In a continuation of our strategy this past pandemic year of staying longer term in places that feature nice weather and plenty of things to do outside, we decided to head to the Central Coast of California. I found a small family run campground that offered reasonable monthly rates, provided easy access to several picturesque towns, and gave us a place to call home for purposes of getting vaccinated.
Morro Bay
Morro Bay is one of several small beachside communities that dot the coast halfway between San Francisco and Los Angeles. The town, home to about 10,000 residents, is an operational fishing village and a popular weekend destination for local California beach goers. Because of its location, Morro Bay is almost always about 10 degrees cooler than nearby inland locations and offers an array of opportunities to view wildlife, get out on the water, or just enjoy the beach. (click on any photo for full sized version.)
Referred to by locals as “Three Stacks and a Rock,” the town is known for two impossible-to-ignore features: three extremely tall smokestacks that are visible from miles away, and an enormous volcanic rock located on a spit of land a couple hundred yards from the town’s embarcadero/boardwalk.
The smokestacks are part of a now defunct power plant which is located on prime waterfront real estate, directly adjacent to the town. The 450 foot tall stacks, which at one time burned coal but which were later converted to natural gas, absolutely dominate the landscape and, on a clear day, can be seen from ten miles away:
But the electric plant is bigger than what you can see from the waterfront. Its footprint sprawls across more than one hundred acres reaching from the waterfront all the way back to Route 1, which forms the eastern border of the town. The entire facility is cordoned off with fencing, complete with barbed wire and no trespassing signs. In a state known for its environmental advocacy, it is a shocking to see an enormous, unused industrial plant smack dab in the middle of what is obviously an environmentally sensitive area.
So why is it there? Well, it turns out the electric plant was built in the years following World War II, and was, at one time, the pride of the town. However, back in those years, typical contracts for such facilities didn’t contain language about what would be done with the plant once it was no longer in use. So, when it went offline in 2014, the company who’d maintained it was under no obligation to take it down, leaving it up to Morro Bay to handle removal. With a yearly budget of 10 million dollars, Morro Bay simply has not been able to afford the approximately 30 million dollar cost of removal. So, it has remained; an eyesore to some, an easily identifiable symbol of the town’s long history to others.
Just recently, a Texas company that specializes in storing energy from renewable sources, proposed to use some 22 acres of the plant’s land to build a huge battery storage facility. If approved, the facility will be the largest of its kind in the world, and would make use of some of the old plant’s infrastructure.
The other hard-to-miss feature of this tiny town is Morro Rock, located directly across from the stacks in Morro Bay.
The 575 foot tall rock, sometimes called “The Gibraltar of the Pacific,” is the last of nine such volcanic peaks that extend from San Luis Obispo out to the ocean. Visitors can walk right out to the rock and explore the base of it, but can no longer climb it.
In the meantime, the rock is ever changing given the unpredictable weather of the bay. Now you see it:
Now you don’t:
The town’s embarcadero is full of tiny shops typically found on coastal boardwalks (e.g., salt water taffy), purveyors of fresh seafood, boat charter companies, galleries, and restaurants. The area was consistently quiet during the week, but came alive each weekend.
As we explored the neighborhoods, it was apparent that this was a true fishing village and the town organically grew as time went by. The buildings closest to the water are a mishmash of single family homes, apartment buildings, trailer parks, motels, banks, restaurants, and random small businesses. Some spots have sidewalks, others don’t. The farther away one gets from the water, the more organized the buildings become, the more consistent the roads and sidewalks are, and the more similar the houses feel.
And everywhere you look around town, there are flowers. So many flowers.
The waterfront is also home to a spectacular array of wildlife, most notably otters (also known as “OMGIWANTONE!!!!”)
seals…
and one damned fine looking German Shepherd keeping the local avian population on its toes.
Morro Bay ended up being a perfect spot to set up for the month and use as a springboard for our other explorations. We stayed at the very tiny Cypress Morro RV Park, a family owned and operated campground located just a few blocks from the embarcadero/waterfront. The bad news is the sights are packed in with minimal space between them.
The good news is every single RVer who stayed in the park while we were there was respectful and considerate of everyone else. The place was always quiet and tidy.
Additionally, we lucked out by getting the end site, so we had a huge patio area and no neighbor on that side.
Paso Robles
Paso Robles is all about wine. The third largest wine producing region in the state of California, driving around Paso Robles is like driving around Italy – the mountains, terrain, and even buildings have a distinctly Mediterranean feel. There are nearly 200 wineries, in addition to olive, almond, avocado and other agricultural producers. In normal times, it’s an ideal place to hop between vineyards to check out some of the offerings, but because of Covid, most of the wineries required reservations to visit and many had limitations on their operations. Fortunately, I was able to find a couple reasonably priced wineries with availability and when we visited, because of all the limitations, we basically had the places to ourselves.
On my birthday, we visited Mitchella Winery, a small vineyard with a beautiful outdoor patio and an array of delicious reds. And, as someone who regularly drinks boxed wine, I would definitely know the difference.
Mitchella’s wine tasting comes with a cheese pairing, which we thought was unique, until we visited a couple other wineries that also included food tastings with their wines. Neat!
Our favorite vineyard experience, though, was Sculpterra. This winery has a large and really impressive sculpture garden on its grounds. We bought a couple glasses of wine and wandered the manicured gardens for an hour or so before walking through the vineyards, which were just starting to show some signs of life.
Paso Robles’ downtown is centered around a pretty, green town square, around which are several blocks of restaurants, wine tasting rooms, and independent shops. We visited the neighborhood a couple times and think it would be a great spot during busy season when the streets would be buzzing with visitors and residents.
While downtown on my birthday, we also enjoyed a delicious dinner at the new Alchemist’s Garden. This place is all about their fun cocktails, but their menu of small plates was excellent as well.
San Luis Obispo
San Luis Obispo is located about twenty minutes inland from Morro Bay, and is home to California Polytechnic State University. It’s also host to the Mission San Luis Obispo de Tolosa, built in 1772 and still an operational church.
Much like Paso Robles, its downtown is full of independent shops and restaurants, these ones running along a small creek that meanders through town. SLO is famous for its absolutely massive weekly farmers market – complete with agricultural products, artwork, street performers, live music and all manner of food vendors. The multiblock event brings out thousands of people each week year round. Except when there’s a pandemic. Boo.
Other local specialties include tri-tip sandwiches at Old Slow BBQ and Firestone Grill (both of which we found to be kindof ‘meh’) and homemade ice cream at Doc Burnstein’s Ice Cream Lab, a long time local institution, which was super yummy!
There’s also a bubble gum alley where, for many decades, people have stuck their chewed bubble gum to the walls. Why? I have no idea. But here’s a picture:
Gross, I know.
Pismo Beach
Finally, we visited Pismo Beach. This is a tourist centric beach town, much more built up and designed to cater to sun worshippers.
The beach is dominated by a huge fishing pier:
and is surrounded by the rolling green hills that define the entire region.
The big waves bring out tons of surfers
who make the whole thing look incredibly easy…
Finally, Pismo Beach is home to Old West Cinnamon Rolls, a place which finally answers that perennial question: “Is it possible to just order a plate of Diabetes?”
The answer is yes:
Mmmmm, insulin.
(Also, Mmmmm delicious. Seriously. I’m not a big pastry person, but this thing was incredible.)
Just about a mile down the road, we found Dinosaur Caves Park, a park that has nothing to do with dinosaurs nor caves, but which makes up for its small size with its gorgeous views.
The rocky coastline leading to Pismo Beach:
The bluffs leading back toward Morro Bay:
Gardens full of flowers:
and us, trying to not get knocked off the cliffs by the wind:
Vaccines
Not only was Morro Bay a wonderful place to spend a month, but it also ended up being the perfect place for both of us to get vaccinated. For a while we weren’t sure we’d even be able to get vaccinated in California because most of the counties were limiting their supply to people living or working in their locales, but when we checked with a local pharmacy in town, they told us we could just bring a copy of the paperwork showing we were staying at our campground for a month, and that would be sufficient to prove we weren’t just ‘vaccine tourists.’
Kevin became medically eligible at the end of March and was, somehow, able to snag an appointment almost immediately. And, funny enough, after all our concern about our residency (and by “our concern” I mean “my concern” – Kevin is never concerned about anything, ever, at all. I could be like “Hey Kev, I just got a notification on my phone that Russia accidentally launched an ICBM and it’s headed our way and we’re totally gonna die” and he’d be all “oh, really? That sucks.” And then he’d go grab a beer and not worry about it while everyone else was losing their mind. It’s pretty annoying, if I’m being honest, but that’s a blog post for another day). Anywho, when Kevin went to hand the pharmacist our campground paperwork to prove he was an eligible ‘resident,’ the pharmacist did not care one bit. Kevin could have introduced himself as a vaccine tourist from Neptune and the guy would have given him a dose of Pfizer.
Freaken Kevin.
Anyway, a couple weeks later, I became eligible and also got my first shot. We checked with our campground and they were able to extend our stay for a couple days so we’d still be there in time for my second dose. It worked out perfectly. I got my second shot and we rolled out the next morning.
Next up…
A trip up the stunning Pacific Coast Highway followed by visits to Yosemite and Sequoia National Parks.
____________________________________________________________________
Where we stayed:
Cypress Morro RV Park, Morro Bay, California
That industrial site in Morro Bay is unfortunate. Love the flowers. Vaccines, yay!!!!!! Beautiful pics as always. So glad you are navigating your way through the pandemic!!
I’m hoping we’re officially on the good side of things now!!
I’m loving traveling with you guys 🙂 can hardly wait till our next stop!
Thanks, Terri! It’s nice to be back on the road again and checking out new stuff. I’m glad you’re along for the ride. Hope things are going well in Virginia!
I envy your stay in Morro Bay! I grew up 3 hours east of town (Visalia), so Morro Bay and Cayucos were the towns my family always headed to for a weekend away or on our two week vacation in August each year. My extended family still lives in Morro Bay, San Luis Obispo and Cambria. Morro Bay is a true fishing village. I remember one day about 10 years ago, eating at the seafood restaurant at the marina and watching a fisherman roll a big metal container half filled with fish toward either the back of the restaurant or nearby fish market. Following close behind were 5 pelicans looking for a handout!
When my husband and I were in our twenties (early 1980’s), we seriously discussed moving to San Luis Obispo, but the nuclear power plant in the area and those darn Morro Bay smokestacks were a major deterrent. At the time, there was a lot of protests at the nuclear plant and a lot of doomsday warnings about living in the area. I now wish we had moved there, because the nuclear plant never became a problem and the smokestacks no longer bother me.The central coast is really a lovely place!
What a beautiful place to grow up! We definitely saw all the families heading to the waterfront every weekend, and figured it was a local vacation town for folks from inland areas. And yeah, the seafood markets and restaurants down there are the real deal. We appreciated that it didn’t feel too touristy or overpriced. Pismo Beach was pretty, but the town felt like it was built for visitors whereas Morro Bay felt a bit more “genuine,” for lack of a better term.
I can imagine wanting to live there and I can imagine the fear with being so close to a nuclear plant, especially just after Three Mile Island. It’s just impossible to know how things like that will go. I’ll be interested to see what happens with the old Morro Bay electric plant in the next couple years. If this Texas company does come in, and is successful in retrofitting parts of the infrastructure, perhaps that will lead to some sort of effort to take the stacks down. Any progress with using the facilities should be welcomed at this point.
I live in Cayucos and I love the stacks. I remember when they used to put a lighted star on the top at Christmas time. I always look forward to seeing that as I drove home from San Luis Obispo
Hi Julie,
When I was researching the background of Morro Bay, I ran into an article where the writer interviewed some locals who said the exact same thing – that seeing the stacks from the road was a sign they were almost home. They are such a unique and visible symbol, I can certainly understand why their presence is comforting and part of the fabric of the town. You live in a beautiful area!!
We spend thousands if dollars to travel to Europe in order to see structures built thousands of years ago because they represent “life” at that time….yet the towers in Morro Bay are a “problem”..???
It’s definitely interesting to think about the different perspectives on whether these stacks should stay or go. There really doesn’t seem to be any consensus among the local population, and there are compelling arguments on both sides. In the meantime, though, it’s all basically an academic debate since it would be cost-prohibitive. I’ll be watching to see what happens with this battery company. That could have a huge impact.
(Sorry for this late response – your comment got caught up in my spam filter and I just found it).
Love love that area. Did a few Navy tours in SoC, took Fam up there several times. Stayed National Guard FamCamp….San Luis is the best!! Need to go back and explore slowly ….I’ll use your blog for sure ?. Thanks for writing. So happy Kevin had you to “balance” him. ?♂️?.
Haha, I think that’s what all successful marriages are: balancing out one another’s crazy. 🙂
We really enjoyed this region and, honestly, I can’t imagine anyone NOT liking it. It’s beautiful, has plenty to do, the people were nice, and the weather was great. It’s definitely worth another visit when you have time!
I do hope you were able to ‘worship’ at Taco Temple in Morro Bay! Some of our favorite CA towns.
YES! We did! It was great! We went there and also to Taco de Mexico, which was right across the street from our campground. Both were excellent, though, totally different types of food. I honestly don’t know what we’re gonna do when we leave California. These tacos have been life sustaining!! 🙂
Kevin is so relaxed because he has you Laura to worry about things. He does not need to waste the energy or time. He is working smarter, not harder. Besides, if an incoming ICBM were to occur, Kev would nonchalantly MacGyver something up to keep you safe and he could go on enjoying his beer. ??
I kind of want to get a set of matching t-shirts. For me: “I worry so he doesn’t have to” and for him: “What me, worry?”
Freaken guy….
And yeah, he better MacGyver something up!! That’s his job!
We stayed at the state park in Pismo Beach and really loved the area, once we got over the weirdness of people driving cars and trucks (and all sorts of other contraptions) on the beach. It is definitely worth a longer visit than the public park stay limits allow!
Congratulations on getting vaccinated – glad to hear it was a seamless process. I of course assumed it would work out fine, but that’s because I am the “Kevin” of our household. Good to know that others nearby might find the calmness annoying, but clearly not something I am going to worry about….. 🙂
Ha! You have no idea how much time I spent worrying about this damned project – from travel planning (should we just go to Arizona, or drive back to Florida??)” to proving he was medically eligible (“Does he need a doctor’s note?”), to timing of the doses (“What happens if we’re in another state for dose 2??”) Just constant stress…. and then there was Kevin…. not worrying one tiny bit. And, of course, when he actually decided to take action, he got an appointment, which no one on planet earth could get, in about 3 seconds.
I’m not saying I hate him, but sometimes, I kinda dislike him. 😉
I had actually originally been focusing on the very nice county park just outside Morro Bay (El Chorro), but I decided I wanted to find a monthly spot, so I had to find a commercial place. That is definitely a downside of the stay limits for government run campgrounds. We are almost always happier in those places, but during times like these, it’s nice to just be able to park and not move for a month or two. If we come back around though, we’d definitely check out the state and county parks.
Who doesn’t like SLO ??? I had the pleasure of working with a company that had an office there. Always a pleasure to go up. Their Tri-Tip is the best, Mama’s Meatballs makes great comfort food. You missed some of the ‘World’s Best’ clam chowder 😉 and Avila Beach (with real sea caves, should provide thought for a return trip.
Happy (belated) Birthday wishes!
Thanks, Jeff! Yes, there are definitely a number of places we need to return for. Somehow the month just flew by and we know we’ll need to return some day to check out more. I don’t know why we weren’t feeling the tri-tip. I actually ordered the pulled pork sandwich at Firestone and liked it a lot more. Go figure…. Either way though, I agree – there was tons to love in that town (well, except the bubble gum. Blech!)
Ok…I’ve been reading your blog for a couple/few years. I SO look forward to it because YOU MAKE ME LAUGH – out loud! And yes, you have great information for us RVer’s/campers – Gold!
Thank you making the world a lighter and brighter place – we sorely need it/you!
Wow, thank you so much! I’m glad to hear that anyone enjoys reading this site and truly thrilled if it makes their day a bit better. I seriously appreciate the kind feedback. Thank you!
Sounds like you lucked out in finding a good campground to enjoy the scenery, flowers, ocean….and yes, now I want an otter AND a sea lion! Thor is looking especially handsome too?. I think brownies with wine sounds perfect–as a chocolate lover I will have to remember that. I’m glad to hear that you both were able to get your vaccines.
How are the California roads for traveling in an RV? We are going to try the 101 around the northern Redwoods area and on into Oregon later in the summer. Like Kevin, my husband will not be stressing at all and I’m sure I will need a valium. lol
Stay safe and happy travels!
Hey Robin,
Your comment got caught up in my spam filter, so sorry for not responding sooner. The roads in California have been fine. I always hear people complain about them, but honestly, we haven’t found them to be any worse than anywhere else. In fact, they’ve generally been very good. We came down the 5 when we headed into CA from Oregon last time and it was fine and we never ran into any issues as we traveled around the central coast (including bits and pieces on the 101). I am excited for you guys heading up to the Redwoods and the Oregon coast. We absolutely loved those areas. They’re just beautiful and maybe you’ll find some adorable sea life to bring home yourself! 🙂
Steve and Kevin are a lot alike, no worries, it’ll all be fine. Seriously guys!?!?!?!?! We’ve put off CA due to the ridiculous price of fuel, but your posts really make me want to go! Unfortunately, the price tag that came along with Waldo’s recent “hospital stay” has put CA out of range for us for the foreseeable future. But thanks to you, we get to go vicariously!
It seems there’s one in every relationship…
Fuel prices are not real fun right now – especially since we’re currently in the middle of nowhere, so it’s always more expensive. Fortunately, with as much as we’ve seen recently, most of the mileage has been on our much more fuel efficient tow car. Still…it sucks… But, I do have to say, California has been good to us in all other ways. You just can’t beat the weather and the scenery!
I’m glad you guys got your rig back and are back out there…. pricey hospital stay notwithstanding. Safe travels!
It probably comes to no surprise to you but we are more Northern California/ Oregon coast people. Love those small oceanside towns up that way! Very cool that you got to see some sea otters, that is one of our favorite animals to watch.
I’m gonna make it my life’s work to convince you Southern California is amazing! Of course, you guys do seem to enjoy cold weather and snow… Not that I think that’s weird or anything… Not at all. 🙂
I just happened across your blog and binge-read it from the beginning. Your writing had me laughing out loud (a lot), near tears a couple of times, and made it too easy to say “I’ll just read one more.” We hope to start full-time RV’ing in the near future (definitely in time for the 2024 eclipse!) and your informative posts added to our list of things to see. Thanks for sharing your adventures and I look forward to reading more!
Ahhhh, the 2024 eclipse… You know we’ll be there! (Seriously, if it’s cloudy, I’m so screwed. 🙂 )
Thank you so much for your kindness. I’m glad you found my blog and so glad to hear you’ve enjoyed reading through it. You just read a whole lot of nonsense – but I do hope some if it proves helpful when you start traveling. For what it’s worth, I highly recommend blogging or at least keeping an Instagram account when you head out. It’s a great way to capture your memories and build a nice community of friends on the road. Speaking of which, perhaps we’ll cross paths somewhere down the road. Until then, good luck with the process!
Oh, how we love the Central Coast of California! It looks like you had a great time, and you even got vaccinated (YAY!!). So glad you got to see the sea otters. I’m with you, I want one! We’ve spent quite a bit of time in Morro Bay, and of course I’ve noticed the smoke stacks (how can you not?) but I always ignored them. That’s crazy that the little town was charged with getting rid of them when they were decommissioned. But interesting that there might be a future positive use for them.
Thanks for all of the great info on the wineries around Paso Robles. It really does look like Italy! I especially want to go to the winery with the sculpture garden. BTW, I like Kevin’s philosophy of life. Gives me something to aspire to.
You’re the reason we ended up there! Between your suggestions (when I literally had no idea where we should go), and your blog posts, you put it on the map for us – and I am very thankful for that. It was a perfect solution to our problem and we really enjoyed our visit, So, thank you!
As for the smokestacks, I don’t think the town has gotten charged for anything. I think the company that owns the property made clear they weren’t going to pony up the money to pay for its removal, so the town asked what it would cost for the town to take care of it, and, not surprisingly, found the answer to be unworkable. I hope this Texas company’s investment leads to something. It really is a shame to have it all just sitting there, decaying.
Paso Robles was seriously beautiful. We also learned that there are 11 different microclimates in the area, which is why they grow so many different varietals. Basically, if you want a particular type of wine, you can find it there…Reason enough to hang around for a while!
Haha Kevin sounds just like hubby and you sound just like me 🙂 This is great information, we didn’t think we could tow into this area but if you guys can do it with your unit then we could as well.
I’m so happy you were both able to get your vaccines!
Oh, you guys could definitely visit the area, and you’d love it! Check out El Chorro Regional Park, it’s right outside Morro Bay, on the way to SLO. Very green and spacious. We would have stayed there if not for the fact we were looking for a month long stay. There are also several state park campgrounds you’d probably enjoy as well.
And thanks – we are both very happy and relieved to have the vaccine process behind us, especially as we start heading east. It looks like Canada is quickly improving too, so hopefully things will be back to normal for everyone soon.
Wohoo for the jabbed!
Ahh, the Central Coast! The area is our getaway, for it is only about 3-4 hours from our hometown in Tracy. But one memorable event was when Steve flew me to SLO, got a hotel in Pismo Beach on my bday and surprised me with “Will you marry” ring! Then Betsy’s first out of town trip when we got her was at Paso Robles.
Was theTiger shrimp on cauliflower tastes good as it looks?
In a household of two, one has to be a worry wort while the other is the normal relax easy going one, otherwise life in an RV would be heaven like!
Yeah, I can see how someone flying you in their private plane to have dinner on your birthday and proposing would be pretty ‘memorable.’ Haha! Way to go, Steve! That’s awesome!
You were definitely quite lucky to live in such a great place with access to such beautiful towns along the central coast. It sounds like you have many wonderful memories form your time there.
And yes, speaking of wonderful memories, the food at The Alchemist was delicious! We really enjoyed everything we tried.
Great photos. Makes me want to put away the smaller camera and get out the SLR and improve my own. Congrads on the second dose of vaccine! Karen has her first and we are two states away since then. Walgreens was our place of choice because of national chain of stores. At this point we don’t expect any issues being out of state for her second dose. Got mine in Alabama where they had a lot of extras due to low turnout.
I’ve been poking around on your yearly travel maps as we are planning a trip to Montana and Wyoming. Even as we will be finishing our second year of travel, I still find us moving slow and wanting to minimize the miles we travel so we can stay longer in spots. Decision now is do we drop down to Cody Wyoming coming from Roosevelt National Park or not, as we are ultimately heading back to Florida. We have spent a lot of time in the Black Hills and are wanting a change of terrain, hence the idea of dropping into Cody. One side of the decision is making day trips to the east entrance of Yellowstone from Cody or just waiting until we make the trip to West Yellowstone in two years – probably. Another idea is just to stop north of Yellowstone near the interstate and day trip it to Yellowstone. Got my mountain directory but the route planning still make me nervous.
Yeah, I can’t imagine Karen having an issue getting her second dose at this point. At one time, they may have cared, but with so much supply available, I’m sure they’ll be happy to have a willing recipient. It’s definitely nice to have it done and behind us. I’m glad you guys are almost there too.
As for Yellowstone, we never visited the east side, but know a couple people who set up bases in Cody. My sense is, it’s still pretty far from the crazy stuff that makes Yellowstone Yellowstone. The northern entrance, on the other hand, is right near Mammoth Hot Springs, one of the quintessential Yellowstone experiences. So, I can’t say for sure because I haven’t been to both, and I’m not exactly sure where you’d camp, but I think if I were going to make the trek over there, I’d try to go to the northern entrance.
Either way, if it doesn’t happen this time (it IS a lot of extra driving if you’re on your way to Florida), I would definitely prioritize getting there before you come off the road. It is truly a jaw dropping experience!
Another great place and vaccine too!
The vaccine was like the icing on the cake!!
Or in this case, the icing on the amazing cinnamon roll in Pismo. Never visit without getting at least one.
Haha. Right on! That cinnamon roll was amazing!!!
“OMGIWANTONE!!!!” – Me too!! I think otters are adorable. There’s an IG account that’s Svenn the Otter. A family found an orphaned otter and raised him for his first year, with their three pugs and two kids. It’s so stinkin’ cute!!! Sadly, the kids are having health issues and the otter was given to a nature preserve (and is doing fabulous), but not too many more posts about Svenn.
So glad you guy got vaccinated. Luckily we did too before we left Fairhope. Kinda cut it close, but also extended our stay there by a week just in case we felt worse after the second does.
Oh I wish I could be like Kevin! I am also the worrier between the two of us, and hate it!
And Thor does look wonderful on the beach! 🙂
Well. I just spent ENTIRELY too long on that Instagram page and, from now on, will be spending most of my day stalking Svenn. That is too cool! He’s so adorable…and in a house full of dogs too?? Unreal! My new favorite Instagram account by a mile. Thanks for telling me about it!
I’m glad to see so many of our friends and family successfully vaccinated so quickly. It’s a huge relief to get it done and to see the numbers coming down. I was very worried I was going to feel terrible on our travel day that next day, but luckily, my minor side effects (fatigue and a headache) didn’t start until day 2 after the second shot. So, it all worked out. You were smart to stay the extra week when you could, even if it did cut things a bit close for traveling.
Also, Thor thanks you kindly for the compliment. He’s been working on his beach bod all year. 🙂
I want an otter too!
I love that rock – it is so big! I can’t imagine climbing it. Such a better landmark than the smoke stacks.
Sculpterra looks like fun.
If unforseen forces hadn’t brought us back the east coast we would have spent spring crawling north along the California coastline. Will have to visit again another spring another time.
Good for you getting your shots. As travelers my husband and I were worried about how we were going to get ours. But then once we were back on the east coast we decided to get physicals in our state of residency – Florida. Right away our doctor offered us the one-shot J&J. It was so easy.
We definitely considered whether we should drive back to Florida, but we decided we were safer staying in California, where at least everyone wore masks and took things seriously, than driving through parts of the country where that would not be the case. Had we not been all the way on the other side of the country though, we definitely might have just headed over. Of course now, it’s no big deal at all, but for a while there, it was a really stressful situation.
I highly recommend spending time on the west coast in the spring. Especially given your rig, you guys could camp in some incredibly beautiful campgrounds right on the water, and there are tons of great county and state parks available. The weather was really pretty perfect and it’s just a gorgeous state to explore.
Safe travels!
Thanks to this post, just yesterday, when speaking to another volunteer who mentioned staying in the Morro Bay area, I knew all about the rock and the smokestacks and could speak about it like a boss! I’ll bet there is no one alive, unless they’re a small, heartless, awful person who wouldn’t want a sea otter to call their very own. Quite possibly THE cutest critters on the planet. On the other end of the spectrum, I find the sculptures in that garden kind of disturbing, and I would not want one of my very own.
We have so much California to explore, and now we have even more helpful (and chucklesome) info to guide us when we do!
California is awesome and I feel like every RVer should spend months here. There is a bit of everything and you can drive 200 miles in any direction and find a completely different environment to explore. It’s truly one of a kind in that regard.
The otters were amazing. They’re cute to begin with and then they spend all their time doing cute things. It’s like their job in life is to be adorable and make everyone go “awwwwww….”
Just read your blog…I’m a bit behind with no cell service! I’m so happy that you spent a month in Morro Bay. Such a beautiful area. Those sea otters are so damn cute! Enjoy your travels!
Thanks, Tami! I still can’t believe you guys have gone almost two weeks with no cell coverage. I’m not sure I’d make it two hours. 🙂
Great post. I’m taking notes. I can’t wait to hear about why you’re spending the summer in Des Moines. We’re in MN, going to meet up with Chasing Dirt in a couple of weeks.
That’s awesome! You guys will have fun together. We are actually just passing through Des Moines for a couple days on our way east to see family. We’re doing our best to hit a couple states we haven’t been to on the way – gotta fill in that sticker map, you know. 🙂