Morro Bay, CA


On the road from Carpinteria, I went north towards San Luis Obispo.
For about an hour and a half, I traveled through more of the Los Padres National Forest, and encountered several wineries/vineyards, many with tasting rooms. However, it was still early in the day, and I wasn't ready to stop and start sampling quite yet....After all, I'll be heading into wine country soon enough, where I can take advantage of that.
I decided to go to Morro Bay State Park. The California State Park reservation website allows you to only place a reservation two days out, or further. So inquiring about space "on the spot" via telephone, is not an option at all. Fortunately, it wasn't terribly "out of the way" going towards San Luis Obispo, and I took the chance that I could get a space. I managed to get the last one of two spots, for the next two nights. I'm finding that central and southern California is challenging, regarding boondocking. When I think of all the options in Arizona, New Mexico, and Utah, it's really different, regarding spontaneous travel, and open lands. It's all good, as I manage to figure it out, and find "accomodations."
So, since I am in Morro Bay, I decided to head into this town, which is a very charming, small quaint little place, filled with restaurants, shops, and everything regarding a marina, boating, and surfing. I headed towards Morro Rock. There was a large parking area where you could almost walk around this rock, that was commercialy excavated from the late 1800s, all the way into the 1960's, when excavations were disbanded. The rock  is similar to granite. What I found interesting was, that this rock literally juts up into a vertical cliff, from the edge of the water. I watched the clouds, roll over, very quickly,  over the top of the rock, and it seemed to have its own weather pattern. Fascinating.
This rock is definitely an icon to the bay, and the salt and freshwater area is a major estuary to wildlife, including nesting birds. fish, and shark.
Across from the bay is a sand dune area, and I was able to walk on a boardwalk, close to my campsite, which was quite a beautiful, and rural space. It was a wonderful way to end a day, as I make my travels north. I hope to walk the boardwalk again tomorrow morning with Jo Jo.
It's only been one week, and I have already seen so many wonders.

















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