Up Highway 1 from Los Angeles to Monterey Bay

In the movies, the sports car squeals around the hair pin turns and down the side of the mountain, then the sudden turn and straight over the edge, over and over in flames to the rocks below. Highway 1 is the road of choice for countless car commercials, car chases and suspicious murders. My favorite Highway 1 movie moment? In the Long, Long Trailer, Lucille Ball and Desi Arnaz attempt to move their huge trailer around the turns. The rocks Lucy has gathered and stored in every nook and cupboard fall out onto the floor of the stuck, tipping trailer. Desi walks back from the car, opens the door and . . .the piles of stone far below increase.

Mary Ann and I started our Highway 1 trip in Malibu, with shots of the lifeguard station for husbands addicted to BabeWatch --also known as Bay Watch. Why we thought the trucks, the beach, the towers, even the lifesaver's cans wouldn't look the same as on TV, I have no idea. But that's California. Mary Ann kept saying, "Look! There really is a Sunset Blvd., a Melrose Place, even a Sunnydale. It isn't made up."

Leaving the beach, we headed towards the bald mountains, staring up at mansions perched on the hilltops. Why does Arnold Schwartznegger keep a house in polluted Beverly Hills, when the places on the cliffs sit above the smog? Many of the roads heading into the mountains had the word cyn after the street name. I thought some word left over from Welsh gold miners. Then I realized. It meant canyon.

The road wound up along the narrow edge between the cliffs and the sea with no barriers, sheer rock and scrabble down to the water. Not bad traveling when hugging the cliff on the way up to Monterey and San Francisco, but coming down the other way on the passenger side, as happened to me when my daughter was learning to drive is another story. Beyond the first set of mountains, the land flattens out. I permitted Gwen, learner's permit in hand, to drive on the flat. It turned into the narrow mountain road with no place to stop.

"Don't worry Mom, I'm a good driver," said Gwen as I clung to the armrest, unable to take my eyes off the sheer cliffs below. She pointed out that on a clear, dry day, no more chance existed for her to go off the road than if we traveled on the flat land. We made it, moving on to Los Angeles. We now talk about how Gwen learned to drive on the expressways of Los Angeles.

Highway 1 smooths into agricultural land well before Morro Bay. Here the traveler can continue up the coastal road or move inland for a quicker trip up to San Francisco. We stopped at a restaurant serving one of the amazing American breakfast buffets; with waffles, omelets made as you waited, hash browns, Mexican eggs and beans, bacon, sausage, pies, squares, mixed fruit and the unbeatable California orange juice.

At San Simeon, Hearst Castle National Monument sits atop a low mountain, giving it a spectacular view of the California coast. The car stays at the visitor's center and tourists travel by bus up to the top. The dry plain offers a glimpse of some of the exotic animals Randolph Hearst imported onto his lands. The castle enchants with pure white Greek statues and perfect rose gardens. The statues remain white due to the lack of rain and pollution. Underground springs feed the flowers. Inside, Hearst imported bits and pieces of various European estates and churches to decorate his rooms, leading to such oddities as choir stalls in the lounge. Expensive china is laid on the table in the dining room, along with vintage ketchup and mustard bottles. Hearst refused to move his tomato sauce into bowls.

Moving away from San Simeon, the land remains flat and sandy down to the sea. The observant may spy sea lions, dolphins and, in season, whales. We stopped at a beach so Mary Ann could officially dip her feet in the Pacific ocean. The constant breezes ruffled the crowds of pelicans and made the place great for kite flying. On a previous trip with my mother and daughters, we purchased a kite in San Francisco's China town and my eleven year old flew it along the same beach. Mary Ann found a large rock with worn round holes and crannies with the eroding pebbles that made the tiny caves still inside. This rock traveled home, at risk of causing an over weight charge, and now sits proudly beside her computer.

We filled up the car before we made the final leg up into the mountains. The only gas station charges a horrendous price. It is worth a stop, though. The station owners have created a garden with pines leading to a scenic look out. I watched cars and buses edging their way along the sheer side of the mountain, hundreds of feet above the sea and rocks, then realized that shortly I would drive the route. The actual driving seemed tame compared to the anticipation.

Highway 1 becomes endless, each twist showing yet another long line of points needing driving care. We ate lunch at a restaurant perched on the edge of a cliff. The open balcony let us dine while watching gulls and pelicans circle below. The scents of the chef's orange, banana and palm garden drifted about us.

We stopped to take pictures of the sun setting. A large plane dipped a great round ball into the sea then rose and carried off over the mountain. We realized that the clouds behind us came from a forest fire. The plane roared back, filling its pot for another bombing run at the flames. Further along the road, the smoke thickened in the mountains and fire trucks barred the way up to the canyons.

The smoke behind us, the road changed from dry scrub to pine forest with restaurants dotted here and there. We rushed on to see the Big Sur before the sun set. The surfing waves rolled in on a lonely, isolated beach far removed from the teen-age crowded scenes from the old Gidget movies.

Both times I have traveled this road, I ended up traveling the hair pins at night. No street lights or town lights, high beams must be used, lowering them for cars coming the other way. Glance to the side of the road if the high beams aren't lowered. We cheered as the land flattened into Mount Carmel and Monterey Bay. Arrival at last.

If You Go

Mapquest creates a free driving map that includes the tourist attractions and chain hotels along the route.

National car . Our metallic sea foam green rental car could never end up lost in a parking lot but it maneuvered the steep inclines and quick turns without a grumble. Excellent prices though rental cars always add a big chunk of change to a holiday. Watch out for the hold charges on your credit card. Ask to have them removed as soon as you return the car or you could end up washing restaurant dishes in San Francisco.

Hotels. We obtained our hotels through the Internet.

Links of interest:

www.heastcastle.org

Sea lion sanctuary