Jacqueline’s Jaunts

Friday, April 21, 2023

2023-04-01 Saturday Pismo Beach and Home

Today is break camp day & driving home. The morning went smooth, pack-up was easy & byes said to J&K before leaving. Quick Burrito for breakfast & we're off.

Barry mapped a Chevron Station in Paso Robles right next to Firestone Brewery, so we thought it would be perfect. We didn't need a pump out since we used the Bananaboys the day before! They are mobile and came to us. Talk about convenient. The cost was $50.00 for full service at the campsite. The guy was great, and Barry had a good conversation about Pismo seasonal issues due to the weather and how he is surviving. Great service.

We pulled into the Chevron-easy access, filled up the RV & were careful to not pull too close to the pumps due to the RV tail swing. Finally, ready to leave, I was outside on the walkie watching progress & all looked good.

Suddenly, Barry is 3/4 out of the driveway & the RV STOPPED DEAD! Damn it...driveshaft, transmission? No...the crown of the road is so high, the RV is grounded on the rear on the steel wheels & the front is in the street...but the drive wheels have no traction. So we are stuck-wedged between the driveway & the road and unable to move.

Calls into AAA, and a nice guy stopped and tried to use wood under the tires for traction, but it didn't work. Many people stopped to offer support and amazement, and some stated this happens all the time. Even the local sheriff stopped and stated this is a common thing, but AAA is on the way.

Straddling the dip

Barry called AAA four times, and each time had to explain our predicament all over again. Finally, after 2 hours, a tow truck was en route.....so they said. But then a BIG 350 Dulley pulled up and said, "Hey, want me to pull you out?" His wife jumped out, his buddy got out, she grabbed their snatch-cord, the buddy strapped on the hitch, Barry gave the driver a walkie-talkie, jumped in the RV, took off the brake, and put it in reverse. The Dulley driver said go, and we were pulled out in seven seconds. FANTASTIC. The driver's wife sent me the video she took. She said her husband used to work across the street and did this five or six times a week. Barry tried to give him some money, but he refused and said to just pay it back when we could and we will. In retrospect, we should have checked reviews. Many talked about the same situation we were in. We discovered a yellow sign facing the wrong way to the side of the driveway, "Steep driveway - No RVs or trailers beyond this point." They need that sign facing both directions...stupid!

It should be facing both directions!

We reconnected the Jeep, and we were back on the road. The rest of the drive was easy, even though we had the wind in some areas. We made it home by 6:00 PM, safe and sound. Now to unpack some, have dinner, and relax. We will finish unpacking tomorrow.

Looking forward to our Utah trip next month.

Sunday, April 16, 2023

2023-03-31 Friday Pismo Beach Oceano Campground

Diner History

Our last full day. For breakfast, we went to this diner made from two trains, The Rock & Roll Diner. It was only about 5 minutes from camp. The food was just OK. My French toast had a weird taste, something other than what I liked. Everyone said their meal was just OK. I don't think we will be back. Sad because the decor is fun.

After breakfast, K & J decided to visit Pismo State Beach, Monarch Grove. I wanted to fly my kite later, plus I had a class I needed to attend at 4:30 PM, so we decided to stay in camp. The great thing about being retired is we can change our minds. We decided to drive to the neighborhood above the freeway to see the views, and we were not disappointed. The sky was this beautiful color of marine blue, and the weather was so clear you could see all the way to the horizon. From there, we drove by a triple-wide manufactured home that looked beautiful inside, per the real estate photos. Nice 55+ park but too close to a major shopping center.

We headed back to our RV for lunch. Next off to the beach to fly my kite. We should have paid more attention to signs on the beach, and we parked in an area where we were not supposed to fly kites. One of the rangers stopped to let us know, but he said since it was off-season, we could stay. He also gave us the low down on where to fly our kite. Nice guy. We flew my kite for about an hour. I decided I wanted a giant kite, and we took off to the kite store downtown.

No problem finding parking close to the store. We went in, and I decided I wanted one that was hanging from the ceiling. AND, of course, it was the last one which meant the owner had to take it down for me. He seemed to be happy to do so. I didn't like the black plastic tails, and I bought new nylon tails to switch out. The kite was very colorful and needed colorful tails. It also required heavier-weight string and a holder. Now back to the beach to fly my new giant kite!

We entered through the Grover Beach entrance and drove to the right. We missed a sign that said "No Vehicle Parking," and a very nice woman came up to let us know. As we got into the Wrangler, a ranger stopped to let us know. OK... we got the hint; read the signs. We moved south a little bit, parked, and got ready to fly.

My new kite went up with no problem. Seeing the long 20-foot red and blue tails drifting in the wind was fun. So calming and relaxing to watch. The sky was clear and beautiful, with so many contrails today. Nothing like being retired, flying a kite, and drinking a beer on the beach. We watched kite surfers and marveled at how fun it looked.

New Bigger Kite

The Reynolds texted, "Where are you?" I let them know and told them to bring their kite and a few beers and join us. Ken and Barry flew Ken's kite. Ken has a slingshot kite like the kite surfers use, so it pulls with a lot of wind. Looks too challenging to me. I just want to float with mine and veg out. Great few hours on the beach. We headed back to our RV because I had my class at 4:30. I was so close to not attending...but I knew I would regret it later. Our last day on the beach was such a beautiful day.

The Boys Flying Ken's Kite

Attended my class, got our salad ready for dinner, and headed over to Jan and Ken's for leftover lasagne. Barry was finishing up something and would be over in a few minutes. I had a ceramic bowl with salad and wine in my left hand and can't remember what was in my right. As I went up the stairs into their RV, I lost my balance and started falling backward. My left leg missed the steps behind me, hit the ground about 3 feet below, and tumbled back. I hit a concrete picnic table on my right backside and ribs. The salad went flying, but I did not break anything in my hands. I hit hard, and it knocked the breath out of me. Ken was at the top of the stairs and tried to grab me but couldn't. I can still see the look in his eyes as I fell away from him. By the time Barry joined us, I was sitting on the ground with Caesar salad all over me. He was immediately concerned, and I knew tomorrow would be painful.

I got up, and everyone helped me clean off the salad. Nothing like a little Caesar dressing perfume. I was a little sore but manageable. We had dinner, did the dishes, yakked for a bit, and went home. We both needed to get ready to leave tomorrow.

We picked up a few things, packed away loose items, and went to bed. Up early tomorrow to finish and get on the road. I remember laying in bed thinking about flying my kite and that I would most likely hurt like hell tomorrow. But a great day!

Sunday, April 2, 2023

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.

Saturday, April 1, 2023

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.

Thursday, March 30, 2023

2023-03-28 Tuesday Pismo Beach Oceano Campground

Today was a day of looking for neighborhoods, and homes K & J may want to move to. We went along for the ride to check out the cities and towns around Pismo Beach. We left around 10:30 AM and stopped at Starbucks in Grover Beach on the way to Arroyo Grande. Ken stopped at a real estate office, and Jan went inside to see if she could get any information about neighborhoods and home prices in the area. She did get quite a bit of information from one of the agents. They exchanged contact information, and we were on our way. Jan and the agent texted most of the day. He was immensely accommodating all day.

The first place the agent said to drive through was the neighborhood behind the real estate office. The homes were older homes and well-kept. All the houses had such character; you could tell they were well-maintained. Barry and I loved the area. K & J want a place with some property so they can store their motorhome and pontoon boat on their property, so this neighborhood would not work. When and if we move, that is what we want too.

We drove east per the agent's suggestion. He said to stay on the road the real estate office is on and follow the signs to Lopez Lake. This is still in the city of Arroyo Grande. There was one neighborhood we stopped and drove through. It was a gated community but a UPS driver leaving gave us the gate code....so much for security. These homes were huge, and most had great views. Prices were over $1.2M. No trees, so I was not a fan. We drove around and then headed back down the hill to Lopez Lake.

The lake is full, and the surrounding area is beautiful. It has a great campground and marina. You can waterski and fish. In the summertime, there is an adventure park, zip lines, and a water slide park. It would be an excellent place for our family summer picnic if it was not so far. We may have to check it out in the summer. Here are the links:

Lopez Lake Marina and Campground

Vista Lago Adventure Park and Zip Lines

Mustang Water Park

We also drove through other parts of Arroyo Grande, but honestly, we drove through so many areas I can't remember. We all decided we liked Arroyo Grande, especially the renewed downtown area.

I need to back up here. In yesterday's blog, I mentioned Jan's paternal grandfather was buried somewhere in the area, and I would research FindAGrave.com to see if I could find anything. I found he is buried in Los Osos Valley Memorial Park, Los Osos, San Luis Obispo County, California. I gave Jan the information this morning, and she was off to the races. She was unaware of FindAGrave before, but now she started looking for other family members this morning. I created a monster. The cemetery was only about 42 miles north of our campground. The plan was to go after Arroyo Grande.

After driving around Arroyo Grande and back from Lopez Lake, our next stop was the cemetery in Los Osos (the bears). We headed north, found the cemetery, drove in, and parked at the office. Jan and I went in to get information about where her grandfather was buried. The attendant that helped us was so lovely. She gave Jan a map of the location for the future. Then, she wanted to get out of her office and walk us to the plot. I asked her if it was possible to get any burial or funeral information for Jan's grandfather. She said, of course, and would get everything they had after visiting the gravesite.

Next to Jan's grandfather was her uncle, and Jan had no idea he was buried there. It was an emotional moment for her, and she shared a few stories about her grandfather. I was so happy to be a part of this event. After cleaning off the gravestone and taking photos, we returned to the office. The attendant met us in the lobby and had a folder for Jan. Inside was the card with the burial plot number, the forms filled out by her father for her grandfather's funeral, the funeral service card, and two newspaper obituaries. I was thrilled for Jan. It was everything a person wanted, especially me as a genealogist. With tears in our eyes, we thanked her for everything and for making today a special day.

The next stop was to find the house Jan's grandfather owned in town. He also had a ranch somewhere in the area. We found the home, and she was able to reminisce a bit. You can tell she loved her grandfather. From here, we found another neighborhood to drive through. It was a great one, and we drove around for about ten minutes. The unanimous vote was this neighborhood was the best one of the day.

Stopped for gas at Costco, you must ensure you have a Costco nearby wherever you live. It is just a thing and an unwritten rule. Now home to cook dinner.

I cooked White Bean and Chicken Chili for dinner. My sou chef, Barry, helped with baking the cornbread. It was an excellent meal for a rainy evening. After the four of us spent a few hours talking, it was off to bed. We had another busy day planned, driving through areas again.

Tuesday, March 28, 2023

2023-03-27 Monday Pismo Beach Oceano Campground

Today the four of us headed for REI in SLO. Their sale ended today, and K & J wanted to take advantage of their coupon. We already did, but we can always find something at REI. Ken needed new tennis, and Jan wanted inserts for her hiking boots....getting ready for our Utah trip! All of us bought what we needed and more. LOL!

Next on the agenda was to go visit K & J's friend's (from the other night) new house they are still moving into. It's a new subdivision in SLO. Beautiful homes and a lot of building still happening. They were on the waiting list for this subdivision. Great dog, Finley. He is two years old and loves Barry. Great view from their upstairs balcony. They still had a lot to unpack, so we only stayed about an hour.

By this time, of course, we were hungry. We decided to go to Central Coast Brewery. We passed it earlier today. Great looking brewery outside and inside. In the outdoor seating area was a vast carved-out redwood log made into a fire pit; see the photo below. Guess what we ordered? Of course, you got it, fries, onion rings, and this time we added a pizza. The weather today was perfect, and eating outside was a no-brainer.

I would love one of these in my backyard.

Great Sign

Beautiful Bar

Since Jan could not get a cobbler yesterday, we headed back to The Barn. This time she had her pick, cherry, peach, olallieberry, and mixed berry. She ended up with a cherry. It did not matter what she chose; they all sounded tasty! We also bought bananas, avocados, and pickled eggs. I saw the pickled eggs yesterday and did not purchase them. I thought about those darn eggs all day. It has been years since I have had pickled eggs.

For my friend Renee

Ice Cream to go with the cobble

Two rams sparing over lettuce

I can't wait to bite into these!

We decided it was getting a bit late, and Jan was baking a lasagne tonight. It would likely take an hour or more to cook since it was in the fridge all day. Once the lasagne was in the oven, we just sat around conversing about different subjects. Jan was telling us about her paternal grandfather from this area. She was not sure where he was buried. I told her I would check Find A Grave in the morning and see what I could find. I had to explain what Find A Grave is. Before we knew it, the lasagne was done. She made it extra cheesy, which made it gooey. It was piping hot and delicious. Better than any bought lasagne or restaurant version.

After dinner, Barry and I returned to our RV so he could build a fire. Then, we wanted to eat our cobbler and ice cream by the fire. It was chilly outside but still great weather to sit by a fire. And eating cobbler with ice cream made it even better. Jan was such a happy camper she finally got her cobbler. She said she has been dreaming of one of these cobblers since we camped in the KOA across the street last year. That is one heck of a long wait!

Again, we ate and conversed for a few hours before the weather turned really chilly. At that point, we headed into our nice warm RVs and our warm beds.

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.