public coastal access along this stretch of the highway. We should bike out here again and take a short hike. Test out my new pair of Altras.

There’s not much still open in Harmony, but it’s keeping up appearances well. The creamery closed in 1955, and the post office in 2011.

As is the town’s boutique winery. Harmony Cellars has been in operation since 1989. Also, there’s a wedding venue in town - the perfect spot for that special occasion, once folks can congregate again.

Christmas greetings from Harmony, population 18.

A view inland, in the direction of Paso Robles.

At the outskirts of Cambria I’m concerned that I haven’t seen Rachael on her way back yet. Perhaps she cut her ride short, and passed me on her way south while I was dallying in Harmony? But no, she’s still ahead and on her way back; as I’m relieved to find when I give her a call. In fact, she’s only a quarter mile up the road and comes into sight almost the minute I stash away the phone.

The ride back is a breeze. There’s nothing quite like biking south along the coast, where in the right season you can count on a tailwind nearly every day. I think I first fell in love with the idea of bike touring when I was in Washington one day many years ago - in high school, I think - biking south on a day ride with a tailwind and realizing that I could just keep going.

Busy or not, we really are going to have to fit in one more ride down the coast before we hang up our bikes for the last time.