Blogs from Monterey, California, United States, North America - page 12

Let me take a moment to share about the little nuances of RV travel. Don’t get me wrong, it’s been great, really. But there are little funky things that happen when one is living in a Recreational Vehicle. Take for instance LITTLE NOISES. I can hear the heat turn on and off in our Spokane home, but rarely think twice about it. In the RV it sounds like someone just announced, “Gentlemen, start your engines!” and the big race is on, then off then on again all through the night. They tell me “You’ll get used to it.” When the softly falling rain outside hit our roof, inside it sounds like someone playing a solo with their maracas in my ears. “You’ll get used to it.” Rings through my head keeping time with the maracan beat. ... read more

Monterey, 08-11-2002. I wake up to a persistent knocking on my motel door. There is another serious knocking in my head, the sort of knocking caused by hard boozing. Sh*t, if this is that good for nothing indian receptionist with a cup of that dark brown brakkish hot water he's the nerves to call coffee I'll certainly loose my already tested to the limit patience with him. But no, it is Charly The Truck Guy beaming enormous smiles at me. He seems less affected by all the big martinis he and Louise, his brittish girlfriend, drank with me last night at their house. He wants to know if I'm ready for breakfast, ready for a ride through Monterey in his truck... seems fair enough...a good way to start the day...I seem to remember they promised me ... read more

We've finally managed to swim out of our sea of boxes, paper, and loads of useless junk that at some point we found necessary. We have a 2-car garage, although Ash's car would never have fit. For those of you that remember, my '06 Honda Civic BARELY fits into this garage. I've almost mastered the art of backing out of it slowly, but let's just say I'd need some strong coffee before going to work and attempting this. The layout's odd but like this: Main - Garage, Media Room/Bar area, entryway, Sunroom (Ash's study room), small backyard, bathroom 2nd - Bedrooms, bathrooms and balcony Top - Kitchen, Living Room and Dining room, another bathroom Place has 2 bedrooms, sunroom, media room, 2 full and 2 half baths. It's huge. But you know what - just because ... read more

Limekiln State Park, campground. 06-11-2002. In that magic moment between sunset and total darkness a bobcat walked right by my campsite last night giving me a curious look before stretching his limps, preparing himself, no doubt, for the nighttime hunt. Now this is the sort of sight to cherish, the sort of thing I might never see again in this life. I mean where in burning hell and cloudy paradise is a Amsterdam city dweller like me ever gonna see a bobcat again. Can't even remember ever having seen one of his species in a zoo. Only on TV. I consider it a real prize, a reward from Mother Nature, Lord Buddha and Lady Fortuna - some of the devine powers of this earth I've dedicated my life too - for my hard work on the ... read more

Morro Bay, Morro Strand State Beach, Campground. 01-11-2002. Morro Bay's Embarcadero despite its bling-bling facade, is bustling with activity. Fish and chips restaurants abound, displaying the day's catch from the many fishing boats on tables outside reminding me off my empty belly. The crews of small boats are busy unloading plastic crates full with crabs, cod, salmon and lobster, shell fish and even small sharks. My appetite is growing by the minute. Local buyers check out the day's catch haggling over prices with fishing boats crews. Allthough I'm ravenously hungry after my day on the bike, I'm not yet ready for food. I wanna check out this weirdly shaped big mass of stone and rock called Morro's Rock right at the end of the embarcadero. In the last rays of a setting sun I see peregrine ... read more