Southern California Trip 1990 Part 3 - Santa Barbara to Ajax
- Wayne Webster
- Aug 28, 2021
- 11 min read
Updated: Oct 4, 2021
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Thursday July 26th, 1990 DAY 25
Camped at El Capitan State Park which is just north of Santa Barbara.
We had a leisurely day , driving through Los Angeles (off rush hour) and up the coast. We had lunch at a restaurant near here and rolled into the parl around 3 pm. We are in, as it turns out, the campsite furthest from the highway.
We have a vista of the sea and a short stroll to the beach. The beach here is excellent, lots of sand for Anna. We were given a list of a few dozen sites when we arrived, and got to choose one. It seems enormous after the last few nights of the Disney Campground postage stamp.
Friday July 27th, 1990 DAY 26
Same place. We bopped around Santa Barbara today, first looking for the Tourist Info Center, then walking out onto the main pier where we had bagels and coffee, then along the beach. After a time on the beach, we went over to the Santa Barbara Zoo.
Santa Barbara is very beautiful, nestled picturesquely between the mountains and the sea, with all its white stucco and tiled roofs.
Saturday July 28th, 1990 DAY 27
We had a relaxed day toodling about Santa Barbara, going to the Mission, the Natural History Museum, and then to some used book stores. Sunday July 29th, 1990 DAY 28 I guess we're officially half way through our eight week holiday. Another fairly leisurely day. We went to the Santa Barbara Art Show along the waterfront this morning and to Bart's Books, a used book store for the afternoon.
We came across a caricaturist on the waterfront and Anna watched him draw with such fascination that he did a drawing of her for free!
Monday July 30th, 1990 DAY 29 Another day in and around Santa Barbara. This morning we rented a four wheel bicycle and rode the bike path another the Santa Barbara shoreline.
Those bikes are big and heavy and require quite a bit of strong pedaling to keep going.
I went back to the bookstore I had been to yesterday. Have managed to find a number of used books that I had been looking for and could not find in Canada. We had lunch in a boulder strewn park after a two mile stroll through the Santa Barbara Botanical Gardens of native Californian flora.
The conclusion would be that California must have been quite a desolate place before people began bringing in all the other tropical plants you now find here. Anna had a swim in the kid's wading pool near the pier. Then we went over to the Paperback Alley in nearby Goleta. This was the best used bookstore we have been to yet on this trip.
We got back to camp for a dinner of my famous cheese dogs and then had a good long stroll along the shore. Tuesday July 31st, 1990 DAY 30 Camped at Morro Bay State Park just south of Randolph Hearst's San Simeon.
We drove over to the Danish town of Solvang, which is an amazing sight in southern California, especially with all the steeply sloped roofs, more appropriate in a place that has snow.
It is full of Danish bakeries and gift shops. The one book store was quite good. There are plenty of used book stores around here, so we hope to have a good time. San Simeon is supposed to be simply awesome. Wednesday August 1st, 1990 DAY 31
A leisurely day in San Luis Obispo where we did the walking tour and two excellent used book stores. University towns always seem to have great used book stores.
This campsite is in a grove of huge eucalyptus trees which (I found out today in the local Natural History Museum) are not native to California but where introduced from Australia. They are certainly flourishing here!
Thursday August 2nd, 1990 DAY 32
We went into Morro Bay today and out to Morro Rock. It is easy to see why they call it the Gibraltar of the Pacific.
In Morro Bay we browsed two book stores.
This evening we went into San Luis Obispo for the street market or fair. We bought a good selection of fresh fruit and watched a clog dancing display. Anna was quite interested in the clog dancing and wanted to sign up in the club. She had her face painted, they best face painting job I've seen, and she got a helium filled balloon (in purple of course) festooned with stars.
This afternoon we had a good hike along the cliffs and coves in the park, but saw no sea lions, only a crew of cormorants.
Friday August 3rd, 1990 DAY 33 Went to San Simeon this morning and had a tour of the William Randolph Hearst castle.
Bernard Gagnon, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
It is as spectacular as one could imagine in its setting and scale. It was somewhat more like a cluttered church than I had imagined, but still most impressive. The tour we were on was the basic one and didn't cover a quarter of what there is there to see.
We picniked near Cambria for lunch and wandered around that Welsh founded town. We found a used book store, of course!
We went up to Black Hill here at Morro Bay to watch the sunset this evening after a delicious supper at the Moonraker in Cambria.
Basar, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Photo by Rob DeGraff on flickr
Chris and Anna watched the sunset from the car, while I hiked up the switchback trail to the summit of the hill and was rewarded by a magnificent 360 degree panorama of the sea and surrounding countryside. On the hill top, squirrels and lizards scurried, a young cottontail rabbit hopped by and ruby-throated hummingbirds hovered about in the evening air. The lights of the town of Morrow Bay twinkled to life, and Chris started calling up in her full teacher holler, wondering where I was. I told them they would have to hike up to the top of the hill for tomorrow's sunset.
Saturday August 4th, 1990 DAY 34
Fun morning scouring the coastal towns to the south for used book stores. We had lunch down in a park by the shore, and then spent the remainder of the day loafing around camp: something we need to do, I believe after the last few busy days.
Sunday August 5th, 1990 DAY 35
Camped at Pfeiffer Big Sur State Park.
In my journal of two years ago, I said what an impression this place had left on me. I didn't think I would be here again so soon, and camped right at Big Sur in a stand of redwoods!
The Big Sur Coast Highway was quite spectacular, though rather mist shrouded this morning. The twists and turns mad Anna and I feeling a bit queasy. We rolled in here to campsite #12 around 1 pm, set up camp then headed across the road to the Sur River which has an excellent swimming hole right across from our campsite.
The water is rather icy and one can imagine it coming down from melting snow up in the mountains.
Anna made friends with a boy her age across the way and he let her ride and row in his inflatable boat.
We had a good camp feed of spaghetti and went for a stroll through the camp and the redwoods. Anna went to a worship service at the amphitheatre with her new friend and had a great time.
Monday August 6th, 1990 DAY 36
Spent the morning in Carmel after the dizzying cliff side drive up Highway 1. They effect was dampened somewhat by the morning mist. We hit the bookstores and shops and had lunch at the Sherlock Holmes Pub where I had a pint of Bass, probably the furthest extent from England at which I imbibed one her grand ales.
We spent the afternoon doing some coastal walks in Point Lobos State Reserve just south of Carmel. There we saw sea lions and cormorants and surprised a doe and two fauns who were laying at the cliff edge, no doubt enjoying the cool afternoon breeze off the Pacific.
This evening we loafed around camp, reading and eating a late dinner.
Tuesday August 7th, 1990 DAY 37
This morning we climbed all the way to the peak called Buzzard's Roost, two miles and most of it straight up on dizzying switch backs. But we all made it up to view a fine panorama of mound and cloud buried sea. The AllTrails website features a large gallery of Buzzard Roost Trail Photos.
This afternoon, I went over to the Henry Miller Memorial Library. Emil White died about six moths ago, which made me wish I could have talked to him when I saw him two years ago. Anna and I went for a dip in the Sur River swimming hole near our campsite.
We went over to the Nepenthe Restaurant which sits on a cliff overlooking the sea, which unfortunately was covered in mist. A good meal had by all.
Wednesday, August 8th, 1990 DAY 38
We did about five miles worth of local nature trails this morning, round and about and up and down the surrounding hills. This afternoon we went down the marrow, winding road to the Big Sur beach which is quite majestic and today featured some nude sunbathers and tide pools to explore. There is a power failure here this evening, so it is even darker than usual. We are all beat!
Thursday, August 9th, 1990 DAY 39
Drove into Monterey today and Anna played at the Dennis the Menace Park and we walked a long way along the waterfront. Anna tried to feed fish to the sea lions, but the gulls snapped it up before the sea lions could appear. Anna played her violin for the people in the campsite across the way this evening and got a rousing ovation.
Friday, August 10th, 1990 DAY 40
Drove about an hour north to the KOA at San Jaun Bautista, which is where we staying two years ago at our most southerly point.
We spent the morning packing up and then at Big Sur Beach. It is very windy at this campsite and the tent barely manages to stay up. I sit in the car at the moment, gratefully out of the wind.
Saturday, August 11th, 1990 DAY 41
Spent the morning around camp and then went over to the Outlet Center in Gilroy, then to visit the mission and historic district in San Juan Bautista. This is not far from the epicenter of the big San Francisco earthquake of last year.
Anna walked by herself to the store before dinner, and found and bought a can of beans. Well done!
Sunday, August 12th, 1990 DAY 42
Camped in Sequoia National Park at the Lodgepole Campsite.
This is bear country and they don't even let you keep your food in your car trunk. They provide food lockers cemented into the ground and with chains to keep your food in.
We did little today but pack up and drive and set up camp here at site 84 on a rocky hillside with a good prospect of the setting sun.
We have tried to be careful not to leave anything out for the bears, but even our camp stove by this time must smell considerably of food. A bear may pass by in curiosity, but there is nothing out here for it to eat.
Monday August 13th, 1990 DAY 43
Went down the Congress Trail and saw all the great sequoia trees including the General Sherman, considered to be the largest tree on earth.
Tuxyso / Wikimedia Commons
Watched a slide show of entries in the park's amateur photo contest. Many of these slides were terrific and the entire set of entries gave one a good overview of the park.
Tuesday August 14th, 19990 DAY 44
Drove down to the end of the road, way down in King's Canyon, a spectacular drive. Anna's friend James from England left today. He was camped next to us with his father and mother, Brian and Christine, and his uncle Mark. They were quiet, thoughtful neighbors and we shall miss them.
We went over to Grant Grove this morning and walked the nature trail there. Tonight at the amphitheatre, we watched a quite informative show on the great trees.
Wednesday, August 15th DAY 45
Climbed to the top of Moro Rock this morning, 250 steps for a grand view of King's Canyon. We also did another hike among the sequoias.
Photo by DiverDave, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Photo by Birdyland at English Wikipedia, CC BY 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Yesterday, Anna started a club atop the big rock near our campsite and today there were actually eight kids up there! She's going to be a great organizer like her Mum, I expect.
Tomorrow, we strike camp and head for the luxury of Las Vegas for our one night in a hotel.
Thursday, August 16, 1990 DAY 46
This is actually tomorrow, but I was too exhausted yesterday to write. We struck camp early at Sequoia and drove through the desert to Las Vegas.
Even though we had a reservation at Circus Circus, it was still like lining up at the bank on Friday. We were really too exhausted to appreciate Las Vegas properly, but we did our best. I actually won a stuffed toy parrot for Anna on the midway.
I was tempted to put into the suggestion box that they should attach electric generators to all the one-armed bandits. I'm sure the power generated would light the Vegas strip around the clock!
Friday August 17th, 1990 DAY 47
We rolled into the Grand Canyon North Rim campsite about 6:30 pm or so.
It is great to be back in the woods again after Las Vegas. The air is pleasantly pine scented. We plan to take it easy here, resting up for the long trip home. Already we have seen a herd of half a dozen deer bucks trot through the camp, so Anna is happy.
Saturday August 18th, 1990 DAY 48
Walked the rim trail over to the Lodge and Angel Point this morning. Saw the Canyon Village on the South Rim through the binoculars, and the trail down to Indian Gardens which looks very precipitous from this side. We saw a herd of female deer with a fawn grazing in a meadow on the way back to camp.
Anna went to the kid's program this afternoon. I stayed around camp and did some reading. Anna and I finished reading The Road to Oz this evening and she seemed to enjoy it quite a bit.
Sunday August 19th, 1990 DAY 49
Our last night on the North Rim of the Grand Canyon. A bit of an autumn wind blowing tonight.
We did some short trails along the rim this morning and then went to a Ranger Talk on the native people and archeology of the area. Tomorrow morning, we head out, beginning the long trek home. Anna met twins Carmen and Bianca tonight who used to live in Toronto.
Monday August 20th, 1990 DAY 50
A lovely evening in Green River, Utah on Highway 70 on the way home.
Anna had a dream come true today, for we are sleeping in a KOA Kamping Kabin which is something she always wanted to do.
We rolled in around 5 pm , did the laundry and had a refreshing dip in the pool.
Tuesday, August 21st, 1990 DAY 51
Another hard driving day through the mountains to a KOA in Limon, Colorado, over near the Kansas state line. We expect to spend tomorrow driving through Kansas.
Wednesday, August 22nd, 1990 DAY 52
Camped at the KOA in Lawrence, Kansas, not far from the Missouri border. We are sited next to a swamp, unfortunately, so the bugs are bad, though more annoying than biting. There is a steady drone of katydids or locusts or crickets or something or other. We are hoping to arrive home Saturday evening.
Thursday, August 23rd, 1990 DAY 53
Camped at the KOA in Vandalia, Illinois, just east of St Louis.
We went into Lawrence this morning. Chris and Anna went to the factory outlet sores while I browsed in two excellent used bookstores.
We are in a Kamping Kabin considerably more luxurious than the last. This one is bigger, which cairs, a real table, better lighting and even an air conditioner. I sit on the porch at the picnic table there as I write.
Friday, August 24th, 1990 DAY 54
Camped at the KOA just south of Toledo, Ohio.
Anna got to watch some Yogi Bear cartoons on video here. Another hard driving day, but it will make tomorrow not as long. The final stretch from Windsor always seems the longest on the road home.
Saturday, August 25th, 1990 DAY 55
Back home again after a long drive made an hour longer by an inexplicable delay near London. You can tell the summer has been very wet. The weeds in the garden are high and include some fair sized sumac trees that are too rooted now to easily yank out.
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