Our Monday started with a tour of California Lutheran University, a small liberal arts college located near Simi Valley in Thousand Oaks, CA.  I admit I had preconceived mental images of this school and they were all completely WRONG!  The only thing small about Cal Lu is the student body –  currently a whopping 2,200 students.  The campus itself is enormous but well-organized and connected efficiently so that students can easily move around on foot, by bike, scooter or roller skate  – no motorized vehicles needed.  Further, the school, similar to Cal Arts, is nearby town but not inside it, so traffic is limited only to those drivers with purpose and is surrounded by suburbia sufficiently that it gives the appearance of an exclusive residential neighborhood rather than an institution for advanced education.  The property is beautiful with massive trees, sweeping lawns, blooming gardens, and a large number of outdoor recreational areas – some for eating, some for relaxing, and some for sport.  They even have a small creek running near the student union where a brace of mallards was snoozing on the sunny bank, empty hammock chairs and picnic tables were dotted around, and a lovely wind chime tinkled a melody in the breeze. Unlike any other university we have visited to date, Cal Lutheran boasts enough on-campus housing for their entire student body and strongly encourages its use; even during the summer months, if you have a job, are taking a class, or just don’t want to relocate home for those few months (as is true for international students).  Allita and I were both absolutely enchanted by California Lutheran University and she announced that it had “moved up” on her list of schools of choice.  Also, she was happy to observe that the city of Thousand Oaks, second largest in Ventura County, is aptly named.  For a trio of Arizonans (Toby slept most of the time – I’m not sure he even looked out the window), the immensity and quantity of timber in this area was quite impressive.  

We have long discussed the merits of traveling along the Pacific Coast Highway (PCH) from California to Washington.  Sections of this road, well known around the world, are notoriously out of commission due to flooding, fires, landslides, etc. that plague (particularly) California and this year is no exception.  There is a 10-mile section just south of Big Sur that is closed, so we decided to enjoy all that we could from Thousand Oaks to San Simeon, our destination for Monday night.  The PCH is a scenic drive – similar to our drive along the Costa Brava actually – with views of the pacific coast, rocky cliffs, some beaches, state parks, and a plethora of tiny coastal towns through which the road twists and turns.  My mother would like it known for posterity that in her opinion, the best entrance is Santa Maria.  If the road is open beyond Lucia, she has no idea what you might see but everything south of Santa Maria was not worth it (except for the affordable gasoline we got in Lompoc).  My only comment is this: kindly remember that the coast has wind.  The taller the vehicle you are driving, the more exciting the drive will be.  

We camped at Hearst San Simeon State Park, a California State Park located on property that was once part of the William Randolph Hearst collection, and is, therefore, approximately 5 miles from the famous estate.  Tuesday morning, we enjoyed a relaxing and slow-paced start to our day and allowed Toby some time to communicate with nature.  He darted from window to window watching the fearless, corpulent, campground squirrels as they frolicked in the grass and raced up trees chattering noisily to one another.  Allita and I took a stroll around the area making use of a well-maintained foot trail that connected all three camping areas at this park.  Our campsite had a minuscule view of the ocean through the trees, but other spots on the hilltop and nearer the bathhouse were more open and from those, the vistas were enchanting.  Later, we learned that Hearst himself called his residence “La Cuesta Encantada”, meaning the enchanted hill, which suits the region completely and accurately.  Another item of note regarding this campground: they provide HOT water in the showers and sinks.  Come prepared for a lovely bath (even if the showers are made for short people) and the ability to wash dishes easily.  

Later Tuesday afternoon, we tootled up the road for our 1pm “Grand Rooms” tour of Hearst Castle.  I don’t know what you know about William Randolph Hearst or Hearst Castle, as this property is called, but if you don’t know him, you are missing out on some interesting American history.  The Hearst family was like the Vanderbilts, the Rockerfellers, the Astors, the Morgans, etc.  Surely some of these names are recognizable?  How about from Orson Welles’ film Citizen Kane?  Even today, the family remains one of the richest in the world.  Patty Hearst made history when she was kidnapped.  Ok.  Yes.  Those Hearsts.  Anyway, the property is enormous.  Hearst inherited it from his parents, George and Phoebe.  George was the son of pig farmers who made his wealth in silver mines (ever heard of the Comstock Lode?) and later in cattle ranching.  Over time, the family wealth grew and grew from George’s investments in mining, ranching and properties.  William has an interesting life as the only child of an incredibly wealthy, driven man and an educated, sophisticated mother.  Eventually, he asks his father for a newspaper George won in a poker tournament, the San Francisco Chronicle.  From there, William Randolph Hearst created a media empire and amassed even more wealth, fame and fortune.  You should read about him – seriously. 

Anyway, this property in San Simeon, purchased originally by George and used by the family for ranching and camping, became the very heart of William Randolph Hearst.  He loved this place more than any other in the world, and he would know, as he visited most of the civilized global community in his lifetime.  For this reason, he built his massive residence on a hill near his childhood campsite overlooking the pacific coast and the Santa Lucia mountains.  Like Simba’s dad said, everything you could see from their home was the property of Hearst. 

Really, the most interesting and, often overlooked, person in the history of Hearst castle is the architect, Julia Morgan.  She has a fascinating history of her own and partnered with the fickle Hearst in the design and construction of the castle and all its grounds over the 28 years it was under construction.  Julia Morgan was such a talented and passionate architect, did you know she designed and constructed nearly 200 more builds than Frank Lloyd Wright, who is undoubtedly more well-known? When we get back to Tucson, I am going to see if the Pima County Library system has anything I can read about her as, even though I know about Hearst and some of his family story, I know nearly nothing of Morgan, who is arguably a more interesting person.  But then, I am something of a fan of historical female figures.  As you probably already know.