That's a Lot of Ocean: Exploring the CA Coast

We had three weeks with no plans between our visit with the Blacks and our Thanksgiving plans with the Bernards so we decided to head to the west coast and dip a toe in the pacific. For this leg of the trip we had made no plans or reservations, so Aaron did lots of research and got super lucky with some of the most amazing campgrounds! 

Morro Bay 

Our first stop was Morro Bay and as we rolled in and pulled further and further to the back of the campground, we realized we had the BEST site. It backed right up to the path leading straight to the ocean and had the most amazing view of Morro Rock. Sometimes booking last minute really pays off! We’ve found that the sites people reserve months (or even years) in advance and then cancel at the last minute are often the very best ones. 

We could hardly wait to get to the ocean, and the minute the trailer was unhooked, all six of us (Sully included) made our way to the sand. The beach was wide, flat, and absolutely perfect for frolicking, which we did with abandon. I’m not sure who was happiest to run free; me, the kids, or Sully. 

Unfortunately (or maybe fortunately) it was here that I started having a wicked bad tooth ache. I was so relieved to find an amazing holistic dentist just a few minutes away. I later described him to my mom as a “midwife dentist”. Turned out one of my old fillings from childhood had caused a crack all the way down to the root of my tooth and now it was infected. Ugh!!! And Ouch!!!! Nothing makes me feel quite like an old lady like taking my first steps to having no teeth! 

After taking a lot of time to review my options with me, we decided on an extraction with a bone graft for a future implant…so maybe I will not be completely toothless yet. 

This wonderful midwife dentist even scheduled me to come in on his day off so we could complete the procedure before we hit the road again. I was really nervous, but felt relief almost immediately. After a couple of days of recovery (during which time I binged two shows, the ONLY TV I've watched since we left VA!), I was almost as good as new. I hope what my kids take away from this experience is that it’s okay to feel scared and do something anyway, and that we simply handle the things that come up in life, even when they’re not fun or totally unexpected. 

Even with my surprise dental adventure, we still managed to fit in plenty of fun in Morro Bay. We loved riding our bikes along the path to the little pier area, with its cute shops and restaurants. We did our fair share of seafood eating (before I was limited to soft foods) and spent lots of time just watching the sea lions and otters. Best of all was watching the momma otters with their new babies! 

We day-tripped north to San Simeon, where perched high above the California coastline is Hearst Castle. Where do I even start? The creation of this place was clearly fueled by Hearst’s love for the California coast, along with the history and art he absorbed while traveling throughout Europe with his mother. We loved learning about how closely he worked with the famous architect Julia Morgan, and how clearly he respected her knowledge, experience, and talent. 

Demory had my phone while we were there and took all the photos, and I loved looking back through them later, seeing what she thought was beautiful and worth capturing. During the tour, they described what it would have been like to be a guest at the castle. Each evening, everyone was expected to dine together. After dinner, guests headed to a private screening of the newest film, and once Hearst retired for the night, the castle was theirs to enjoy. They described games of hide-and-seek, blowing bubbles, and midnight swims in the indoor or outdoor pools. I love this image; it feels very Gatsbyesque.

With the coast still stretching north ahead of us, we packed up grateful, a little sore, and excited for more West Coast!