The Mission Trail. Besides the native
Indians, Spanish settlers were the
first to explore and pioneer the
California coast. The ruins of the
Missions established by the padres
of the Franciscan order can still be
explored along the route. Above:
Tumbleweed looks the part as he
checks a golden section of Califor
nia Street beach in Ventura. Right:
Eddie Reategul dashes past the
nicely restored Mission San Luis
Obispo de Tolosa on a street search.
Spread: Editor, KT uses a pit stop at
the Mission San Miguel Archangel
for a leg stretching nose wheelle on
two lane blacktop. Opposite Page,
Inset: The bells and courtyard at
Mission San Luis Rey, near San Diego.
chain of missions established in the name of their
Spanish king by Father Junipero Serra and the Fran-
ciscan order between San Diego in the south and
Sonoma in the north. As the mission settlements
grew, the foot path became a well traveled road. Once
the Americans acquired California, they used the
King's Highway as the main north-south stage route.
When the mighty automobile replaced the coach, the
old roadway became one of the longest and most
famous main drags in the world. Modern Route 101
bypasses the residential and business districts of the
towns that still bear the Spanish names of the
homeboys who pioneered them. When you get off
the highway and lowride through some of the small
towns, you can appreciate the history and maybe spot
a pool or two.
Incident Number Two
Just north of Paso Robles we checked one of
Father Serra's Missiorts, San Miguel Arcangel,
Established in 1797 and rebuilt after a fire in 1806,
the beautifully restored church and grounds, in-
cluding the ruins of the multi-belled tower, stand hard