birdguy Posted June 17, 2016 Share Posted June 17, 2016 This afternoons flight took me from Monterey to San Luis Obspo hugging the California Coastline. A little over an hour flight time. Two things I found missing. The Redwood grove at Big Sur and the crashing surf along the cliffs and rocks. Maybe someday. Redwoods are missing in the Northern California coastal regions too. Betty and I have driven Highway 1 from Cambria to Monterey several times. Cambria is a nice overnight stop with some good seafood restaurants, a nice beach, and if you're lucky sea otters playing in the surf. It's a comfortable day's drive to Monterey through spectacular scenery. Pebble Beach Golf Course The California Coastline One of the many bridges on HighWAY 1 The Hearst Castle at San Simeon (Rosebud) The village of Cambria Morro Rock Noel Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bermuda425 Posted June 17, 2016 Share Posted June 17, 2016 Wow Noel, this set is tip-top! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Voyager Posted June 17, 2016 Share Posted June 17, 2016 Astounding screenshots! Great captures indeed! Voyager Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
VH-KDK Posted June 17, 2016 Share Posted June 17, 2016 Wonderful set showing us some of the landmarks in the area. Some of the coast does have the surf shown which make a world of difference. Let's hope that soon all the coast can be treated to surf as it is a big addition to the realism. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RJ Posted June 17, 2016 Share Posted June 17, 2016 Beautiful trip and beautiful shots. At first I thought this was real. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Penzoil3 Posted June 17, 2016 Share Posted June 17, 2016 Nice, have to fly that myself, it looks so good. Sue Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
birdguy Posted June 18, 2016 Author Share Posted June 18, 2016 If you're going to make that flight, Sue, be aware that the Hearst Castle is not that easy to find flying off shore at 2,000 feet. The airport at San Simeon was Hearst's private strip for his guests that flew in from Hollywood. The castle is up the hill to the east. Make an approach to the strip from the north and go down to about 500 ft. You should see the castle out the left window. The castle is now a California State Park. I don't know if the airport is open to the public. Busses take tourists up the road from San Simeon. Betty and I have been there twice and it's a fascinating place to visit but you must accompany a tour. Nobody is allowed to explore on their own. If you are ever in the region the best pea soup in the world can be had at Anderson's Restaurant in Buellton, just north of Santa Barbara on Highway 101. Noel Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Triplane Posted June 18, 2016 Share Posted June 18, 2016 Great stuff Noel. I've flown this many time in RL and these screenshots are spot-on. My "home base" back in the old days was KMRY and the very first "demo" flight I ever took was in a C172 to the Hearst Castle and back ( and I think I got a little longer ride than normal because the instructor was my Cub Scouts den mother's husband) . In those days Del Monte Aviation offered a Cessna PPL course for USD$600. Try to find a deal like that today..... Doug Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
birdguy Posted June 18, 2016 Author Share Posted June 18, 2016 Have you ever driven it Doug? I would rate Caifornia Highway 1 between Cambria and Monterey on a par with the Natchez Traceway and the Blue Ridge Parkway. Noel Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Triplane Posted June 18, 2016 Share Posted June 18, 2016 Boy, have I driven it. We moved from Los Angeles to Monterey in 1946 (I was just a little guy). But my folks still had friends in the LA area so they frequently drove to SoCal for a visit. And my dad always took the coast road. There were two things about those trips that excited me. First, there was a chance of seeing the Daylight Special - the train that ran up and down the coast between LA and San Francisco, and the second was passing the Hearst Castle at San Simeon. I remember my dad telling me to look up the hill quick or you'll miss it. As the years passed (I lived on the Monterey Peninsula until 1964) I can't count the times I've driven up and down Highway 1. Camping at Big Sur....visiting my cousin who lived in Cambria....going to tour San Simeon after the State opened it to visitors....dating a girl from Santa Barbara....trips to Disneyland... I even drove to Chavez Ravine a couple of times to watch the Dodgers....and I can't count the times I've driven to LA for a multitude of other reasons. And I always took Highway 1. I know I'm a bit prejudiced but I, too, have driven the length of both the Blue Ridge Parkway and the Natchez Trace and, IMSNSHO, the don't compare with Highway 1. God, do I feel old. Doug Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
birdguy Posted June 19, 2016 Author Share Posted June 19, 2016 For a while I though of retiring in Cambria. That's a delightful town. It was always an overnight stop for us before heading North on Highway 1. Loved walking on the beach and wading in the surf and watching the sea otters play. There was also an overlook, just north of San Simeon I believe, where the beach was covered with elephant seals. When I was growing up in San Francisco my dad took us camping at Big Sur a couple of times. In April I rode the Amtrak train along that route from Sacrament to Los Angeles on my way back home. BTW, there were two Southern Pacific Daylights, the Morning Daylight and the Noon Daylight. I rode that train when they had the red, orange and black GS-4 steam locomotives. Now THAT's old! l Noel Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jabble Posted June 19, 2016 Share Posted June 19, 2016 Nice one, Citizen Noel! When I installed SCA, my very first flight was from Rancho San Simeon up to the castle and airstrip. In a Republic Seabee, for some reason. There's something magnetic about that place - The Big Sur coast is quite a majestic setting, and it's good to hear from someone who's travelled the area in real life. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gypsy Pilot Posted June 21, 2016 Share Posted June 21, 2016 It once was a plesant drive but now it's almost like drive to work in the morning. Too many cars to really relax and just enjoy the scenery. Dale Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
birdguy Posted June 21, 2016 Author Share Posted June 21, 2016 That's called progress Dale. When we were living in Denver and my kids were in high school the family would backpack into the Indian Peaks region just south of Rocky Mountain National Park. It was used by few people. We could hike in and set up camp anywhere we wanted. Then the damned Sierra Club got it designated as a wilderness area and within a couple of years you had to make a reservation to hike in on a weekend and a couple of the more popular camp sites were closed due to over use. A few years ago we drove the Blue Ridge Parkway it was more crowded than I had ever seen it. We would stay overnight at a lodge at Peaks of Otter and never had a problem getting a room. But the last time they were filled up and we had to drive to Roanoke to find lodging for the night. The planet is getting too crowded. Noel Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Archived
This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.