Stopped at Julia Pfeiffer Burns State Park to have a look at the waterfalls there. Saw a stellar jay and what we think was a Western Blind Snake but neither the snake nor us got a really good look at each other. One for Blair to identify from the picture. Fabulous view of the falls dropping 50 feet off of a rock face to a sand beach in a little bay while breakers tossed into foam on the rocks at the narrow bay entrance. The ocean in this location was extremely blue. Stopped at a Sea Lion Nursery with thousands of sea lions. What a noise! Males were fighting for their rights. Scary coast ride again down to Morro Bay. The huge rock protecting the harbour at Morro Bay is one of a series of volcanic plugs. There are several up and down the coastal fault line.
Told about otters that swim in the bay and went out find them. Only saw one, but he gave us a couple of good shots. 315 days of sun in Morro Bay and we get clouds and a few minutes of drizzle. Sun came out in the afternoon and I finally bought a shirt for Sara. Marty has loved my shopping so far. This is the first thing that I have bought since he picked me up BC. Left town with fresh fish and smoked salmon bought at dock side next to the fishing fleet, after playing a game of tennis at a neighbourhood park.
Headed inland on secondary roads and crossed the San Joaquin Valley and the California Aqueduct. Land very flat, no crops in the fields, cotton just picked. Saw a cloud of what appeared to be smoke ahead of us. When we got there, we were engulfed in a cloud of chemical fertilizer being spread by a monstrous tractor and being carried by the wind onto the road. I tasted and smelled it for hours and had to stop and wash after we got away from the farm fields. We passed a convoy of these huge machines. They were two lanes wide on a two lane road and they had to pull over to let any traffic by.
Plugged a county park into the GPS but it was closed when we got there. A gate beside the county park looked interesting and we followed a truck through. Up the hill on the other side, found a Corp of Engineers Recreation Area at Success Lake. Pulled into the dead end of the road about two miles in and parked for the night. What a find!!!! Nobody here but us and a beautiful view of the lake. Next morning a dozen trucks came in with guns and dogs--opening of pheasant season. Ranger came in and told us where the camping area was on the other side of the lake. This is November 14, Happy Birthday, Mom.
