2023-03-30 Thursday Pismo Beach Oceano Campground

        

We decided to visit the Pismo State Beach Monarch Grove, and the Reynolds went to Morro Bay. The grove is only about 5 minutes from our campsite. Monarch Butterflies hang (no pun intended) in this area from October to February. We saw a few small ones at the tops of trees, but they were too far away for a photo. 

Our walk from Monarch Grove to
the dunes and back

We followed a fast-flowing creek from the grove to the dunes and the ocean. We are still amazed at how much the storms have damaged the beach. Nevertheless, it was a nice, quiet walk while listening to the ocean. Pismo is still a beautiful beach; hopefully, we will visit again. 

Next, we decided to drive through some of the neighborhoods around Pismo. We went on the other side of the freeway and drove up into the hills—huge expensive homes with fantastic views. On the way back, we drove through older neighborhoods on the other side of Amtrak's train tracks: some nicely redone homes and some not. Finally, we took W Grand Ave. down to the beach so we could drive the beach, then up Pier Avenue, and back to camp—nothing like driving on the beach. 

Oceano Campground to Monarch Grove
and back via the beach

The tide was way out today, and we watched a few kite surfers. The weather was beautiful and very clear. 

We had leftover Pizza as a snack and hung out at camp. Barry pulled out the awning so it could dry. The weather report says no rain for the next week, so much for our timing. We ate early; dinner was steak and broccoli for Osos and a halibut fillet for me. After dinner, we climbed into J & K’s jeep and were off to downtown SLO.

We hooked up with Reynold’s friends again, Chris and Liza, at the Farmers Market in downtown SLO. The market is every Thursday except for the rain. We have never experienced a Farmer's Market this large. It went on forever. What a great event. All kinds of vendors, fresh produce, kettle corn, corn on the cob, caramel corn, candles,  cookies, edible cookie dough, oils, soaps, peanut butter, and more. All the vegetable colors were so bright. Just unbelievable. 

One of the best was F. McLintock Saloon & Dining. They had large BBQs grills outside with beef, chicken, kabobs, and veggies. Just the smell alone enveloped your entire body. The other best food stand was another brewery (I forgot the name) with half-cut cheese wheels under ceramic heat lamps. It melted the top layer of cheese and then was scraped onto a meat sandwich or baked potato. What an incredible idea. We should have eaten dinner here. I was so fascinated that I posted a short video below. We will be back from the end of June to the middle of July and not planning on eating on Thursday nights. Instead, we will head to the Farmers Market in SLO. 

Cheese under a ceramic lamp. Doesn't it look amazing!

F. McLintock boys horsing around.

We were home by 8:00 PM and picked up a little since we were leaving in a few days. Tomorrow I will get to fly my new kite. I can’t wait. I am hoping for kite-flying dreams.

On a non-trip related item, we received a text today from Elton, our nephew, with his graduation information from UC Hastings Law school. I'm so upset because we thought his graduation was in June, so we planned our Utah trip in May. I even tried to see if there was an airport nearby so I could fly to San Francisco to attend. We are so proud of him and can't believe it has already been 3 years since he started. 

Elton Scott Rushing - Love this kid!

Goofy kid!

                                      

       

ADDITIONAL PHOTOS

Walk to the dunes from
the Monarch Grove

Some kind of ground cover
on the dunes

Fresh water flowing
 into the ocean

Cool business logo. If you blow this
 up each Octopus arm has a tool.

SLO Farmer's Market and according
to Liza, this is a small crowd. 

I want these doors in my house.

Copyright © 2023 by Jacqueline Threet Henderson, Jacqueline's Jaunts. All rights reserved.

2023-03-29 Wednesday Pismo Beach Oceano Campground

Today was another property search day with K & J, Santa Maria, Nipomo, and Orcutt. We drove through a few gated communities but nothing with room for RV and boat storage. We did see a few lovely older homes with large lots, but the houses need a lot of work. 

We ate in Orcutt at Blast 825 Brewery, Brussels sprouts, super tater-tots, steak bites, and onion rings. Don't worry; we did order a basket of fries. We love this place. Great looking brewery. Unfortunately, there were only a few homes to see in this area after lunch. 

Long-Billed Curlew

We were home by 4 PM. We decided to walk the campground to stretch our legs. Then we had a last-minute decision and walked to the beach. It was cool and windy, but a great time to be on the beach. Only a few people and lots of birds. Just to hear the ocean and birds was worth dealing with the cool air. 

Most of the clam shells were complete

Long-Billed Curlew

While we went on our walk. Jan put the lasagne in the oven and prepared a Caesar salad for dinner. 

We played Sequence after dinner. Barry and I won 3 out of 5 games. The first time we have played in a long time. I love this game. Check it out if you have never played. Sequence Board Game

We left their motorhome around 9:30 PM, just before the rain hit, and it was one heck of a good storm. 

I love drifting off to sleep listening to the rain. 

Copyright © 2023 by Jacqueline Threet Henderson, Jacqueline's Jaunts. All rights reserved.

2023-03-26 Sunday Pismo Beach Oceano Campground

Steps Today - 4,508

Not many steps today. We mainly drove.

We drove to the fish market in the town of Grover Beach. Only about a mile from here, if that. We purchased huge Prawns for dinner tonight and a piece of halibut for me. Later in the week, the other three are doing steaks. I'm not a beef eater, so we bought a halibut steak for me and frozen scallops. Then, we returned to camp to put the fish in the fridge.

Then we decided to head to The Barn in Avila Beach. It's by the Avila KOA we stayed at last year. It's a huge fruit and veggie stand with fresh corn you can buy and eat, a stand that cooks fried chicken, lots of goats and chickens, and a separate building you can buy ice cream, salt water, taffy, and other candy. You can purchase Romaine lettuce from The Barn and feed the goats. They only want you to provide the goats Romaine, for some reason.  There are other animals too. 

The whole reason for going was because Jan wanted a cobbler. When we arrived, the cobblers were sold out, and the power was out. Jan was so disappointed. Some areas were closed off to keep the refrigerators as cold as possible until they could figure out the problem. We still found plenty to purchase and take back with us. 

From here, we decided to head down to the beach and have a beer and fries at Mr. Rick's. We've been there before and enjoy sitting outside under the umbrellas. Amazingly enough, we were able to find a parking spot. The weather was beautiful, and being on the beach was always excellent. We walked up a small hill to the area where all the restaurants and shops were. There was a group of about 20–30 people dancing the Salsa. They all looked like they were having so much fun. They danced all kinds of dances: line dancing, break dancing, and so much fun to watch. Oh, to be able to move like that again. 

Unfortunately, the pier was closed due to storm damage. You could see all the wood placed on the pier to replace the damage. Sad, since we wanted to walk to the end of the pier. 

We ordered our beers and some munchies and found a table outside. Enjoyed the gorgeous weather and listening to the music from the dancing area. We shared the table with a couple, and Jan talked with them about jobs in the area, housing, and businesses. They live locally and love the area. So much fun to meet new people that are enjoying life and love sharing their experiences. 

We finished our munchies, and Jan and I headed to the shop next door. Then down to another shop where a style of pants is sold that Jan and I love. She could find her size in new colors, but I was not so lucky. She had a few things to try on, and I headed to the hat store a few doors down. I love hats and this store. The prices are very reasonable, and I found one I loved and purchased. Found the rest of the gang in front of one of the many ice cream stores. I was surprised they did not have an ice cream cone in their hand. 

We headed back to camp for dinner. Can't believe we are actually eating at camp. Barry was making his famous Bacon Wrapped Shrimp with real maple syrup basting. Jan and Ken came over for cocktails with guacamole and chips while Barry cooked the shrimp on the BBQ.  We also had a caesar salad. Everything was so yummy!!!!! This is one of my favorite dishes Barry cooks. I'm fortunate to be married to a man who loves cooking. 

After a bit, Jan and Ken left; we cleaned up the kitchen, Barry went to bed, and I was up until 2:00 PM. Go figure. 

All images are owned by the author. 

Copyright © 2023 by Jacqueline Threet Henderson, Jacqueline's Jaunts. All rights reserved.

2023-03-25 Saturday Pismo Beach Oceano Campground

My Man!

Steps today - 14,442

Saturday, and so much for sleeping in. The Reynolds daughter Brook, son-in-law Aaron, granddaughter Kensley, and grandson Arik arrived this morning. Soon we heard Kensley and Arik at our door to say hello. They seemed excited to see us, and they gave big hugs to both of us. Then, they told us about school, and everything they have been doing, as much as an 8 and 10-year-old can say to you. Then back over to abuela and papa's RV. 

Soon after, we were off to Pismo Beach. We drove to the left, went as far as we could, then turned around and headed toward the far-end gate. The part of the beach you can drive on was so short compared to before, but it was due to the recent storms. The Reynolds were ahead of us, and as we passed the first gate, a guy flagged us down. His truck was stuck, and he needed a tow to get out of the hole he was in. Barry said sure, and I texted the others to let them know what was happening. They pulled off of the beach highway and waited for us. 

Barry got out his brand-new tow rope and hooked the guy up. He told the guy to put his truck in reverse, but he did not understand that and had it in neutral. I had to say to him a few times, "no, you have to be in reverse." But, once he did that, pulling him out was no problem. Below is a video I took of the process. 

Done with that, we headed up the beach to find the Reynolds. Kensley and Jan were in the middle of the sand highway, crazily waving us down. They were obviously having too much fun. We headed to the gate and off to downtown. 

Kensley and Jan

Downtown was bustling, and we drove around looking for parking. We ended up parking apart from each other. I wanted to go to the kite store, so Barry and I headed that way. The rest of the party headed toward the beach. I picked out a kite with the help of the store owner. I also bought a mini Easter flag. It matches the pillows I have for the front porch. I saw it on display outside the store when we drove through town on Thursday on our way to the campground. 

We hooked up with the group on the Pismo pier and decided to walk to the end. We watched the surfers try to navigate the waves, but they could have done better. Many people fish off the pier, which does not require a license. I am trying to remember that from last time. We did not see anyone hauling in any fish. The weather was excellent, with a slight breeze, but I did not mind. I run hot most of the time now. 

There is a massive shark in a playground off the side of the pier, and we watched the kids play on it for a bit. Arik acted like the shark was eating him and being swallowed; he can be very entertaining. 

We decided we wanted to have some drinks and munchies, so we ended up at Wooly's Beach Bar and Grill right on the beach. Busy place, but we did not wait too long for our food. We each had drinks, and the food consisted of tacos, onion rings, deep-fried calamari, and fries. The kids had kid burgers. This is the second day we have had fried food, which is abnormal. Oh boy! So much for keeping our weight in check before our Utah trip in May. Aaaagggg!

After Jan, Brook and I walked up to a shop we liked. Jan and I bought a pair of flip-flops, and Brook bought a few cute clothes. After I purchased my fit flops and told Jan the guys texted they were at Harry's Night Club and Beach Bar, I decided to meet up with Barry and Ken. Brook was still trying on clothes. The bouncers were carding everyone. Once they checked my ID, they put a wristband on me and stamped the inside of my wrist. A band played, and I found the guys sitting at the bar. I ordered a Midori Sour after I saw the bartender make one. It was the best Midori Sour I have had. This place was hopping, and a lot of regulars frequented here. 

We kept waiting for Jan and Brook to show up. Ken finally texted them, and they walked right by the Harry's. We found them up the street on the corner waiting for us. Sometimes coordinating this group is challenging, but we always have a great time. 

We headed back to camp. Kensley and Arik wanted to go to the beach, and even though it was about an hour before sundown, they put on their swimsuits. Ken and Jan, Us, and their grandkids headed to the beach. It was chilly, but the kids stripped to their swimsuits and played on the beach. We sat on the beach, waited for the sunset, took photos, and enjoyed watching the kids play. Sunset was around 7:15 PM. I could not believe how the kids played in the chilly wind. All of us were getting chilly, but the kids were running around like it was 80 degrees. Finally, we saw the sunset and headed back. Arik was whining about how he could not feel his feet or hands and had frostbite, LOL! Poor guy, he was freezing. 

My boots and a jeep very
similar to ours

Mine and Jan's twin boots in the sand

                                   

Once we got back and warmed up, Barry built a fire, and he and I made s'mores. The kids were wiped out and already asleep. We enjoyed the fire for a bit, and then we hit the hay. Hectic day, and we were also wiped out. 

All photos are owned by the author, with the exception of "My Man" by Jan Reynolds. Thank you, Jan, for sharing this photo. 

Copyright © 2023 by Jacqueline Threet Henderson, Jacqueline's Jaunts. All rights reserved.

2023-03-24 Friday Pismo Beach Oceano Campground

Steps Today - 5,532

We slept great last night. Barry was up early and made coffee and tea. I got up around 9:00 AM and sat on the sofa with my yummy hot cup of tea! I planned to read the handout for my 4:30 PM class today with Tom Jones, Advanced Genealogical Writing Skills Using Word. 

About an hour later, Jan came over and said there was an Italian market on the other side of Pismo, and she wanted to go check it out. She needed to buy gnocchi for a dish she is cooking in the next few nights. So, we hopped in their jeep, and off we went. 

Our first stop was the RV dealer down the street. We wanted to walk through the Newmar's we saw as we drove in yesterday. A few new models were right up front. We spent about an hour there, but the person helping us was not pushy and answered all our questions. They have five models we walked through, including a Tiffin Phaeton. All were beautiful, and I thought they were reasonably priced, but Barry thought they were a bit high. Jan loved the most expensive Newmar model. I am trying to remember the model, but it might have been the Dutch Star which is Newmar's top-of-the-line. Barry liked the Canyon Star. Newmar makes an excellent coach, and the Phaeton was used but only had 24,000 miles on it. It was beautiful. Dream, Dream, Dream...

The next stop was the Pismo RV Resort. We are staying there in July for fireworks. Jan and Ken wanted to ask about the membership pricing and get an idea of where our sites will be in July. No such luck with the sites. They are tight-lipped with that information. However, K & J got all their questions answered about buying into the membership. 

Now off to the Italian market. It was about a 10-minute drive to the other side of Pismo. What a great little shop. Fresh fruit outside in little baskets, oranges, cumquats, lemons, and strawberries. On the inside, they have many varieties of pasta, multiple types of olives, pickled veggies, spices, wines, and a small bakery up front. I wanted to buy everything but settled on nutmeg cookies and two types of mousses for dessert later in the week. 

Well, once again, we decided to eat lunch out. We stopped at the Beer Blast for lunch on our way back. So much for reading the handout to prepare for my class. We had to wait about 15 minutes. They had many empty seats, but they needed more servers. We were seated at a window seat with a beautiful ocean view. The bar was all wood and nice looking. Everyone ordered a beer except me. I ordered an Ace Pineapple cider on tap. It was delicious. My favorite brand of cider.  

K & Jan were meeting some friends at a restaurant tonight, and we were invited to join them. I stayed behind, so I could attend my class, and Barry went with them. Jan dropped off the chicken broccoli casserole for dinner later when they returned. She would text me later about when to put it in the oven and what temperature to bake it. It looked yummy, but I was still full from Beer Blast. 

They took off at about 4:30 PM, and I got on my zoom call for my Microsoft Word class. Great class, and I learned a few new things about Word. I'm glad I took this class. It has helped me a lot. Text received, casserole in the oven, word class done. I called Lisa right after the class to discuss a few things about Word.  Once we finished our discussion, I decided to walk around the campground. It was getting cold, and I could not wait to get back into the warm RV. 

The others returned, and there was some discussion about cooking the casserole at 325° or 350°. I had two different directions from Jan and Barry. I did 325°, but it should have been 350°. We all laughed about it, and I cranked it to 350°. It was hot and ready in 15 minutes. We each had a small scoop, and I do not know why because I was still full, and they had munchies while out with K & J's friends. Barry and I loved the casserole, and I asked Jan for the recipe. The great thing is you can freeze what you do not eat. 

Ken and Jan had a great time catching up with their friends. Apparently, there was a band who ended up playing K & J's song, so they hit the dance floor. Barry talked so much that his throat was somewhat hoarse. 

It was a very busy day for all, and only the second day. Oh boy! And tomorrow, K & J's daughter, son-in-law, and two grandkids will be here. The last time we saw them was almost a year ago, and looking forward to seeing them. So we know it will be a crazy day tomorrow. 

Good night from Pismo Beach!

Ken & Jan having a great time

Barry also having a great time

Restaurant the three went to.
Polaroid photos everywhere

I think this is the most giant Hawk
I have ever seen!!

All photos are courtesy of the author. 

Copyright © 2022 by Jacqueline Threet Henderson, Jacqueline's Jaunts. All rights reserved.