Bike Tour in the USA (2007), Part 26

Tuesday, Sep. 18, 2007

Tears come from the heart and not from the brain

(Leonardo Davinci)

San Simeon State Park → Los Padres National Forest

Distance: 71.33 km, Time: 5:26.02 hrs, Total: 854.30km

   After I crawled out of the small tent my yesterday’s friend and his yellow Kia was not to be seen while his tent was still standing on the same place...For a lonesome person dealing with the death of a close mother and brother within a short time is surely not easy task. On a paper from my notebook I wrote some encouraging words, at the end I wished him the best on his road of life. I put this paper on an easily to be seen spot on the picnic table beside his tent...

   Around 9:00 I was ready with my luggage and picked up my battery from the host Gary. In front of his RV I parked my bike, he was already expecting me. The battery was fully charged and Gary invited me for a cup of morning coffee. I thanked from the heart but he and his wife has already done so much to this stranger that I did not want to bother him and his wife much more. When his wife asked me to wait a little for her to take out the Banana cake of their RV she especially “baked for me“ I could not hold my tears. How did I earn so much friendliness and generosity in a part of the world I have never been? I could not speak so I just gave Gary and his wife a big hug and a hearty handshake. I knew I could never return their kindness in my life to them; I felt in front of them small like a child given an immeasurable gift. Unable to speak any word I left and do not know how I found my way to the entrance of Highway 1 with wet tears until today. !

   My eyes were still wet when a yellow Kia rode directly to me. In it was my neighbor with whom I had a long conversation last night. He told me that he would not miss the sunrise and recited some poets and seemed much more up beaten than yesterday. It was nice to see his changes and after some small talk I wanted to move on. I wished him the best on his way to recovery and on his road in life. Take care my friend!

Grazing Cattle and Zebras @ Hearst Castle

   A very thoughtful lonely bike rider continued riding on Highway 1; the next stop would be the famous Hearst Castle. The land was given by Phoebe Apperson Hearst to her son, the businessman, leading newspaper publisher and politician William Randolph Hearst (1863-1951).

   Hearst first approached American architect Julia Morgan with ideas for a new project in April 1919, shortly after he took ownership. Hearst's original idea was to build a bungalow, according to a draftsman who worked in Morgan's office who recounted Hearst's words from the initial meeting: “I would like to build something upon the hill at San Simeon. I get tired of going up there and camping in tents. I'm getting a little too old for that. I'd like to get something that would be a little more comfortable.”

   Hearst Castle featured 56 bedrooms, 61 bathrooms, 19 sitting rooms, 127 acres of gardens, indoor and outdoor swimming pools, tennis courts, a movie theater, an airfield, and the world's largest private zoo. Zebras and other exotic animals still roam the grounds. Morgan, an accomplished civil engineer, devised a gravity-based water delivery system that transports water from artesian wells on the slopes of Pine Mountain, a 3,500-foot-high (1,100 m) peak 7 miles (11 km) east of Hearst Castle, to a reservoir on Rocky Butte, a 2,000-foot (610 m) knoll less than a mile southeast from Hearst Castle (Wikipedia).

  As a German I have seen and visited many original castles, palaces and cathedrals; for example I did not live far away from the Lichtenstein Castle in the south part of Germany. Therefore, Americans might be shocked, I did not fancy visiting the Hearst Castle.

   But on the way to the castle I discovered a nice picnic area and under a tree I enjoyed the memorable fresh banana cake for breakfast. Every time I see or eat a banana cake I am reminded to this wonderful couple! Thank you so much and be blessed! 
   Still very much in thoughts of this wonderful couple and my friend I enjoyed the meal and was looking forward to experience the Big Sur right in front of me!

Freshly Baked Banana Cake for Breakfast

(to be continued!)