Friday, February 26, 2016

October 7, 2015 Beaches, Farm Fields and the Old Mission Santa Barbara Along the PCH

This was our view of the Pacific Ocean from our balcony this morning. Any morning you wake up on a beach, you've either had an incredible night or are about to have a wonderful day.

We walked down to the beach before heading into Pismo Beach to do a weeks worth of laundry.

We were quiet so we didn't wake these seals. It looks like they were out carousing last night.


After doing the laundry, we walked down to the Pismo Beach Pier.

I love the old wooden piers in California's beach towns.

These pelicans were stealing fish right off of the fisherman's lines.


The waves weren't that big but the surfers were out anyway.



I love all the charity events and conservation causes the surfers support. It's a great community of like minded people do their best to help those in need.

We really enjoyed walking around Pismo Beach. 

We had lunch here. But there were plenty of interesting options.



Of course we picked up some freshly made salt water taffy here.

We stayed on Route 1 (PCH) as it went inland and we drove through farm fields for hours.

It is amazing how much food is grown in this state.


We saluted our military as we drove past the Vandenberg Air Force Base.

It's been hours since I was on a beach so we stopped here to stretch our legs and enjoy the sunshine and salt water.

We hiked out past the beach and around some rocks...


...and found the paradise we were looking for...

...but the tide was coming in quickly...


...we headed back not long after this couple. We didn't want to spend the night on the highest rock we could climb. Well I might have enjoyed it but Chrissy wanted nothing to do with getting stuck out here...at least not with me.

We did not go to the zoo. This was on a Santa Barbara shuttle bus parked at the Old Mission Santa Barbara. 

We spent a couple of hours on a self guided tour of this historic and beautiful place.

We wandered in different directions and crossed paths several times. Here's our photographs of the Old Mission.







An incredible Fig Tree donated in 1890 from Australia.








This art work is on the asphalt in front of the building pictured above. It is very faint in spots, I enhanced the color so it is easier to see in these photos.



This mission is over 200 years old. I might not care much for religion, but I do love visiting historic religious places. I have to admit the peace and serenity I felt walking through the mission, I rarely feel that anywhere else. As much as I have recommended visiting God's natural wonders in our National Parks, I have to recommend visiting here too. This place is beautiful.


The sun was going down, so I stopped at another beach that was lined with campers. Chrissy relaxed on the car while I had an interesting conversation with this free spirited guy. 
Then I walked along the shore by myself. We drove a lot today so it felt good to end the day walking barefoot on a beach.


I sat down to watch the sun set and these dogs ran by me. I never saw their owner but these two were having a blast running up and down the beach. It made me miss my dogs. They would love it here too. But they are use to fresh water lakes. One drink of salt water and they won't know what the hell that is.

Me and these dogs enjoying the setting sun on the beach in different but equally satisfying ways.