A Quick Get-Away!

We had planned our quick get-away (two nights) in the Pismo Beach area for April, but had to cancel due to the pandemic. We rescheduled for late July, thinking things had peaked and were on a steady decline. Well, not exactly what happened, but the hotels stayed open, so we kept our reservation. It's weird trying to do a road trip these days, even a short one. Restaurants are either closed or open for take-out only (which is what we ended up doing), stores and roadside attractions are closed, etc., etc. Lot's of unexpected things seem to pop up. For example, with restaurants and stores closed, finding a restroom on the road becomes more of a challenge, especially if you are trying to avoid the grimy gas station variety.

The motel we ended up staying at has it's own private beach, which was beautiful and uncrowded. Only downside was navigating the 100 steps and steep walkways required to reach it. You need to travel light when you go to this beach! That's my wife with a sling to help carry our chihuahua, who has bad joints (but then again, so do we!). I was carrying beach chairs and towels. I can't remember what Lilly was carrying, but she had her hands full!

We have never taken a vacation with our dog before, but we figured with restaurants and shopping closed, this might be the perfect opportunity. We stayed at a dog-friendly hotel and everything worked out great!

Turns out the hotel's private beach also has it's own private arch. How cool is that?? You know me, I love arches! See that tree up on top of the hill above the arch? You will be seeing that again.

 

Yup, same tree. This is the view from our hotel balcony. Very nice! My wife took this photo of me taking a photo of the tree.

 

A very photogenic tree!

 

This photo is for you bird-lovers. The rocks in the area seem to be prime real estate for birds, with seemingly every available space in use. Near as I can tell, the birds are represented almost entirely by cormorants, pelicans and seagulls. The ocean in this area must supply an abundance of food! I think there is a lot of what they call upwelling in the area, which brings up nutrient-rich waters, which feed plankton, which feed small fish, and on up the food chain.

 

Day #2 we headed over to an area called Montana de Oro State Park. We spent a couple hours there, but we easily could has spent days exploring the area. It's truly beautiful, and there are many trails heading down to secluded beaches that can only be reached on foot. 

 

Panoramic shot of Spooner's Cove. Full disclosure: I edited the sky using Luminar 4 to add some color to an otherwise grey sky.

 

Lilly heading down to Spooner's Cove

My lucky day. We found another arch!!

Here's what the arch looks like at high tide. What a gorgeous shot! Photo credit goes to: LA-tr-road-trip-issue-photos-20160621-003 Baltimore Sun

Back at the hotel, it was time for take out. It was easy to socially distance at this small seaside hotel.

 

These little mini-vacations might be what we do in the foreseeable future. No planes, no boats, no tours, no large crowded motels or theme parks. Just quiet, low-key escapes 2-3 times a year. Perfect!

Linking with Skywatch Friday.

Stay safe & stay healthy!!