Hot, hot, hot…..

Well, the wink and smile from the campground host last night meant what I thought it had meant….I got a 100% discount on the $55 fee. I had pitched my tent behind his palatial RV, on a spot that overlooked the ocean….and the sunset (no, I won’t bore you with yet another sunset shot…).

But the campground had several prominent alerts posted about rattlesnakes in the area….and guess what was uppermost on my mind as I got up in the night for a pee…..? Just as well there had been a full moon to light the way…

Despite the heat during the day, the dew was extra heavy last night, so I spent a lazy hour talking to other camp residents this morning while my tent dried. But as I set off mid-morning, the temperature was already in the mid-30s, and as I tumbled through Laguna Beach, I was ‘bullied’ by this sign…

into stubbing out my cigarette (no, just kidding!)….can’t ever remember going through a smoke-free city before….I wonder, does that just mean smoking in public places?

Tonight, I am being hosted in San Clemente by Weej and Chris Baggely (both keen off-roaders) and their son Jack, and as I arrived (having toiled up a 5 mile climb to nearly 800 feet) I was given a beer and ushered to relax a while in their backyard……..

…could it be any better?