Where'd the Road Go?

So we're continuing on our circumnavigation of the west side of this rock we call home.  And things have taken a decidedly interesting turn.  The road - still well paved, no worries there - becomes a very narrow single track road, hugging the steep hillsides as it winds in and out of the several valleys along this rugged coast.  Think more goat trail than vehicular ribbon of macadam.

On more than one occasion we are forced to back up (or down, depending) the road to find a space wide enough for two cars to pass.  There is some rule about the uphill car is supposed to give way... yeah, right.  Whatever that means.  Honestly, it's whoever makes the first move in a specific direction, the other car just follows.

We had one "turnout" (ha!) that was really just a place where a hundred cars before us had sideways scaled the mountain wall on the passenger side and created a bald spot to pull up on, and sit, tilted at a 35 degree angle while the oncoming car squeeks past on the downhill side.  We saw the passenger in the oncoming car - she was a somewhat green, very unhappy looking woman.

There was blind curve after blind curve.  No mirrors -well, okay, that does seem a bit of a luxury.  No guardrails - well, of course not.  There's not an inch of room to spare!!

At one point, Michael found a narrow spot to pull over on the driver's side, to let the approaching vehicle pass on the right.  As he pulled away, he simply said "I'm glad you weren't on this side to see where we just were"  and I think I saw a bead of sweat drop off his brow.

Admittedly, there we several luxuriously large pull outs where we could stop and let cars pass, and Michael could rest his grip on the wheel.  And actually take a  picture.

The remote valleys back here are lush and lovely.  And populated!  Good heavens, you gotta really wanna live there to make this road your commute!

Stopped at a roadside stand with self-proclaimed (and vouched for in The Book) "best banana bread on the planet".  Luckily, the proprietress was just walking up the hill with her bag of fresh out of the oven bread when we got there.  She gives free samples.  It IS delicious.  (worth the drive?... er, uh... no.)

Eventually the road seems to widen enough to start breathing normally again.  But just when you think you're done, you round this ridiculous switchback hairpin turn only to find your back on skinny street still.  But not for long.

Soon enough we're in heavenly double wide road and then all of a sudden, civilization and a double yellow line!  We've made it.  Whew!

Looking back we think it's something like 6 miles of single track, over 1/2 of which are the super narrow white knuckle ride, and the rest reasonable but still you gotta really pay attention.

I've decided that everyone should do this drive at least once.  It's worth it.

We've done it now.  We're good.