We headed back up to the central coast this weekend (the place where I first fell in love with roadside attractions) to visit family and check out some other weird roadside stuff and see the sights. The family visit was great! It's always fun to see my Grandma Beans and play phase 10 (although, she always gets the best of me in that game)!
Anyhow, the first day we hung out with my family at Pismo beach. We went to a roadside diner, which is located in two old train cars, called the Rock 'n Roll Diner. The food was reeeaally good for a roadside diner. The meat was being slow cooked on an outside BBQ and the clam chowder was made from scratch. Also, the whistle to the train works, which is always an added bonus.
The guy in back was busting moves for Kellee!!!
Me and my Mom.
Santa Maria BBQ
We then walked around Pismo for a while. Stores are the same as every other beach town, with the only difference being the name on the tourist t-shirts. We then went on the prowl for the Pismo Clam. It took a little while to find, there was once one by the pier, but they are adding a boardwalk so I think they took it out for the time being. However, there is another one at the entrance to the town when you get off the freeway. It's sort of on an island in the middle of the street, although the street veers to the right; never mind, it's hard to explain. Any how, the clam is not all its cracked up to be; really it's just an 8 ft tall white concrete clam. From the pictures on the internet there were some pictures painted on the side, but no longer, it's just white! Really the only cool thing about the clam was trying to find it; that and the garden supply store next door with the rusted dinosaurs leering over the iron fence.
Pismo is Romantico!
For the Birds...
A Bunch of Clams
Claming it up.
The next day was our day. We headed north. The first place we came upon was Morro Bay. I have been there a number of times, but never knew that you could drive out to the rock itself. We discovered this by accident, but it was a good accident. Funny, the Rock did not seem as big the closer you were to it. After, we walked around the rock, we went into town. There Kellee had some BBQ oysters that were $1 each. They were soaked in garlic and butter and put on the grill, shell and all. By the look on her face and the sounds coming from her mouth, they must have been to die for! Being adventurous, I tried a piece, but did not have the same euphoric reaction, though I did almost have some type of reaction!
Morro Bay Mountain Oysters. Yum.
The Cars of Morro Bay
I wanted to check out the life size chess board and pieces in the middle of town, but they were not out. Apparently, you have to call ahead of time and rent the pieces. So off we went.
We then stopped in Cayucos to get gas. I love this town, but didn't stay long. I was infuriated by the gas prices; I paid over $3.55 a gallon! So, in my anger I made haste and ventured on up the coast.
We then stopped at Harmony, a town that boasts a population of 18 residents. When Kellee and I first got married and went up the coast for our honeymoon, the whole town was up for sale! There is not much to a town of 18 people; a couple houses, a post office, and a pottery store is pretty much it. There is also a winery up the hill, but we didn't stop in because we had Faith we us.
A Town John Mellencamp would Love!
Smooching in Harmony
Afterwards, we went to Cambria, Another town I really enjoy. We stopped and ate there and then went to Nitt Witt Ridge, which I will post details of in another blog. Afterwards, on the way out of town we stopped by the shell station to use the restroom, only because they had a sign to lure us in, that read: Cleanest restrooms anywhere!" The sign lied.
Lastly, we went up to San Simeon and checked out the elephant seals. It was much better than the last time I went there 7 ½ years ago! There is now a walk way that has been built so that you can actually walk out and stand over the seals. Most of the seals were the weaners (the young ones) and they were crashed out on the beach. We were a month or two late for the mating season, but will plan ahead for next year.
We clubbed a lot of seals that day.
There were thousands stretched along the costal line...really.
It was a little windy.
The next day we went to Solvang, but I will put that in another post as well.
Lastly, on our way home we stopped in Oxnard to see the Carpentaria (The city not the company) Santa Claus. Why is it in Oxnard a few cities away and not in its original place? Carpentaria is changing its image and becoming a more posh type of town, thus shedding it homely down to earth image and casting off Santa. Oxnard has given Santa a good home though, his own location right between a trailer park and used car dealer. Its actually not as bad as it sounds, He's kept pretty clean, with a gate to keep out vandals. He is sitting up on a chimney and has benches that you can go and sit on when the gates are open.
We didn't get a lot of pictures however, and no family pics with Santa because Kellee and I got into a heated argument over style vs. safety. You see to get a good pic with Mr. Claus you really have to stand in the street; the only problem is that it's a busy street. There also just happened to be a dust storm blowing by us at this moment. Guess which one of us cared about artistic expression and which one cared about the express lane! As I said, we don't have a lot of pictures with Santa; you can guess who won that argument!
Not that you can tell but I was dodging cars trying to get a high-five with Santa.
I am told that they talk about saving this santa on the DVD of the movie ELF, under the special features.
Well that was our coastal retreat, thanks for reading.
Anyhow, the first day we hung out with my family at Pismo beach. We went to a roadside diner, which is located in two old train cars, called the Rock 'n Roll Diner. The food was reeeaally good for a roadside diner. The meat was being slow cooked on an outside BBQ and the clam chowder was made from scratch. Also, the whistle to the train works, which is always an added bonus.
The guy in back was busting moves for Kellee!!!
Me and my Mom.
Santa Maria BBQ
We then walked around Pismo for a while. Stores are the same as every other beach town, with the only difference being the name on the tourist t-shirts. We then went on the prowl for the Pismo Clam. It took a little while to find, there was once one by the pier, but they are adding a boardwalk so I think they took it out for the time being. However, there is another one at the entrance to the town when you get off the freeway. It's sort of on an island in the middle of the street, although the street veers to the right; never mind, it's hard to explain. Any how, the clam is not all its cracked up to be; really it's just an 8 ft tall white concrete clam. From the pictures on the internet there were some pictures painted on the side, but no longer, it's just white! Really the only cool thing about the clam was trying to find it; that and the garden supply store next door with the rusted dinosaurs leering over the iron fence.
Pismo is Romantico!
For the Birds...
A Bunch of Clams
Claming it up.
The next day was our day. We headed north. The first place we came upon was Morro Bay. I have been there a number of times, but never knew that you could drive out to the rock itself. We discovered this by accident, but it was a good accident. Funny, the Rock did not seem as big the closer you were to it. After, we walked around the rock, we went into town. There Kellee had some BBQ oysters that were $1 each. They were soaked in garlic and butter and put on the grill, shell and all. By the look on her face and the sounds coming from her mouth, they must have been to die for! Being adventurous, I tried a piece, but did not have the same euphoric reaction, though I did almost have some type of reaction!
Ain't no mountain high enough.
Morro Bay Mountain Oysters. Yum.The Cars of Morro Bay
I wanted to check out the life size chess board and pieces in the middle of town, but they were not out. Apparently, you have to call ahead of time and rent the pieces. So off we went.
We then stopped in Cayucos to get gas. I love this town, but didn't stay long. I was infuriated by the gas prices; I paid over $3.55 a gallon! So, in my anger I made haste and ventured on up the coast.
We then stopped at Harmony, a town that boasts a population of 18 residents. When Kellee and I first got married and went up the coast for our honeymoon, the whole town was up for sale! There is not much to a town of 18 people; a couple houses, a post office, and a pottery store is pretty much it. There is also a winery up the hill, but we didn't stop in because we had Faith we us.
A Town John Mellencamp would Love!
Smooching in Harmony
Afterwards, we went to Cambria, Another town I really enjoy. We stopped and ate there and then went to Nitt Witt Ridge, which I will post details of in another blog. Afterwards, on the way out of town we stopped by the shell station to use the restroom, only because they had a sign to lure us in, that read: Cleanest restrooms anywhere!" The sign lied.
Lastly, we went up to San Simeon and checked out the elephant seals. It was much better than the last time I went there 7 ½ years ago! There is now a walk way that has been built so that you can actually walk out and stand over the seals. Most of the seals were the weaners (the young ones) and they were crashed out on the beach. We were a month or two late for the mating season, but will plan ahead for next year.
We clubbed a lot of seals that day.
There were thousands stretched along the costal line...really.
It was a little windy.
The next day we went to Solvang, but I will put that in another post as well.
Lastly, on our way home we stopped in Oxnard to see the Carpentaria (The city not the company) Santa Claus. Why is it in Oxnard a few cities away and not in its original place? Carpentaria is changing its image and becoming a more posh type of town, thus shedding it homely down to earth image and casting off Santa. Oxnard has given Santa a good home though, his own location right between a trailer park and used car dealer. Its actually not as bad as it sounds, He's kept pretty clean, with a gate to keep out vandals. He is sitting up on a chimney and has benches that you can go and sit on when the gates are open.
We didn't get a lot of pictures however, and no family pics with Santa because Kellee and I got into a heated argument over style vs. safety. You see to get a good pic with Mr. Claus you really have to stand in the street; the only problem is that it's a busy street. There also just happened to be a dust storm blowing by us at this moment. Guess which one of us cared about artistic expression and which one cared about the express lane! As I said, we don't have a lot of pictures with Santa; you can guess who won that argument!
Not that you can tell but I was dodging cars trying to get a high-five with Santa. I am told that they talk about saving this santa on the DVD of the movie ELF, under the special features.
Well that was our coastal retreat, thanks for reading.
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