Pt. Lobos, just south of Carmel is a great place to spend some time.

 

The drive is really nice and much to see. If you are not in a hurry, you can stay at Cambria also. My wife and I drove up there all the time. There are many hotels and bed & breakfast inns along the ocean. They are less expansive than Carmel-by-the-sea. We love Carmel also, but things are more expansive and a much further drive. Actually my wife and her mom will be at Carmel next weekend, but they are flying there.

Check tripadvisor.com for hotel reviews. I think it is the best hotel reviews site out there.

This is the hotel we stayed at a few years back, sorry forgot the name:



View from the room:

 

I went to college on the Central Coast, and drove HWY 1 quite a bit, for fun. You have to choose the timing carefully, because it can get clogged with RVs and tourists, but early, it's cool. NOT friendly for cycling, though. Great for motorcycling. I'm sure great for MINIs, though I prefer some fo the routes in the hills we have around the Bay Area.

Now, what's this about illegality of GPS mounts in the window? This is for real?? I would assume window mount Valentine detector is equally suspect (moreso actually)... what gives?

 

This notice came with my Garmin GPS:

*******
SPECIAL NOTE TO PEOPLE DRIVING IN CALIFORNIA

California Vehicle Code Section 26708 (a) (1) provides that "No persons shall drive any motor vehicle with an object or material placed, displayed, installed, affixed, or applied upon the windshield or side or rear windows." Drivers in California should not use the suction mount on their windshield or side or rear windows. Neither Garmin, Magellan, Lowrance, or any other manufacturer will take responsibility for any fines, penalties or damage that may be incurred by disregarding this notice. USE THESE UNITS AND MOUNTING BRACKETS AT YOUR OWN RISK.

This law applies to anyone driving in California, not just California residents
*******

 

Hm. You know, the CA vehicle Code drives me nuts. That's the first statement in the section, but then there's a litany of exceptions.

One hand:

" (3) Signs, stickers, or other materials which are displayed in a 7-inch square in the lower corner of the windshield farthest removed from the driver, signs, stickers, or other materials which are displayed in a 7-inch square in the lower corner of the rear window farthest removed from the driver, or signs, stickers, or other materials which are displayed in a 5-inch square in the lower corner of the windshield nearest the driver."

Other materials? YES
5-inch square by driver? CHECK!

But on the other hand:

"
(11) An electronic communication device affixed to the center uppermost portion of the interior of a windshield within an area that is not greater than 5 inches square, if the device provides either of the following:
(A) The capability for enforcement facilities of the Department of the California Highway Patrol to communicate with a vehicle equipped with the device.
(B) The capability for electronic toll and traffic management on public or private roads or facilities."



Electronic device ie. FastTrak, above the rear-view. Seems to suggest that's the only place, and these are the only devices.




Drives me nuts. I was studying laws regarding tinting reflectors and indicators and so on and it drove me bat-crazy.



http://www.dmv.ca.gov/pubs/vctop/d12/vc26708.htm

 

What's the big deal? Basically you can't put devices on the windshield, except those used by cops, or toll systems. They allow for window stickers in certain locations. Your car and/or house insurance policy is probably a lot more convoluted than that.