Timing Is Everything

If timing is everything, we planned correctly. Rain moved in overnight and socked Cambria and the coastline in with misting, dripping, drizzling gray clouds. But we had Hearst Castle tickets for Tour #2 of "The Enchanted Hill" at 10:20 a.m. This tour, mostly indoors, featured the main house upstairs guest rooms and sitting rooms, the libraries, the Hearst private quarters, the downstairs kitchens, and the indoor swimming pool.

Keeping to a strict timing schedule, Guide Muna escorted us up and down the circular staircases that twisted around corners of the mansion, and she pointed out intricately carved and painted European ceilings that William Randolph Hearst had purchased from art dealers in New York.

Answering questions and offering insights, she explained, "Hearst collected art, especially Italian and Spanish pieces from the 16th and 17th centuries. But you have to remember, he was born in 1863, so his tastes were more classical, the Mediterranean revival style." Earning about $50,000 a day from his corporations, Hearst could afford to be selective. "Most of his art is authentic," she said, "but see that one huge Chinese jar over there?" She pointed to a four-foot porcelain vase in one window of the main library. "That one is only 200 years old. He got taken on that purchase."

The father of five boys, including the youngest a set of twins, Hearst loved San Simeon where he had camped as a child and could wander outdoors. He was most proud of his books, as evidenced by the private library, and his collections of art; and his favorite pastimes were riding, playing tennis and swimming laps.
"He was a private man," said Guide Muna, "not demonstrative, but he loved having guests around him." As a consequence, he kept asking architect Julia Morgan to convert every inch of the concrete and steel mansion into guest suites, and often on weekends in the 1930's he hosted 30-50 guests. "As an only child, he just liked people," she said.
Muna also explained how money was rarely an issue for Hearst. His father, a self-made millionaire miner, one of few who actually made money during the Gold Rush, initially purchased ranch property. Hearst expanded the holdings to 250,000 acres.

After the tour I asked if any of the five boys were still alive. The receptionist at the front desk said, "No, the last one, one of the twins and Patty Hearst's father, died in 2000."

"What did you think was the most interesting?" I asked Andy as we headed for the car.

He told me, "Well, first Hearst married a dance hall girl against his parent's wishes and then years later when they separated, he fell in love with another dancer." We chuckled about the details. "I also listened to the information about architects Stanford White and Morgan. Did you hear the guide say Morgan's philosophy was, 'Never turn down a commission, because it could always lead to something else'? I thought that was interesting."

"I liked Hearst's interest in animals," I told Andy. "Imagine having polar bears in your backyard in California and caring for them properly!"

The bus driver pointed out a Barbary sheep, called an aoudad, posing on a hilltop as we descended. There are still zebras, Roosevelt elk, tahr goats, sambar deer and wild pigs on the grounds of the 68,000-acre working ranch.

"I guess what California just purchased," mused Andy, "was a conservation easement. It means the ranch operates as is in perpetuity. The land cannot be developed, except for the limited acreage belonging to the Hearst grandchildren. It's an easy method of preservation for California, but it also doesn't allow for improvements as a park."

Back at Morro Rock, we caught a break in the storm. "Quick," said Andy. "You can get pictures with and without sun glinting off the volcanic plug." It made for an interesting contrast.

Black Hill, home to coyote and bobcat, climbed to 660 feet. It provided us a view of the adjacent extinct volcano, as well as Morro Bay and Morro Rock. The sun came out just as we reached the car, but we didn't get rained on.

At Elfin Forest, migratory spring home of the Chumash Indians, a boardwalk revealed rare pygmy oak trees. But our luck ran out a quarter mile from the car, as the rain came back in off the marsh. Wouldn't you know, blue sky patches followed ten minutes behind, but it was long enough to get rather wet. Thank goodness Little Red has a good heater!

Back in Cambria, skies cleared and winds out of the northwest picked up. We walked the Fiscalini Ranch Trail, literally holding our hoods up and keeping our hands over our ears. Just steadying the camera for a picture took effort against the sustained 25 m.p.h. onslaught. Even the seagulls, resting on the rocks, had trouble in the air and generally flew backwards when they did take flight. Sunset was just as windy and just as striking.