Some Final Facts

We kept track of how much we spent on fuel this Summer along with the price per gallon.

Total spent on fuel: $3157

Average cost per gallon $4.22

High: $4.69 on 5-10-11 in Banning CA

Low: $3.71 on 8-18-11 in Port Angeles WA (using a  club card for a discount at Safeway)

That averages out to about $21 per day considering we were gone for 5 months.

Home Again

We left Pismo Beach early around 6:30 AM hoping to make it home before it got too hot. All was well until we were just north of L.A. on HWY 101 and we saw a sign stating the freeway was closed at such and such street due to an accident. Got off 101 for gas and by the time we approached 101 again it was a total standstill. We followed some side streets not sure where we were headed...then called friend David in Seattle to log onto CalTran and check the highway status for 101. He could see that we were almost in the clear (after about an hour of slogging along) so we got back on 101 and finally made it through L.A.

Home in the afternoon and it isnt too miserably hot. Got the air,water TV and internet up and running,along with food and clean sheets. That will have to do it for tonight.

We met our new neighbor Savannah Walker (hope I spelled that correctly) She is a 4 month old Golden Retriever and adorable. I want one!

Hearst Castle

The main "house"

Outdoor Pool

Indoor Pool

We woke up to heavy fog this morning and headed north on Hwy 1 to tour Hearst Castle. They offer several different tours which take you into various parts of the "castle". Our tour took us through the main entry,dining room,billiards room,movie theatre and a reception area. We were free to walk around all the grounds and gardens afterwards and watched a short movie on how Hearst came into his wealth (daddy found silver in the 1800's) and how the property was built over a period of many years.

Hearst Castle features 56 bedrooms, 61 bathrooms, 19 sitting rooms, 127 acres  of gardens, indoor and outdoor swimming pools, tennis courts, a movie theater, an airfield, and the world's largest private zoo. Zebras and other exotic animals still roam the grounds however we didnt see any.  Hearst even kept polar bears at one time. Hollywood stars were invited up to the castle for weekends or  longer. Our tour guide told us you knew when your time was about up when at dinner  you were seated farther and farther away from Hearst. Apparently Cary Grant would pack up and leave when he was seated halfway down the table from Hearst.

We had a picnic lunch across the  highway on the ocean side afterwards...still really foggy.

Having a spaghetti dinner at the local Elks Club tonight with friends Dorothy and Mervyn who are in the RV park there for a few days.

Morro Bay

Surfing Morro Bay

Doom and Gloom

Yikes that's enough for me! I'm out of the water!

Pismo Beach Area

Dunes

Campground

We are currently at an RV park in Oceano Ca, which is about 15 miles south of San Luis Obispo. The park itself is okay as far as location,cost and amenities, however I checked out the laundry room this morning and won't be using it as it was dirty and one of the two washers was out of order. Windy here last evening and there is some sand blowing in off the dunes but the dunes are pretty.

We had a great Mexican dinner last night just down the street. My cucumber Margeurita was excellent.

This area itself in and around Pismo Beach feels rundown and depressed to me. It looks like a surfer/ATV/dune riding kind of place that maybe appeals more to a younger crowd.

Hearst Castle is not far away and we plan on visiting there this week before heading home Saturday.

17 Mile Drive and Pebble Beach

Lone Cypress. This is actually trademarked by Pebble Beach.

18th Fairway Pebble Beach

18th Fairway Pebble Beach

The beach below the 18th green at Pebble Beach...lots of golf balls

On the 17 mile drive,still foggy

The Lodge at Pebble Beach in back of the putting green

Rock Piles on a beach..17 mile drive

18th fairway Pebble Beach

Jack and I arrived at the Monterey Fairgrounds Thursday the 22nd. It has full hookups,free wifi and satelite,laundry and our site is backed up to the Monterey Pines Golf Club. There is obviously an airport nearby as planes fly low over the golf course and there are actually runway approach light towers on the golf course. The RV park is adequate for the time we'll be here.

We took the 17 mile drive around the Pebble Beach area today. There are three entry gates into this private community and it costs $9.50 per car. Some of the homes overlooking the water here are stunning and enormous. It was pretty foggy when we started out but by the time we reached Pebble Beach Golf Links the sun was out and we had a magnificant view. The area encompasses three well known golf courses:  Pebble Beach of course, Spyglass Hill, and Poppy Hills.There are several private courses here as well.

I have been known to pick up a golf score card when we visit various courses and then pin them on our garage wall. No so at Pebble Beach. A scorecard is $10. A round of golf is $495 per person, a caddy, which is mandatory, is $150, a golf cart is $65 and then of course you are expected to tip your caddy at least $40. There is a public viewing are of the 18th fairway where I took most of these pictures. Believe it or not, a lady climbed over the knee height fence (where there is a sign stating not to)....walked onto the 18th green and grabbed the flag so her partner could take her picture. At the same time a group had teed off and was approaching the green. Jack and I couldnt believe how bold and rude she was.

We continued on to Carmel By-The -Sea,where Clint Eastwood used to be the mayor. There were hoards of people walking,not a parking space to be seen and the traffic was horrible. So long Carmel!

On to Cannery Row in Monterey Bay where we had a late lunch at Bubba Gump Shrimp....save your money. It is cute and gimmicky but very expensive and my order of Steamed Clams also arrived with Mussels which I detest. I will give the waitress kudos for bringing me another order of clams when I voiced my distaste for the mussels...on the house thanks.

Wineries,Geysers and the CIA

Castello di Amoroso

Rhine House Berenger Vineyards

Old Faithful Geyser in Calistoga

Took a drive over to Santa Rosa this morning and checked out the Railroad Center. Mainly antique stores and vintage clothing but some cool old buildings.

We checked out the Old Faithful Geyser in Calistoga. One of 3 famous geysers in the world erupting every 30 minutes. Apparently when there is an earthquake pending the geyser's schedule is thrown off and does not erupt on schedule....handy I would think.

Back to the wineries and Castello di Amoroso (The Castle of Love) built to look like an old European castle with dungeon and torture chamber etc. We did not pay the $32 for the tour but enjoyed the surrounding grounds. We did stop at The Berenger Farms Vineyard for a sample of their Cabernet. Many of the Vineyards here charge a tasting fee of anywhere from $5 to $15. That could get a little expensive if you spent your afternoon tasting! We also stopped at the Culinary Institute of America (CIA) and checked out their gift shop and amazing collection of wine openers/corkscrews. The building itself looks like a monastery and hosts cooking classes and a restaurant. http://www.ciachef.edu/visitors/gs/

Very warm here today.. upper 90's and humid.