Santa Cruz to San Francisco

The following are more or less in reverse order. So first pictures happened last.



The hotel is in the grounds of a Marina. Some very expensive looking machinery was moored up.





Once I'd checked into my hotel I headed back into San Francisco in the evening sunshine.



I shot this on the way up Highway 1.



Its odd how the movies portray America as the land of Freedom. I don't think I have ever been anywhere and seen so many rules. At every stop there are lists of rules of what you can't do, or must do. What a controlled society it is here. I am really surprised by this. I remember thinking the same thing 10 years ago, but had forgotten that.





A Hot Rodded 1950's truck overtook me with its V8 burbling beautifully. I kept up for a bit, but couldn't be bothered to for long.




There were plenty of people out surfing at the beaches along the way. I stopped from time to time to watch. Here's the jelly mould parked up. Despite being one of the ugliest beasts on wheels I've come to love it. I've done over 400 miles in it, and its been perfect. It wobbles, it oversteers, it spins its wheels, and the auto box must be full of slush puppy goo as it just whooshes when one puts the pedal down, taking an age to engage properly. Its comfy, and feels big and safe.







Just down from my hotel in Santa Cruz were these ramps. I spotted some chaps in there and thought Huw would like to see these.





I've decided I like Santa Cruz very much indeed. It has some really pretty houses in. Much prettier than most of the square monotonous shaped houses that seem to be just chucked up here near San Francisco. I've not seen much in the way of good architecture outside of the cities. Its pretty bland mostly in California from what I can tell.







I spent some time this morning wandering around the Wharf area of Santa Cruz and decided I like it so much that I must come back with Liz and the children one day. It has a quirky laid back nature, and seems to be populated by old folks with long beards and young weather beaten outdoor types with matted hair and skate boards, with the odd Punk chucked in. I didn't get a photo of it, but a fella whizzed past me with a pink Mohawk hair cut on a motorised skate board...