Day 24 - Watsonville, CA. 117km

Day 24 Route

The plan today was to stop in Aptos but there was no affordable accommodation (and they figured a $300+/night resort on the beach probably wouldn't fly back home!) so they flagged down a cyclist coming their way and got directions to a Comfort Inn in Watsonville. 


As usual they started the day in the fog - there must be one huge fog bank over the Pacific, and we thought the south shore of Nova Scotia was foggy! Still even in the fog the temperature is noticeably warmer as they go south. The ride though was fairly flat with few hills so they were able to enjoy the view of the ocean as they rode along.

There are not many operating lighthouses any more so when we came upon this tall one at Pigeon Point, we had to stop to take photos and see it up close.  It was midmorning and it was operating in the fog.  Luckily the fog horn was not on.

Their hotel breakfast was just enough to take the hunger pangs off but not enough to fuel their day so their first goal was a good breakfast.  Little did they know they would find it in a most unlikely place. 

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Gary writes "Would you stop here?  Good thing we did because the snack and coffee/tea was wonderful.  The Swanton Berryfarm at Davenport  offered strawberry shortcake and individual blackberry pies - that we devoured!  They used a honor payment system - you made your own change!  And the decor was a colourful trip through local history." 

All smiles

Apparently, they were riding along when a young fellow saw them and started cheerfully waving them in to this place. He then proceeded to rave about the food and they wouldn't regret it and they loved cyclists - even giving them 10% off!  He was so enthusiastic and charming they thought 'why not?' and in they went.  The smiles tell the results!

They are noting the change in topography and land use as they move from hilly ranch like farming to the flat land crop farms.  There are lots of itinerant workers now seen starting to harvest the crops that now make up the farming land.

The sun came out after their lunch stop in Santa Cruz and the jackets came off for the rest of the ride into Watsonville.

Posted by Janet with commentary by Gary