Matthew Tuffin Blog

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Source: Flickr

Source: Flickr

We began the longest leg of our journey south, where for about a good 120 miles or so there are not many major settlements just forests and coast line. Before this undertaking we stopped on the way in Salinas a town just the east of Monterey, the birth place of the author of East of Eden and many other classics, John Steinbeck.

The John Steinbeck Centre gives you a look back at each of the books and the life of Steinbeck as he grew up and the changing world around him. A short walk from the centre we had lunch in Steinbeck’s original family home, now a small restaurant. Before I forget to mention Salinas is also the origin of the term Iceberg Lettuce as they grow lots of it out here and were the first to have the idea of shipping it by rail with blocks of ice to keep it fresh enough to eat in say New York the next day.

Southward, we approached the coast and a mighty road that snaked up and down and twist and turn along the side of the coast line. One false move driving at any point a long that route and you would be a mere stain on the rocks below. Tired from the long journey we stopped off at a strangely name town of San Luis Obispo which I can now remember to spell at last. There we had a huge dinner at F Mc Lintocks which included ribs, chicken, steak, baked potatoes, beans and garlic bread all on one plate!