Morro Dunes

morro-dunes.jpgThree of the four nights we camped in the 24 foot travel trailer, we had a ‘pull-thru’ campsite – that is you can drive your rig into the campsite without the necessity of backing it up. The one night where we had to back the trailer into the campsite was at Morro Dunes RV Park. The campground was absolutely full and the stalls were adequate, but small. Thanks to guidance from Damsel, we got the rig backed in, unhitched and hooked up to the utilities without incident.

The campground, itself, was right across the road from the dunes with the beach just beyond. Just to the south of the campground was the famous Morro Rock. Often, the tops of the stacks at the power plant (seen in the photo above the trailer) and the top of the rock were obscured by low-hanging fog. We enjoyed our stay there a lot, despite the chilly, foggy beach weather.

Wine Country

This morning, we woke up in Paso Robles, California. This was the nicest of the RV Parks we camped this trip. Paso Robles is surrounded by vineyards, and is considered one of the premier locations for wineries. We passed this interesting winery, Red Cedar Vineyards, which had this unusual fountain. A huge (20 foot tall) display of bunches of grapes with water cascading down to tiered pools. Click on the image to enlarge.

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Mission San Miguel Archangel

This is one of the original missions built along El Camino Real in California. It is near Paso Robles along US Hwy 101 in central California. We’re camping about seven miles south of the mission tonight. Hot – 99°. Air conditioner on.

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Mission Santa Inés

Mission Santa InesOn our way out of Buellton this morning, we drove through Solvang, California, which is a Danish-American enclave in the Santa Ynez Valley. Just outside of Solvang, we stopped at Mission Santa Inés, one of the original El Camino Real missions. The mission has had a face lift or two, but still retains it’s original early nineteenth century charm.

Santa Inés was the site where a Spanish soldier assaulted a Chumash Indian which led to an uprising that secularized the missions in the area. Most of the Indians returned to their tribal sites in the hills, although a few stayed on.

From Wikipedia:

The original bell structure (erected in 1817) collapsed in 1911 and was reconstructed out of reinforced concrete in 1948. The campanile has been compared by architectural historian Rexford Newcomb to the one that originally abutted the façade of Mission San Gabriel Arcángel.

Tonight, we’re camping at Morro Bay, just a quarter mile from the famous rock. Tomorrow, Big Sur and the Monterey Peninsula.

One Year Ago

Last July 21st, Damsel took this picture near Moab, Utah. We were on our summer vacation and the petrol was pricey. Thank goodness that we’re in better shape for our upcoming trailer-towing excursion as we drive up the California Coastline – real soon now . . .

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