Travel Journals: SLO Week Three - Culture and Kayaks

Tolosa Winery

(A double click on any photo enlarges the photo.)

Week Three in SLO began with a heavy dose of irony. Having escaped the horrendous sub-zero temperatures and mounting snowfall in Minnesota, we awoke Monday morning, shivering. The furnace of our SLO rental home had died. Temperatures drop to the forties, and occasionally thirties, at night, so we turn the furnace on at bedtime and off when we set out on the morning dog walk. (All Minnesota friends and family are permitted to snicker.)

We called Mary Ann, our landlady, who called our next door neighbor, Todd, who happens to be a construction contractor. Todd fixed it temporarily. He figured out it was caused by a faulty thermostat, which will be replaced tomorrow.

The silver lining is that we met Todd, a very nice man. He and I chatted for a while when he finished. I learned that behind the privacy fence that separates our yards, he has a wife, a three-year old daughter, a yellow lab and chickens. "The chickens don't bother you, do they?" he worried. We assured him they didn't. He brought us some eggs, the first fresh eggs either of us can remember having. Delicious.


Fresh Easter eggs from our neighbor's back yard. The shells are actually different colors, but I've enhanced the color a bit on the computer.

On Monday night, we cracked. After two weeks of eating fresh and healthy local foods and eschewing cookies, ice cream and chocolate, I couldn't take it any more. Around nine-thirty, I set down the mystery book I was reading, got the car keys and took off. Fifteen minutes later I was sharing my cache of Hershey bars (with almonds) with Carol.

On Tuesday night we experienced true joy as eight-year old Aidan read a book to us, even sharing the beautiful pictures via FaceTime. He read "The Cat's Meow," a delightful children's book written by my friend, Bruce Ehalt. If you have a small child in your life, I highly recommend the book. Bruce, a second grade teacher, did a masterful job with it. (You can get the book on amazon.com, or from me for slightly cheaper.)

Rowdie loves California. It seems there is not one walk where she doesn't score some crusts of bread or something even better. This week she latched onto a full bagel. And then there's the grass, man!

Rowdie finds some good grass, man.

Highlights of the week included a kayak tour of of Port San Luis, leading to Point San Luis lighthouse. Jessica, our guide and a marine biologist, was full of interesting information. We were accompanied by Brett, who took the pictures. Jess and Brett were great company. We wore wetsuits for the first time as we paddled amid sea lions, sea otters and harbor seals.

Aidan el Plano with Jess, our kayaking guide, and Brett, our photographer

On Friday, we hiked the Point Buchon Trail, a lovely, level (read easy) path along the coastal cliffs. The trail is on property owned by Pacific Gas and Electric. At the end of the trail, we ate our lunch as we looked out over the Pacific Ocean and at Diablo Canyon nuclear power plant. From the time it was completed in 1973 until this day the facility has been a contentious issue here. (It is, after all, built on a fault line.)

Carol on the Point Buchon Trail

View from the Point Buchon Trail

Sea Cave at a beach along the trail. I got my feet wet when a surprise wave visited.

Diablo Canyon Nuclear Power Plant

On Saturday, we attended a Bach concert in the Mission San Luis Obispo, performed by the Cal Poly Early Music Ensemble. The two-hundred-forty year old mission was a beautiful setting for beautiful music.

And, finally, some more images of San Luis Obispo.