Monterey, Santa Cruz and the Affluent.

From San Francisco we took to the open road once again, glad to free of traffic and concrete-floored RV parks. This wasn't without incident though, as before we managed to get free of the city's outer limits, the overly wide berth of 'Harby' managed to clip the side mirror of an adjacent car as we squeezed by. After some amicable negotiation from both parties we managed to pay our way out of insurance issues and carried Southward glad to find ourselves back on the single lane 101 highway - the road on which 'Harby' and us, were more comfortable. The next few day's were spent exploring and marveling at the affluent coastal towns of Santa Cruz, with it's rich laid-back surf culture and Monterey's exquisite boardwalks, coastal flowers and authentic seafood cuisine. Our campsites ranged from carnival fairgrounds to small craft mariners and as unique as these were, we chose to spend the bulk of the day walking the fisherman wharfs sampling clam chowders and cycling along the ocean-facing promenades - with one so aptly named; 'Lovers Lane'. From Monterey we meandered along one of the most scenic drives in the world, 17 Mile drive. This famous coastal landmark runs from Pacific Grove to Pebble Beach, featuring awe-inspiring vistas and beaches. After a numbingly refreshing swim at Stillwater cove, we strolled the lawns overlooking the 18th hole of Pebble Beach Golf club en route to Big Sur National Park.