There's a certain feeling you get, or at least I get, when driving along the California coastline. There's a mixture of giddiness, a sense of awe and beauty, and a faint mystical serenity to it. I found myself smiling most of the drive today, stopping periodically because the view was just too good to pass up. I'm so glad I gave myself an extra day here.

I remember seeing a faint, white mist developing at the tops of the mountains, and down below, just where the waves were crashing into the cliffs, off in the distance a bit. A seagull hung overhead. The sun shined from behind the clouds, peeking out between the cracks, and creating a wispy rainbow along the sky. Even though you can see what I saw in the pictures, I really don't think there's anyway of experiencing it unless you're there. It's just beautiful. Now I see what all the fuss is about.

Tonight I find myself almost exactly halfway between Los Angeles and San Francisco. This motel I'm staying at has a remarkable view from its private beach, and it seems to be miles away from anywhere.

It's also 7 miles north of Hearst Castle, a historical monument that's run by the State of California's Department of Parks and Recreation. I had never heard of Hearst Castle before, so I pulled into the driveway only to find out that it was a few minutes from closing. I got myself a few brochures, and after finding this motel, decided I'd visit it tomorrow before heading onto San Francisco. Here's a sneak peek from the brochures...

"In the Santa Lucia Mountains of California on a hilltop overlooking the Pacific Ocean, craftsmen labored nearly 28 years to create a magnificent estate of 165 rooms and 127 acres of gardens, terraces, pools and walkways. Its rooms were furnished with an impressive collection of Spanish and Italian antiques and art. Its name is La Cuesta Encantada - "The Enchanted Hill."

Better known as Hearst Castle, it was once the home of newspaper publisher William Randolph Hearst. Today it is a State Historical Monument, its richness and beauty preserved by the California State Parks."

Sounds impressive? It is. You can visit La Casa del Sol, an 18-room guest cottage facing the setting sun, the Library, with over 5,000 books and a superb collection of ancient Greek vases, the Wine Cellar of La Casa Grande, featuring over 3,000 bottles of rare European vintages as well as California wines, and much more.

But that's tomorrow, tonight's here now, and I'm going to sleep. G'nite America...

See you on the road...

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