A little trip down memory lane

So meg and i had an overlapping weekend off, which is about as common as a lunar eclipse. and we decided to get away for a couple days. we left early friday evening and drove up to morro bay. the plan was to go camping at the state park (which assured me over the phone that they had plenty of spots open) but when we got there at quarter to 10pm the signs said no vacancy-and there were no rangers around. so we had to get a motel room, which is nice in its way, but not as cheap as a campsite--although cable tv reception is better than in the tent.
i got up early (7) and wandered around the embarkadero following my boyhood trail up and down the empty streets as the fog burned away, disturbing only the seagulls enjoying the fishermen's leftovers. it was a nice little stroll, i hadn't been there in about 10 years, very nostalgic. then i went up to the park to try my fortune with the rangers. as luck would have it they were still full through the weekend, but when i mentioned having handicapped placards the game changed. there were five open spots that couldn't be filled. so i happily availed myself of one. went to the site, set up our massive tent, and got things semi set up by about 10am, and went back to the motel to wake meg and check out.

then we walked the embarkadero together now that shops were open and had an acceptable brunch at the otter rock cafe. did some shopping at the boutiques along the strip. drove out to morro rock to watch the otters just generally had a nice time. it was also the weekend of the avocado/margarita festival (two of meg's favorite things) so we browsed through all the local farmers booths and saw guacamole of many varieties. then we went to camp. meg took a nap and i went off to hike around montana de oro state park.

it was, again, a very nostalgic (and hot) trek. its just such a memorable place from my childhood. i remember going there in my parents tan pontiac 6000, probably an 84-5-6, not sure, but cory and i were little and we just got out at this wide spot in the road. it was a eucalyptus forest, and we followed this trail that was almost like a hall it was so overgrown with vines and creeping plants. and then all of a sudden there was a small wooden bridge and you walked out of this crease in a cliff onto a rocky beach filled with tidepools (if you go at the right time-otherwise its filled with water). i remember touching a shark that had gotten stuck in the rocks at low tide and got to touch it. it was amazing. it was one of the few outdoorsy things my parents ever did with us as a family. (my parents are good people, but not big wilderness folk) maybe it was the proximity of the beach, the fact that we were never more than a dozen miles from a hot shower and a cool pillow, but whatever the reason for their favoring of this particular state park, i thank them for including me (and us) in what was to become my favorite part of the central coast of california.

came back to the tent, took a little nap. then we went to see the heron rookery and go get clam chowder at the harbor hut for dinner. along the way back we fed french fries to seagulls. we got back to the tent and played a game of scrabble (which i lost, handily) which included 64 points for the word "fuzz". then we went to bed, we both enjoy sleeping in the tent its very comfortable, as is required when i bring meg. but i can suffer through a little comfort for the sake of company.

we started back a little earlier than expected, so we stopped and went to the santa barbara zoo to kill some time. it was a great little trip, i'd like to go back when we have a few more days.