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A Jaunt Down the Coast

With the National Spring Meet being held in Santa Maria a small group of Plymouth owners took the slow way from the San Francisco Bay to the show.

Traveling the farthest were Pat and Patty Brost from Portland, Oregon, with their very nice 1933 PD convertible coupe. A bit closer Steve and Debbie Cavalli from Santa Rosa, California, drove their 1935 PJ business coupe. The “Yellow Rose”, a 1940 P-10 convertible with Eric and Carolyn Beeby arrived from Vacaville, California. Locals Rob and Kim Hunt (1937 business coupe) and Tod Fitch (1933 PD two door sedan) filled out the contingent that made the whole tour.

Heading south out of San Jose onto back roads we met up with Hank Wespiser with his 1931 PA. We then climbed through the redwoods to crest the Santa Cruz mountains at Hecker Pass. After dropping down almost to the ocean we turned back inland to San Juan Bautista where we viewed the mission, window shopped at antique stores and had lunch at a Mexican restaurant.

After lunch we followed the old route of US-101 over the hill to Salinas. This section of road was bypassed prior to 1932 and retains its original paving, decaying wooden guard rails and 1920s style bridge railings. Hank had to depart the tour at this point while the rest of us visited the National Steinbeck Center in Salinas. Late in the day we headed for our lodgings in the Monterey area then dinner on Monterey’s Fisherman’s Wharf.

Thursday dawned foggy and overcast as is usual along this section of coast but by the time our morning sight seeing and lunch were complete the sun was out and the day beautiful. We wound our way out to California Highway 1 at Carmel via 17 Mile Drive. 17 Mile Drive winds past numerous view points and the famous Pebble Beach golf course. On Highway 1 “steering by arm strong” was the order of the day as we followed the winding highway along the cliffs and over bridges built when our cars were new. After settling into our lodgings at San Simeon and picking up another tour participant, Larry Foster of Chico, we headed out to dinner in Cambria.

Friday, our last day on the road, dawned much the same as Thursday. But, again the clouds burned off by the time we completed our tour of Hearst Castle. A fine lunch, punctuated by the over flight of a rare B-17, in Morro Bay was followed by a back road route to the host hotel for the national meet in Santa Maria.

Our only mechanical mishap on the way down was a broken door latch spring. I think it is fair to say that a good time was had by all!

More photos from the tour and from the national meet can be seen at http://www.ply33.com/Misc/club2007

Edited on 2007-05-15 by Tod Fitch

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