San Jose to Paso Robles and Finn Friends

El Camino Real bell

We left Morgan Hills and headed down US 101 by 10 AM under partially sunshiny skies.  The valley was pretty in browns and greens.  We passed vineyards and oil fields.  We stopped for a coffee break and read about the Salinas Indians who lived there.  They are now relearning their language and customs after decades of being oppressed and forced to be Americanized.  We noticed bells hanging along the roadside and learned they were  "el camino real" bells used to mark the roadway.  There were 450 in the 1900s but most were vandalized till only 80 were left. The State took over maintenance and in 2005, a restoration project began to replace 555 bells.

We arrived in Paso Robles and found the Wine  Country RV Park which was new and had many perks-easy parking, pool, hot tub that was working, gym, clean bathrooms, mountain views and near town but quiet.  We connected with the Leinonens, our friends who used to live in Seattle. Their home has a fabulous  southwest view of the hills and vineyards to the southwest.  On Tuesday, we worked out in the mini gym before picking up our friends and taking a drive out to the coast.  Route 46 was a pretty ride over the Coastal Range past vineyards and ranches.  We could see the coast from the top of the pass.  Lunch was at a place in Cambria, an artsy tourist town. Cambria (also known as "Cambria, Pines By the Sea") is a seaside village located midway between San Francisco and Los Angeles on the California State Route 1 (Highway 1). The name Cambria was settled upon in 1869 (previously the town had gone by the names of Slabtown, Rosaville, San Simeon and Santa Rosa).  I had to be restrained when we passed the antique mall but now I have a reason to go back there to visit! Sonny drove us North on Rt 1 past the Hearst Castle to see the elephant seals on the beach.  They stop there to have their babies.  Most had left for other places but a few were still around.


Sonny, Terttu and Paavo at Lunch in Cambria





Local home



Hens and Chickens



Elephant Seals on the beach-can you tell a rock from a seal?



Dad elephant seal



Somebody gave him a life saver to chew on



California Ground Squirrel

After we said our goodbyes to Terttu and Paavo, we washed two weeks of travel dirt off the truck and headed back to the campground. The hot tub was open so we relaxed in the bubbles while the laundry got done. On Wednesday, we filled up the truck with diesel gas at $4.39 per gallon ( 14.2 mpg ). We drove East on Rt 46 till we hit construction issues. We were diverted to Rt 41. The GPS had us turn on a cow path short cut to get back on 46. We managed to back up and forgo the cow path to continue on 41 to 33 and then to I-5 South to Santa Clarita. That little detour only added 40 miles to our day. The scenery was pretty in the valley so we didn't mind. We passed grazing cattle, large orchards of almonds and pistachios belonging to Paramount Farms. At "James Dean Corner" (where he was killed) we got back on 46 to Lost Hills.

Almond orchards in the distance

More orchards, tumble weeds, and oil fields. Passed a billboard saying "Drive with care, life has no spare". Sonny noticed blue lights flashing behind us so he pulled over ....thankfully, the cop was pulling over the guy right behind us. The flowering orchards had many beehives and bees who met their fate on our windshield.

Oil field in Lost Hills, CA

In Lost Hills, we talked to a couple from Bellevue who had driven down I-5 till they got to the Siskus and were turned out to the coast because they didn't have chains. They said the storm was amazing with high winds and surf. After our break, we got on I-5 South-a very bumpy road made even more so by a truck with tight suspension. 63*, blue sky and sunshine by 1 PM. 4200' Tejon Pass was pretty but all of a sudden, the North Bound lane was on our right??  Weird.  We crossed back over near Lebec on our way to Soledad Canyon Campground in Acton, CA.  The campground is HUGE, over 200 sites.  Probably about a quarter filled this time of year.  We walked for nearly 2 hours today from one end to the other.

Heading up over Tejon Pass

Many trucks but many lanes

View from our campground in Acton CA.  2200' level and snow in those mountains

More mountain views.

Would the licensor approve this equipment ???

Today, we enjoyed the sun and warmth in the morning.  We ate our lunch outside in the afternoon, the wind came up and dropped the temp.  We went into Palmdale to gas up the truck and found diesel at $4.35/gal.  The wind was really blowing in town and it looks like it does that regularly since the trees all seemed to bend to the East.