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I left Santa Barbara and started driving up the coast of California.Merged onto famous route 1 at San Louis Obispo exit and drove north.I had heard so much about this particular drive.Nearly everyone I talked to about California mentioned it.Driving up route 1 is really an experience in and of itself.It was by far the most beautiful coastline I had ever seen.The cliffs drop for hundreds of feet onto tall white-capped waves, carving the rock over time.I must have stopped about 20 times to take pictures.(Unfortunately it was a bit overcast)Fog rolled in off the mountains as I drove down the narrow streets hugging the cliff.After about and hour, the cliffs go even steeper and pretty soon, I was in Big Sur.Tall trees stretched on either side of me and shaded the road.Oh… by the way, fill up before you drive through Big Sur.I had to pay over 4 dollars a gallon.The Mexican guy that pumped it just smiled and said, "Hey, its Big Sur."I had to agree.It was Big Sur.
I arrived in Santa Cruz just before nightfall.I had tried to get in contact with some friends of friends but had no luck.I checked my lonely planet guide and found a hostile pretty close by to where I was.Went in to the checkout paid and was soon in a comfortable room filled with beautiful women from around the world.Not bad for 28 bucks I thought.
The next morning, I went down stairs for breakfast. I devoured a community pear and made some tea.I talked with a few travelers from San Diego, England, and Mexico.I felt like it would be too risky to rely on staying with the friends of friends, as I still had not heard back from them.I inquired about staying another night at the hostile.The woman at the desk said they were all filled up for the night.For a moment a voice in my head said, "screwed".I walked out trying to think of what to do next.I had already told my friends in Montera and San Francisco that I would be there in a day or two.I didn't want to spring on them early.I sat and tried to join in the conversation.A Chinese girl named Mindy who shared the room with me the night before asked me if she could borrow my computer.I agreed.She said that she was looking for a bus ticket to LA.They had no space for her either.The wheels started turning.Hey, would you just like to get a motel room.She agreed.I could afford it if we split the cost.
We got in my car and checked out my lonely planet guide for stuff to do in Santa Cruz.I saw something in there about a mystery spot and was intrigued.
I pulled up through tall redwoods down a narrow path that was about as wide as someone's driveway.A big yellow sign said Mystery Spot on the front.We bought our tickets and proceeded to the spot.This has been called by some, "a tourist trap" but I thought it was cool.At least it was interactive.I grew up in Plymouth Massachusetts so I really know what a tourist trap is (Plymouth rock for example)The mystery spot is this giant hill where gravity and compasses don't seem to make sense.You see golf balls rolling up hill and other odd things that trick your eye.The history of the spot started in the early 1900s.A lumberjack built a cabin on this hill and weird things started to happen.I can't get into too much detail (because it's a mystery) but I will say that I felt sick when I left.Mindy and I both scratched our heads after leaving (possibly for different reasons).She complained that the girl spoke too fast and that she could not understand anything that was said.The language barrier became sort of an on running joke the two of us had.We were laughing all day.
After, we went to near the Boardwalk and grabbed a cheap motel room. When we were settled we grabbed a quick bite to eat a seafood place on the ocean.I got the clam chowder to remind me of back east, but it was orange for some reason.I asked the waiter what was up with the clam chowder and learned that this orange chowder is unique even to California.I thought for a moment that I had discovered a new trend in the chowder business, but the chef their just likes to blend carrots into his soups.
We left and gave the friends of friends one last chance.When I got there this time, a few people were sitting in the yard having a smoke.I rapped on the gate and they let us in. We had a long conversation about ants and how they make up more mass than any other species on the planet.I have yet to research it for myself but it seems like something you don't make up.I took Eric's word for it. After, he showed us his garage music practice space. This led to a 45 minute jam session.When we were done, Mindy tried jumping on the drums as well playing along to a recording of rappers delight.
After a relatively quick visit, Mindy and I said our goodbyes and headed back to the boardwalk.People filled the streets with ice-cream cones and cotton candy as people screamed on rollercoaster overhead.Santa Cruz has a non stop carnival on the boardwalk.It gives the place a dreamlike quality.You can literally ride rollercoaster's every day of the week.We got lucky, and showed up on a Monday.Every ride was only 75 cents.Mindy was done after only one ride so we were forced to stop a bit prematurely.She screamed the whole time (I think even before the ride had even started).I was accommodating though, as it was her first time in the US.We played some mini golf instead of more rollercoaster's.Then we played a few weird ball games.I won her a stuffed animal.
We parted ways the next morning.She headed to LA on the bus and I had to go to Montera to visit some friends.That was pretty much my 48 hours of Santa Cruz.
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