So much going on down in Paso Robles area these days. We remember, fondly, the sleeping farming area we used to visit for the views and the small, startup wineries. Now its a big time wine region! The good part of that is the plethora of wonderful restaurants and places to stay. The down side is that we have to share our 'secret region'. We still like it better than Napa, and we belong to 2 wineries here. One is east of 101 and one is west. This is a 'thing' - the wines from the east vs the west. We like them all.
But lets start in Cambria. We had to take the inland route through Salinas due to the washed out coastal highway. We explored the area and spent a bit of time hiking the coastline, running into these guys at the Piedras Blancas Rookery near San Simeon. The gang was made up of females and juveniles - all molting. It takes too much energy to molt and remain safe in the water, so they come ashore, shed their old skin, stretch out in the sun and get ready for the summer.
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| A wave and some chest pumps to say HI |
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| molting season for females and juveniles |
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| smallest baby in the bunch |
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| hiking along rookery to lighthouse |
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| ya, more flowers! |
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| lighthouse! |
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| many bunnies greeted us |
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| Creative Cambria where they knit tree trunks |
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| Want this!!!!! |
Loved our walk in the Fiscalini Ranch Preserve in Cambria. Residents protested planned development and succeeded in keeping this ranch land free of development. Now it is a much visited coastal hiking area...with, a we found out, unique benches made from drift wood! We had to try out each one.
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| bench with arch |
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| Bench with rock |
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| low profile bench |
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| a wide plank with comfy arm rests |
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| yes, the bench was THAT BIG |
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| Turk liked the arch bench |
Sensoria Light Show!!! Paso Robles. Was an art installation to run for a few months. Is now in its 4th year and expanding - its that popular. Reminds me of the wild flowers and is truly an experience. Photos dont do it justice.
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| dusk - and we start to see some lights |
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| thousands and thousands of these changing led lights |
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| as sun sets, it comes to life |
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| can't imagine setting up, maintaining these! |
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| magical! |
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| different section - led lit bottle towers |
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| fun to walk around these |
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| hard to capture all this |
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| you can see the led lights in EACH bottle |
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| Turk finds a cow downtown Paso Robles |
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| fave bakery - Back Porch Atescadero!! |
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| tasing some wine at Hope Winery |
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| tasting MORE wine - Tobin James |
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| stopped by Eberle Wines |
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| Eberle's mascot - biker boar! |
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| church across street from our airbnb! |
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| on way to Morro Bay - a dinosaur 'ranch'?! |
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| baby dino hatching |
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| notice no two are alike, how a baby?? |
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| T REX! |
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| Morro Rock and Bay from Black Hill Trail |
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| views of marshland |
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| views of ranch land |
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| rough waters next to Morro Rock |
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| One side is dry, full of cactus |
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| foggy, cloudy, cold day - but serene |
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| coffee time amongst the bananas in Morro Bay |
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| liking their chalkboard sign!! |
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| Pygmy Oaks - who knew?! Los Osos |
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| Turk hides in the pygmy oaks |
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| always good to carry a backup transport! |
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| me? and 'insurance designers'? creative? |
