Stardate 2019.022

Cambria Bluffs

2018... The Good The Bad And The Now What?
Lizardly greetings!

The Good...
A very brief 2018 summary follows. I wish I could blame the lack of blog posts on traveling the globe, but I can't. Now that I'm semi-retired — as of 11 days ago — I hope to do a better job posting. I certainly need the writing and grammar practice.

Off we go! January 2018 started with a lack of snow, allowing for mountain biking Front Range trails well into early winter.

Post fall rut and everyone was back to being friends.

April deposited us in California for a wedding. We visited two of our favorite coastal towns — Morro Bay and Cambria. Much of the coastal California Lupine was 3 feet in height, much taller than back in Colorado.


Cambria


Cambria


Mom eventually got junior out of the water.


Morro Rock dominates the view from the southern end of the bay.


Northern half of Morro Bay marina


Mid-July took us to 14,150-foot Mount Sneffels, my favorite 14er.

The Bad...
After a miserable summer progressing in body tremors and the "need" to crawl out of my own skin, I was diagnosed with Parkinson's Disease in early fall. A decent med coupled with my long-time existing, and active, lifestyle has brought me back to life, and I hope to chronicle "things" a bit via this blog.

September and available food-nuts brought out foraging bruins.


The boys are back in town and waiting for the girls to arrive...


Mountain snow arrived in October. Lower elevation mountain biking was sublime well into December.


An eerie harbinger of what came in November.

The Now What?
Take out Parkinson's Disease with extreme prejudice. I will make a great Parkinson's enemy!

Thanks for reading! I wish you all cheery and exciting 2019!

Adios

Stardate 2016.441

Coastal Fun
My travelogue continues. After landing in Los Angeles, we procured a car and headed north along the Pacific coast. Our route took us through Santa Barbara, Santa Maria, Pismo Beach, Morro Bay, Cambria, San Simeon and then inland to Bakersfield, which was our home base for a family wedding.

We drove into Morro Bay in the rain. However, within an hour, the sun had returned and it remained clear the remainder of the day. I would really like to hike up Morro Rock. However, it's off limits due to being State Preserve. It's primarily a bird reserve that includes protecting locally endangered Peregrine falcons. Several local tribes do have access rights to ascend the rock for cultural purposes. Enjoy the pics.




An egret looks for food along Morro Bay harbor.




There were about 20 sea otters, some with pups, floating and nibbling on whatever was tasty.




A seal may be seen bobbing close to the Morro Bay harbor breakwater.




Here's a small segment of Morro Bay harbor.



These butterballs are elephant seal pups molting on a beach near San Simeon, California. Elephant seal pups are left to fend for themselves after birth. Parents remain in the sea until fall mating when they'll return to shore. The only other time they're shore-bound is in the spring to give birth to pups.








There were lots and lots of flowers of different colors.




Here's a pro at work.




I can't tell a seal from a sea lion. I do know junior was hungry.



Awhhhh... the life of Riley.




The beautiful Cambria shoreline has a very strong, yet beautiful siren.




The saga will continue...

Adios

Stardate 2015.962

California IV

Our California trip was rapidly coming to an end. We visited Morro Bay again for an hour or so before heading back to Bakersfield and beyond. We found the beach and waves to be full of surfers. The coastal waters between Point Buchon (south of Morro Bay) and Point Estero (north of Morro Bay) apparently host a fair number of Great White Sharks. This link illustrates what happens when Morro Bay surfers sight one. Despite being land-locked, I'm a strong swimmer and I can assure you I would have been the first one back on shore.




Dude, the next one has your name on it.




He makes it look easy!








I would love to try surfing, but I don't like fish larger than me hanging out in the vicinity.






See you again in several years Pacific Ocean.




Well, that's it for sunny California. Ancient sandstone of Utah is next on the docket.

Adios

Stardate 2015.956

California III

Following is another photo set of coastal Cambria, California. The coastline of the Fiscalini Ranch Preserve turned out to be a fairly good place to watch the sun fall into the sea. Earlier in the evening we enjoyed watching a grey whale, or perhaps an orca, blow air and water out of its blowhole (regretfully, no photos). We saw the spout, but couldn't tell what type of seafaring resident it was. Enjoy...




Pelican






Rocky coastline of the Fiscalini Ranch Preserve, Cambria, California




Watch your step!




Great White Egret






Cormorants (plus a gull)




Looking south at coastal bedtime, Fiscalini Ranch Preserve, Cambria, California




Goodnight Cambria, California




Our day on the coast ended all too soon. Stay tuned though, I have one more photo set from the coast...

Adios

Stardate 2015.942

California II

Our journey continues. After arriving in Morro Bay, we spent the morning and early afternoon playing in the shadow of Morro Rock. I'm normally landlocked, so visiting the ocean is like visiting another planet. Morro Rock proper is a 23-million-year old slowly decaying volcanic plug. The rock also is a sacred site to the indigenous Salinan and Chumash tribes.



On the water front, Morro Bay is a natural sub-bay of much larger Estero Bay. Morro Bay harbor was built by the US Army Corps of Engineers. Morro harbor is the only all-weather small craft commercial and recreational harbor between Santa Barbara and Monterey, California.



Wildlife is plentiful with 3 species of cormorant, 2 species of gull and Peregrine falcons on Morro Rock. The latter is protected. Hence, no climbing. Too bad, I wanted so much to hike to the top. Other local creatures include sea lions, seals and sea otters. Tide pool residents are abundant as well.



We got to see a tall ship position itself to make its way into the small harbor. I didn't realize it until after we returned home that a Tall Ship Festival had been scheduled to begin the day after our arrival on the coast, December 2nd. The festival ran through December 7th. Perhaps I should do better homework the next time we visit.



I don't know much of anything about an ocean's surf. Nonetheless the waves seemed large today. This turned out to be a correct assumption as big waves were locally forecast. This may explain an absence of surfers. Although, I thought surfers would like big waves; the larger surf being analogous to a powder day skiing. The mystery of the day I guess.





After lunch we headed north to the coastal hamlet of Cambria. The coastline is a bit more wild and wooly here. We stayed in this area until the sun had sunk beneath the horizon.






That's it for this set. There's more California coast to come. Thanks for reading.

Adios