Hanging Out Along the Central Coast

For the  past month we have been beach bums, hanging out along the central coast. We spent time in Oceano, Pismo Beach, and Morro Bay. Here are a few beach scenes from all three beaches,  in no particular order.

sand between the toes...a great feeling

happy to be on the beach again

the "white cliffs" of Pismo

a yummy treat on the Pismo boardwalk

looking south from Pismo

Michael off on his run on a foggy morning

Pismo Pier under renovation and closed to the public until next year

Morro Rock 

it's the first time I saw a sign prohibiting kite flying but there is a reason: to
the little snowy plover, kites resemble birds of prey which frighten the birds
off their nests

at passeo time, the little remote controlled cars joined the big guys!

We've enjoyed daily beach walks, observing the various activities along this stretch of wonderful and active ocean shore. 
In Oceano vehicles are allowed on the beach and in the late afternoon the beach became a roadway as cars and trucks participated in the local evening passeo along the shoreline. 

two cars stuck

We watched with wonder as some vehicles attempted to drive up the dunes, spinning wheels and propelling sideways. I assume from watching them that this is the sand equivalent of driving in snow. And every day without fail, there would be a 2-wheel-drive car stuck in the sand, digging itself in even further as the driver tried in vain to rev the engine in the hopes it would get him unstuck. As one fellow mentioned to us in passing, the world is full of fools! And we certainly saw our share along the beach. 

The usual more typical beach activities continued - families having fun, building sand castles or flying kites, kids darting in and out of the water, folks picking up shells.  There was always someone fishing from the shore and as I passed I always wondered whether they really catch anything or just simply enjoy the solitude and the anticipation. And there were always surfers. Occasionally we would see horses, bicycles, and one time a guy on a Segway. 


Every weekend the beach became even more active as folks arrived in their trailers, letting down tires to make the final trek across the sand to the Oceano Dunes State Vehicular Recreation Area which swelled into a small city for several nights. As the sun sank lower, we would see the lights far ahead in the distance. By Monday the RV area would once again be mostly deserted and dark. A state park attendant told Michael that they can see up  to 1,000 weekend campers along the dune area.

a couple of hang gliders enjoying this glorious morning 

We watched hang gliders quite often. One time we happened to walk along the beach during a kite-surfing event.  We were fascinated by the speed of the surfers. Michael decided that it looked like a lot of fun and something he would like to have tried. 

I was happy enough dodging stray waves that inched their way further ashore with the tide-change or watching the birds that darted in and out of the water looking for a tasty morsel. The little plump snowy plovers are most entertaining to observe as they scurry back and forth, their tiny legs moving at tremendous speed.
I also enjoy finding pretty shells on my walks. Sometimes the beach seems bare and at others there are numerous shells and sand dollars.

the movie set building and planes on display outside

Besides enjoying the beach and its various sources of entertainment, we also toured a few nearby attractions. One was the Santa Maria Air Museum. It is a small museum with only a few planes (and not in very good shape) and a large display of model planes. But it has an added feature of being the location for filming several movies including A Moment In Time, Flight of the Phoenix and The Rocketeer.  The main building is one of the original sets used in The Rocketeer . 

the extensive collection of model airplanes displayed in cases all around the
perimeter of the building

the docent explaining something to Michael

a 1942 Link Trainer, the simulator used back then to train pilots

Of interest to me was the outside mural of remembrance 
for pioneer female aviators. The garden and picnic area exhibits a historical timeline of US female aviators, which eventually led to the formation of the Ninety Nines, an International Organization of Women Pilots, established in 1929 by 99 women pilots. It is only in recent decades that women have been accepted and considered equals to their male pilot counterparts. Perhaps the saddest truth is that during the war years, women pilots delivered planes but because they were not considered to be part of the armed forces they were never entitled to any of the benefits. So if a plane crashed and the female pilot died, as did happen, there was no compensation for her spouse and children. 

We visited the Chapman Estate situated in Shell Beach, overlooking the most amazing view across the bluffs and the ocean. 




The estate boasts its own windmill, once used to pump saltwater into the swimming pool. 


There is also a Rapunzel-like lighthouse tower, built to block off the view of the house next-door, adding to the romantic ambiance. 



On another day we drove to the air and car museum in Paso Robles. 
The car museum is impressive. I was less enthusiastic about the planes outside which Michael of course enjoyed a lot more since it's his interest. 


We went to a local theater production put on by the Great American Melodrama. The first performance, Sylvia, was a touching story about the relationship a dog develops with her adopted owners. The second was a 1940s Vaudeville Revue musical tribute to the armed forces. 
Both performances were excellent, the acting first class. 

a small, intimate theater venue

San Luis Obispo, rated as one of the healthiest and happiest cities in the US, is a short drive away. We checked out its popular Thursday evening farmer's market. We made our way alongside the throngs of folks, enjoyed looking at the numerous vendors and food carts, listened to the live music performances. The fresh produce stands were particularly impressive, the strawberries particularly inviting. 

During our stay in Morro Bay, the Classic Car Show was on. Several streets were blocked off and the vintage cars were lined up along the curb. The show is so popular that around 500 cars participate in this annual event. We enjoyed seeing them all - hot rods, sedans, station wagons, sports cars, police vehicles and ambulances. I commented that I have never seen so many really old cars looking like they just left a showroom.

this cute VW was originally towed behind the family RV

early 60s bug  - had I kept my 1971 bug, I could have joined the parade!

classic vintage cars against Morro Rock backdrop

a modified Ford Anglia, a British car 

Michael used to get a ride to school with his uncle and cousin in an early 60s Chevy Nova wagon like this one

when police cars were simple!

Morro Bay has a quaint waterfront area where we strolled. Fishing boats deliver their fresh catch each day at one end of the docks. There are numerous restaurants and fish-and-chips stands that serve fresh fish daily. 

Morro Bay is known as the "Gibraltar of the US"

During our beach stay, the weather was variable and on the cooler side from what we remember from previous visits but that didn't deter us.  Often the morning would start out foggy then clear up by the afternoon. Occasionally pretty strong winds came rolling through. It was a good time to hibernate indoors and enjoy our hobbies. Or do some repair and maintenance work. 

happy to be embroidering successfully after updating my Bernina software 

a playmat for grandson to keep him occupied on lengthy
international flights

preparing hostess gifts for the upcoming rally

finishing a soft book 

a colors book for grandson

pondering why the dash lights occasionally do not light up and where the
loose wire might possibly be

installing a new Smart Wheel Control module

While we were in the area, the Collinses, also Alpine friends, met us in Oceano for a couple of days. In September next year, we will be hosting a Pismo rally. There is a story attached to our decision to host the Pismo rally in 2019: when we purchased Alpine in Virginia and started our homebound westward trek, Michael discovered that there was an Alpine rally scheduled in Pismo Beach right around the time we would be arriving on the west coast. It was an excellent opportunity to not only spend a few days in our favorite beach town but also meet other Alpine owners and experience a rally. The Collinses were the hosts for that Pismo rally in 2014, and they have kindly agreed to hold our hands and offer their expertise as we launch into hosting our first rally which will also be the 5th anniversary since we purchased our Alpine and joined the So-Cal Alpine group. 
While the Collinses were here, together we scouted out possible activities to include in our rally and started planning for next year.  

Our month at the beach is over. Tomorrow we will be off again. Our northbound trek will take us first to Gilroy where we will visit the Wynns; next to Grass Valley where Michael's brother and sister-in-law are moving this weekend (and a good older brother offered to help with the move!); and finally to Florence, Oregon for the Nor-Cal/So-Cal Rally next week.