Wednesday 18th May - Bandon to Mendocino

Woke up early, a little worse for wear, to bright sunshine. It didn't last.

Another excellent breakfast (thanks, Shirley). Was introduced to Stumpy and Baby (two pampered Seagulls). Fellow breakfasters were:

• A couple on their honeymoon (ahhh)
  
• A couple: him cycling from Arcadia to San Francisco - her driving the Pick-up with his stuff in it.
  

Saw a mole-type animal scurrying across the road.

Visited and drove through the Drive Thru Tree. I have a recollection of a picture of this tree in one of my Ladybird books. Will need to check when I get home.

CA Route 1 is even more spectacular than the Route 101 I took through Oregon. It's really pretty. Not sure how nice it would be in high-season though. Saw a deer whilst wending up and down the hill at the start.

Picked up a hitch-hiker and took him about 30 miles, as far as Mendocino. Dropped him off on the highway and went to the Mendocino Hotel. It was just like a John Wayne film.

Had some "Scrimshaw" beer (from Fort Bragg - 15 miles back up the coast. "Storybook town" was my passenger's comment as we passed through.)

Had a rather frustrating conversation with an Amercian woman who seemed to believe the IRA as freedom-fighters shit they get fed over here. Eventually agreed to disagree, her other half seemed to understand what was going on though. Still too annoyed to think about that conversation just now.