6. Pismo Beach to North of Ragged Point.
North of Ragged Point - that's where the mudslides of the winter of 2016-17 closed the Pacific Coast Highway 1. But we'll get to that.
When last we joined our heroes, they we're leaving Oceano State Off-Highway and Recreational Vehicle and Other Cool Unpaved Dunes and Stuff - you know, the Oceano SOHRVOCUD&S - or whatever it was they called it. It didn't really flow off my tongue.
It used to be the "Pismo Beach SOHRVOCUD&S", so we began our day in the Pismo Beach area. Of course all THOSE campsites had been booked solid for six months! Except for cancellations of course. Which there were none - when I was checking - thus the Beach Sand Camping experience, which we were happy to have!
But right there is the Monarch Butterfly Grove - like within 2 miles or something. We stopped. Boy was THAT easy, compared to our previous TT style of traveling and finding parking.
We wandered the grounds for a few minutes. The place has a large walking paths area. We just touched on it.
The butterflies winter here, and other similar places, in the Eucalyptus trees.
We just missed them!
Moving on, we took Highway 101 to San Luis Obisbo, and turned left on Highway 1.
I think after Morro Bay area, we took on off'n the highway at an ocean public access place, for a rest stop and a walk on the beach. DW combed and I clicked.
That right there? That's Morro Rock - looking south.
And looking north.
And east. That's Lil' Queeny there.
Thereafter, we drove Highway 1 north on a beautiful and sunny Easter Sunday.
Cayucos, Harmony, Cambria, San Simeon - all came and went. Not far past San Simeon is the Elephant Seal Rookery, where Elephant Seals lay around on the beach, sunning them selves - I guess. Hey! Elephant Seals are people too!
Just like people, some were coming in from the water.
And in some areas, the big beasts were busy flipping beach sand onto their backs. Sunscreen I suppose.
Then a little further on we came to Ragged Point - a small resort-like business location with a little store, and a restaurant, and lodging, and wonderful grounds - which we walked around on.
I can't read the small print, but I think it said "Big Sur Portal" and it looked up the coast toward Big Sur.
You can't see the ocean for the trees.
Most people describe the mudslides as having closed the road north of Ragged Point, but if you don't do the remaining 5 miles north of Ragged Point, you'll miss the rugged beauty portion of the scene. We kept going.
That's Ragged Point from an overlook just north.
Sometimes providence just provides the right shot, even for a smart phone camera.
And don't forget to look down. Just a simple Morning Glory style blossom.
At the end of the road - 8 miles from Gordo (and actually only 3-4 miles of road is closed), we chatted with the road guard woman and received permission for a photo-shoot near the sign. As I backed up toward them from the regular turn-around spot, she actually pulled back the barricade and directed me here.
The biker and his dog - who actually has his own pair of goggles - and the other guy, a local with informative advice, were only too proud to be part of our report.
After heading back down, out of the higher and rugged areas north of Ragged Point and near Hearst Castle, we discovered horses grazing, and a herd of Elk!
Wait What?! I didn't know this was Elk country. As we were to learn the next day, these were Roosevelt Elk - escapes (apparently along with Zebras and an exotic type of sheep with a name I can't remember) from William Randolph Hearst's last century zoo, on the Hearst Castle property. But the Castle trip is a report we'll save for tomorrow.
Very soon, we located one of our time-share properties, which we have all up and down the Pacific Coast, and made up our Easter Sunday meal - late lunch/early dinner, which along with our generally late breakfast/early lunch (Brunch?) meals give us ample intake, and leaves plenty of time for morning coffee - and beer-thirty!
From here, it was a mile or two to the Hearst San Simeon State Park campground, our accommodations for the next two nights.
