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| Edited By: Ashwin Rajagopalan |Source: DNA |Updated: Sep 23, 2018, 06:20 AM IST
The California sun beats down on the shiny black hood of my ride for the day. I'm at the WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca, one of California's most iconic race tracks that dates back to 1957 and has also hosted Moto GP events. It's been 84 years since America's romance began with Highway One and today, it is a significant chapter in this eight-decade long journey. Eighty four cars have queued up at the starting lane – one from each year, from 1930s Fords to a contemporary Tesla. I'm all strapped up in a 1959 Aston Martin DB Mark III – James Bond's car of choice in the Goldfinger novel. Except I'm not in the driver's seat.
I didn't expect the owner of this classic machine to share the wheel. Many owners spend several years restoring and maintaining these cars and moments like these – the Dream drive to celebrate the reopening of Highway One – make it worth their while. There's nothing to beat a coastal drive. From Australia's Great Ocean drive that's home to the Twelve Apostles to Northern Ireland's Antrim Coast, where Game of Thrones was filmed, I've driven through some dramatic stretches, all with an Indian license. But driving along the California coast in an Aston Martin coupe with the wind in my hair is another thrill altogether. By the time the Goldfinger movie released in 1964, Bond had switched to the DB5, which is now a movie legend. A car that kept resurfacing in Bond films even as recent as Skyfall and Spectre.
(Morro Bay; (Right) One of the many historic churches at San Luis Obispo)
Highway One's changing landscapes from high cliffs to stretches that run parallel to the Pacific Ocean add to this highway's allure; it's why I keep coming back. And then there are the quintessential California beach towns all the way from San Francisco to Los Angeles. My first stop was at Carmel, my favourite small town in the state. Carmel became a magnet for some of California's most creative minds like Hank Ketcham (who created Dennis the Menace) and Clint Eastwood, who also served as the mayor of this town. I'd definitely recommend a quick stop at Doris Day's very own Cypress Inn, one of Carmel's many chic dining venues. Just don't arrive in Carmel with high heels though; high heels are officially banned here unless you have a permit (this bizarre law was enforced to prevent lawsuits from tripping accidents caused by the town's uneven pavements!).
The New York Times once described Big Sur as one of the 'most stunning meetings of the land and the sea in the world'. Big Sur, with its sweeping views and Redwood forests, is one of the most popular pitstops and camping venues along Highway One. It's also home to the Bixby Creek Bridge built in the 1930s. Our brunch stop was Ventana Big Sur, an Alila Resort and one of America's hippest glamping sites that allows you to experience the Californian Redwoods from the comfort of a luxury tent.
The popular tourist spot San Simeon didn't exist until newspaper magnate William Randolph Hearst built one of America's most famous castles here a century ago. The Hearst Castle was his dream project – he lived there from time to time between 1919 and 1947. Also known as the La Cuesta Encantada (The Enchanted Hill), the castle is a treasure trove of art and architecture. From Winston Churchill to Cary Grant to Charlie Chaplin, it has played host to some Hollywood A-listers and political elite who usually landed on the estate's private airfield. During a quick stop at the Hearst Ranch, we sampled some of their best wines.
It was the 2016 Pixar film Finding Dory that made Morro Bay famous – Dory's childhood home was the fictional Marine Life Institute, known as the Jewel of Morro Bay. The Morro Bay Rock provided the perfect back drop as we rolled into this idyllic coastal town towards sunset. My first day along Highway One was truly eventful. Over the next few days I spent time at some of the California coast's famous beachside towns – the glamorous Santa Barbara and the busy Santa Monica pier just outside LA and also explored the wines and olive farms around San Luis Obispo. It wasn't quite the same driving in a 2010s automobile after getting used to the throttle of a 1950s Aston Martin coupe.
Getting there and getting around
