Terry and I did a lot of exploring along the central coast yesterday, but rather than post one super long blog, I’ll break it up into two or three shorter blogs over the next few days, since the weather is turning colder here, and we probably won’t be out playing as much.
One of our favorite places in the world is Morro Bay, California. I first discovered this charming little town back in the mid-1970s, and I said then that if it wasn’t in California, I’d move there. Even with the state’s drawbacks (flakey politics, taxes, over-population), I’ve still seriously considered it a time or two. When Miss Terry and I got married thirteen years ago, I brought her to Morro Bay for our honeymoon, and she was just as taken by the place as I was. I think Terry said it best yesterday when she said her soul is at peace here.
The town takes its name from its famous landmark, Morro Rock, a 576 foot high volcanic plug that stands at the entrance to the harbor. Morro Rock was named by Spanish adventurer Juan Rodriguez Cabrillo, when he explored the coast during the 16th Century.
Morro Bay is a working fishing village, and you can watch commercial fishing boats unloading their catches at the docks along the Embarcadero every day. The town is also a tourist destination, with dozens of shops and restaurants lining the waterfront and extending up the hill from the harbor.
In spite of the current cold snap we are experiencing, overall Morro Bay has mild weather all year long. Terry and I commented yesterday that we had better weather during our honeymoon, which was in January, than during this late June visit.
Besides shopping and dining, you can book a charter fishing trip, take a whale watching expedition, a boat tour of the harbor, or rent a kayak and explore on your own.
Terry and I wandered up and down the waterfront, poking our heads into the shops, admiring some of the crafts on sale, and watching harbor seals swimming along and bobbing their heads out of the water.
Now, while Morro Bay has not changed much over time, I do have to say that I noticed one major difference. I used to love to go to Crills II Bakery for their cinnamon rolls, and sitting at one of the outdoor tables along the waterfront, eating one and watching harbor life go by, was always a treat. But, after all these years of eating the wonderful cinnamon rolls that Miss Terry makes, Crills just didn’t hold up yesterday. That lady has spoiled me in more than a few ways!
It was a weird day yesterday – for much of the day a heavy cloud cover obscured parts of Morro Rock, then it would suddenly clear up for a while to give us a nice view, and then just as quickly the shroud would drop back down.
After a while, it became a little too cold to be comfortable on the waterfront. We visited a few RV parks in Morro Bay, dropping off bundles of sample copies of the Gypsy Journal, and then we drove up the coast to check out some other places.
We returned to Morro Bay for dinner at The Galley, an upscale seafood restaurant with a wall of large windows overlooking the bay and Morro Rock. Terry had the sautéed scallops, while I chose the fried prawns. Both were good, but the place is out of our price range for frequent visits, and we’ve had better meals for less money.
When we got back to the Elks lodge campground in Oceano, we discovered that a small Class C had arrived and was parked on the other side of us from the RV that came in the day before. Our new neighbors have a couple of young boys with them, and at 10:30 p.m. they were still outside making a lot of noise. I don’t think we’ve ever had any neighbors with kids at an Elks lodge before. We don’t mind kids; heck, we used to be kids ourselves once. But now we’ve become grouchy old farts, and we’re not thrilled with people who allow their kids or pets to disturb others.
Thought For The Day – By the time a man is wise enough to watch his step, he’s too old to go anywhere.
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Nick Russell
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Wow, that picture of you two is a keeper. Wonderful picture with the “Rock” behind you.
We are “old farts”too. It is rude for kids or adults to be outside making so much noise at that time of night that they are bothering others. The parents obviously “let the kids run” as they are on vacation. But 10:30 pm is too late for that much noise. But we are seeing more families in campgrounds. Fortunately for us most of them have had kids who were well behaved and quiet later in the day/evening. What I don’t like most is when the kids or adults for that matter take a short cut through our campsite especially when it’s right by our door. They just don’t know camp ground etiquette. They are really camping so they build the fire (getting smoke all over the campground & in our rig), party, go swimming in the swimming hole, go canoeing, go bicycling, etc. Their campsite with all their stuff laying around, campfire going with no one watching it, wet towels and clothes hung all over looks like the Beverly Hillbillies have invaded. Usually that is only Friday to Sunday and we have the campground pretty much to ourselves the rest of the week. Now that kids are getting out of school we will be getting the vacation invasion. Happens every year.
I do understand the Elks trying to get younger families into the organization. Many Elk Lodges (Moose and Eagles have the same problem) are heavily weighted with the older generation. They are having problems as members die off as to how to keep the Lodge going. So they are trying to get families involved. I guess we “old farts” need to realize the Lodge is changing with the times and we will be seeing new faces at the Lodge, especially very young faces.
Yes, the Moose, Elks, VFW, Knights of Columbus, etc., all need to recrruit “young farts.” Else the organizations will wither away, and that would be a terrible shame.
I agree with Connie about that picture of you two- great!
Terry feels at peace in Morro Bay, and that is wonderful to have a place like that to visit. My Suzy has the same feeling about Grand Teton National Park. SHe says that’s where she can really get her batteries recharged. Wish we could go there right now, but long travel is out of the question for the rest of this year.
I agree with everyone, the picture of the two of you is great. My favorite spot is in Mill Valley in a small park surrounded by nature it is a great place to just sit and think. One day we may make it back there. Are you going to be able to enjoy kayaking in the ocean or is it to cold still. Have fun and relax.
Great pics – I’m amazed you didn’t have the ubiquitous fog – I have no pictures of my visit to Morro Bay because it stayed fogged in the whole time I was there. I agree with you about the kids, too – and I giggle about the fact that we’ve turned into our parents!
Greetings Nick.
I think it is so ironic that I found your blog here by accident. I had originally typed in Elks in Morro Bay just to see if there was one and your blog was one of the top three or four.
The irony in my finding it is that it was ME that pulled up and camped next to you at the Oceano Elks that weekend! What are the odds, huh? Yes we were pretty much the only two families (another young Elk family joined us Friday night) that stayed up past 8 o’clock the three nights we were there. I can appreciate your comments about us and the kids, you were very light hearted about mentioning them, and I take no offense in the slightest. Hope you didn’t of us when we were neighbors.
We have started camping at different Lodges only recently, though I have been a memeber for 3 years, and we absolutely love it. ESPECIALLY the Oceano Elks. My kids are very well behaved, but yes we do let them “be kids”. They deserve it, as long as they are respectful. I had to stop worrying about pleasing everyone when it comes to letting my family live our lives. I know most of the rigs at the Lodges are of the six figure level in cost, and we seem to be the only ones who sit outside and enjoy cooking over the fire and talking under the stars, because we spend most of our time inside our homes on school and work nights. It’s our little getaway. I’m sure you understand. Someday, I hope to be doing what you’re doing…being a gypsy in a nice rig that I could stay on the road for 3 months at a time…OR LONGER…with no kids to bother me. But my wife and I are not there yet. We are still just kids ourselves in our 30’s, enjoying our babies that grow up so fast. I’m sure I will miss it dearly when they don’t need me anymore. For now they do and I will cherish every second of it while I can! Especially sitting around the fire under the stars…
Anyway I hope to see you again out there soon. Don’t know where you are from, but I recommend camping at Jalama Beach just south of Lompoc, Ca if you haven’t found it already.
Nice picture of the two of you.
Sincerely,
Steve