Thursday 12th October - day 23. We started today with a pre-work outing with Chris to La Jolla Cove and shores. La Jolla Cove is a very beautiful series of rocky coves with small sandy beaches. The area is known for its wildlife and there were sea birds, especially cormorants and pelicans perched on every rock and seals and sea lions in the sea and on rocky ledges. The Sea is a marine reserve popular with divers and snorkellers - no kayaking allowed. The town ...

Wednesday 11th October. Day 22. San Diego! Our stay with Chris in his new part-time home in San Diego started on a high with an early start at the Balboa Park for the 6.29am Wednesday meeting of the November project. This project was started by two ex-rowers who had moved from being active sporting undergraduates to desk bound workers. They were getting unfit and decided that for the month of November, three years ago, they would meet before work twice a week...

Tuesday 10th October - day 21. Santa Barbara to San Diego. We awoke after spending the night on the side of the road outside Gaviota. It was only a few metres from the main road, so there was a lot of traffic noise, but we slept well despite that. When the gates opened at 7 we drove on into the State Park, parked by the bridge and watched sunrise on the beach. We then drove on to vista point, which, as you would expect, had a great sea view, and stopped there ...

Monday 9th - day 20. Monterey to Santa Barbara. We woke at first light and peeped out into the restaurant car park. As it became light, we realised that although we were next door to the restaurant, this car park was the car park for a Property restoration services company and all the other vehicles had their logo on their sides! By 7am a handful of men in boiler suits were standing next to the building smoking and drinking coffee. They said and did nothing t...

Sunday 8th October - day 19. Yosemite to Monterey. Today’s plan was to beat the crowds in Yosemite by arriving there very early. We were up at 6.15 and driving back down Evergreen Road by 6.30. Even though the sun was barely up there were still quite a few cars on the road and when we arrived at the Trailhead parking for Vernal Falls it was already two thirds full. The weather was perfect - bright sunshine but still crisp and cold. We cooked breakfast, pr...