Looking Back - 4/18/2022 Cerro Alto Campground CA to Los Angeles CA

Cerro Alto Campground, CA 

The Drive into LA for our Month Long Stay

Always try to open with a photo

Today we pack up and say goodbye to camping for a month.  We will be back to camping after LA, but for the next 30 days we will be in an LA Airbnb and I am looking forward to it.  We made coffee and had breakfast and then took our time packing up.  Check in time is 4pm and the drive is 3.5 hours so leaving at noon will give us plenty of time.  

It wasn't as warm as we would have liked

Cerro Alto will be in our rear view mirror soon

We ended up packing up earlier than we wanted because we are so darned efficient so we decided to really take our time.  We headed back up to US101 and made stops at a few rest stops and took time out for lunch.

Our route

The drive was easy and we didn't really hit any traffic until LA.  Even with trying to delay, we ended up 30 minutes early so we parked at Echo Park and waited.  Echo park has a big fence around it right now because they just recently cleared out a big homeless encampment and are trying to keep it clear.  We weren't sure how to get in so we just sat in the car and listened to public radio.

When our time was up we did the 5 minute drive to our Airbnb.  We checked in with the owner and carefully pulled the van into the tight spot that was provided.  Unpacking was fast because we were parked right outside the front door.  We spent an hour or so arranging things and trying to unpack the bins. I ran out of energy so I walked to El Pollo Loco (one of our guilty pleasures) and picked up chicken and brought it back.  Dinner was chicken and a beer.  

The Squeeze was on

Francis making himself at home

The guilty pleasure

The meal!

Me and my computer in our Airbnb

That's it for our looking back series until the next road trip!  Now back to your probably daily timely updates!

Looking Back - 4/17/2022 Cerro Alto Campground CA and Morrow Bay CA

Morrow Bay, CA 

A Day in Morrow Bay

Our breakfast table sponsored by Raisin Bran Crunchy! 
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This morning we slept in again.  We have plans to meet some friends and go birding in Morrow Bay.  They are on their way up from LA and we are on our way down to LA so we thought we would meet.  We made breakfast on the picnic table because it was so nice.  We sat at our breakfast table and enjoyed the morning bird song.  Also, all of our stuff has dried out and things are great! 

Hot coffee action!

We had to meet in Morrow Bay at 10am which was a 15 minute drive so we relaxed until 9:30 and then gave ourselves 15 minutes to get the van drivable.  We have to empty the front seats of stored items, remove all of the window coverings, dry out the front window, fold up the mattress, and move the seats back to make the van drivable.  It isn't hard but it does take a little time.

We had a quick drive and met our friends at their hotel and then headed to Montana de Oro to do some walking and birding.

After birding for a bit we decided to go to lunch.  We had to be careful with what we picked because it was lunch on Easter Sunday so many fancier places were booked solid.  Our friend suggested Beach Hut Deli which turned out to be perfect.  They had a shaded patio with sun for Francis, a few beers on tap, and very good sandwiches.  Also, it wasn't crowded so we could take our time.

My Francis loves sun!

I could call this deli Tiki adjacent 

After lunch we agreed to meet up with them in Pasadena when they return from their trip and then headed back to the campsite to relax.  The relaxation was very strong.  We sat in our chairs in the shade of the gazebo and watched birds and talked about how great this trip is so far.  

Francis getting more sun

Our amazing site watching the birds in the sun
while we were in the shade

For dinner we headed up our frozen refried beans, cut some cheese (literally and figuratively later), and fried an egg to top it all off.  It's a great camping meal because you can make the beans before you leave, freeze them in a freezer bag inside the pot you will heat them in, and then use them as ice for the first few days.  This works with chili and pea soup also.  There is your Awesome camping hack for the day.  

Tomorrow we roll into LA and can take a shower!

Looking Back - 4/16/2022 Portola Redwoods SP CA to Cerro Alto Campground CA

Cerro Alto Campground, CA

Road Trip Portola Redwoods State Park CA to Cerro Alto Campground CA

Wet but determined to have fun

We woke up to wet conditions at Portola Redwoods.  It had rained all night and everting was wet except our bins so that was a win!  The time we had spent drying out the Gazelle Gazebo was for not.  Thankfully we are heading to a dryer place.

I made coffee while Donna sorted the bedding in the van.  The goal was to drink coffee, pack up, and get out and that is just what we did.

The morning coffee

Our bin situation was great

It looks less wet than it was

Our drive started out again on the twisty narrow road heading out of the park.  We met some maniac going like 40mpg coming at us and luckily we were in a place that was just 2 cars wide.  He just barely squeezed by us probably not thinking about what would have happened if we had met where the road was narrow, just before a turn.  I thought about that for a long while.  It could have put a damper on our trip and I am not sure how you would prove that you weren't in the wrong or that it wasn't equal fault.  

Once we hit civilization, we got gas and made our way to a Safeway to get some staples and 2 doughnuts because we deserved a doughnut.  

Today's Drive

We didn't need to rush the drive because we weren't doing a long day so Donna looked for another place to stop and pick up beer.  We chose Promised Land Brewing in Old Town Gilroy (the garlic place).

The Entrance

Brewing onsite

A cool mural in the brewing room

We cut in at Atascadero CA and headed to the Cerro Alto Campground in Los Padres National Forest.  We drove in and found our campsite #8.  I mention this because it's the best site there.  It's off by itself and the parking pad is level and there is a giant Oak Tree providing shade.

See!  Nice hu?

After setting up we walked the campsite loop and confirmed that our site was THE BEST.  The loop at the end had groups packed in with little privacy.  My extensive research contributed to the good choice and there was probably some luck involved too.  There are a few tools you can use to look at sites before getting there but not all sites are documented well.  

On our walk we saw a lot of birds, an alligator lizard, and an endemic (only seen in this small area) California Newt.

I got better...

This guy was about a foot long with their tail

The rest of the day consisted of having Happy Hour, prepping dinner, sitting in camp chairs watching birds, and going to bed.  It was pretty perfect.  

This is our amazing back yard for the next 2 days

Trying out a beer we picked up

Francis enjoying the dry warm weather

It really is the best site

How we all fit in The Van

It's a great site.  I am glad we are here for 2 days.  It will be nice to relax in the warm central California sun.