Lucky to be alive.......

Underway again after a fantastic stay with Nigel & Elen. San Fran and Yosemite are now behind us. However we were in a Motel just outside the National Park - I believe it was called the Yosemite Motel. All was good until the meal - we were seated, our orders taken - the meal included soup and salad so off we go for soup - it was cold so the cooks helper said just 5 mins and it will be sorted. We got our salad and waited for the word. Another 10 mins we were told so we ate our salad. We wated and after another 10 mins we were told it was ready and this coinsided with the arrival of our main meal. Pat said to the serving lady that this was unacceptable and she replyed that there was no problem as the soup was now available. Pat ask what she was going to do about it and she said nothing as soup was now available. Customer service zero. We spoke to our waitress and eventually got a 20% discount.
So off we set on our last leg. We had gone but 15 miles and I was belting down a big hill - I think I was doing 34.9 mph when I had a rear wheel blowout - very exciting as I had cars overtaking at 60 mph and a very narrow shoulder. I managed to come to a halt and found the rim had split and was at right angles to the rest of the wheel. I guess I must have hit a stone.  We call  Jane who we were going to stay with the following night and she drpped everything and came to my rescue. She took me to Santa Cruz - new wheel and then returned me to camp with the rest of the gang.
Jane and Neville live on top of a hill and so when we arrived in Santa Cruz Jane and her friend Laurie picked us up in their big American cars and took us 10 miles inland and 1000ft up to Janes  house. A great view to the Monterey Peninsular over the hills. Great hospitality but we could not do the offered single malt justice as we were pedalling the next day.
We are now in Carmel in a Comfort Inn. The next 80 miles look remote and hilly. But it is meant to be a stunning ride.- the odo is 1428 mls and all's well.