We really wanted to escape the triple digit heat here in SOCAL and head for the beach. The trip started out with us meeting up with another couple in El Segundo, CA with a short jaunt up PCH Highway 1 through Lindsey Lohan and Britney Spears world. The views of the ocean were nice.. but as many would note, way too crowded even on a weekday. The whole goal of this trip was to take the other couple out camping and get them used to it. None of the locations would actually be primitive in anyway.
Once on the 101 freeway we made a stop for lunch in Solvang, CA. Solvang is a small town that has a vast Danish History.
COMING TO AMERICA.... Denmark contributed its share to the great wave of European immigration to America during the period 1875 - 1915. In the 1880's alone nearly 90,000 members of Denmark's population relocated to North America. Many of these immigrants had been follower of the Grundtvigian folk school movement in Denmark. So naturally they strove to recreate these schools in America. Their hope was to preserve their culture while assimilating to a new country. Four of these schools were started in the Midwest by the Danish communities of Iowa, Michigan, Nebraska, and Minnesota. About the same time a need for Danish Lutheran pastors was solved with the creation of a seminary in 1896. It is from these schools that a group of Danish educators formed the idea of creating a folk school on the west coast.
COMING TO SOLVANG...In 1910 a search was made through out the west and finally the group heard that a portion of an old Mexican land grant, "Rancho San Carlos de Jonata", in central California was for sale. Upon seeing the fertile land, flowing river, oak covered hills and ample room to grow, they knew they had found their location. They named their new home Solvang for the Danish word meaning "sunny fields". In 1911 the Danish-American colony of Solvang was born. Families from across America began to move to sunny California.
Fun house mirror in the Bakery
Amazing flower crops around every turn.
Ostrich Farms just west of the town of Solvang. We wanted to stop and get a egg for breakfast, we could only imagine how many people it might feed.
Fueling up for the next stretch of highway. Yes, thats how you fuel up with a Auxilary tank. Look mom! No pump! It was nice just to hit a switch and continue on. Although our friends had to re-fuel their diesel.
After a great meal we proceeded up to Pismo Beach to find our campsite for the night. The unfortunate part of our trip was that we had to cancel our Lake Cachuma due to the Zaca Fire. So last minute i made reservations for a campground (yes i know, not very adventurous) at North Shore Pismo Beach (more like a parking lot with a fire ring). The next day we would
have our spots out on the Oceano Dunes SVRA.
The next morning we woke up and loaded up. Today we would meet up with a fellow expeditionportal.com member that would guide us over to Pozo Saloon via dirt roads.
Pozo is home to the still thriving Pozo Saloon, established in 1858. During its early years, the Pozo Saloon was the primary watering hole for weary travelers making their way over Pozo Summit. Today is has taken its place among the best recognized concert venues on the Central Coast. From Willie Nelson to the Black Crowes, the Pozo Saloon has transformed itself from a dusty Civil War era saloon to a must go to concert destination.
The picture below is still all original as it was in the 1800's... minus the beer taps and the cash register.
Once taking a break at Pozo with a ice cold soda, we headed on our way. Our idea was to get back to Oceano Dunes before we couldn't find a spot. The dunes get very crowded on the weekends during the summer and this would be no exception. It felt very surreal driving down the beach. After all this is the only place in California where you are legal to do so.
At high tide you have to be careful not to get dragged out to sea. We drove in the ocean water quite a few times.
People even bring out huge trailers with all their toys loaded inside.
Driving around on the dunes.
Only a few minutes we got to give our winch a workout.
As we expected we found the beach to be extremely crowded (not our cup of tea).. but the trip was already planned, so we found a spot in the dunes a small distance away from the crowds. This didn't really work out too well because all the dirt bikes and sand buggies used our camping area as a playground. We eventually staked down some caution tape and all was well. We setup camp and played some horseshoes.
The sunsets were incredible.
After a night of people partying around us like wild animals.. and not getting much sleep we were happy to depart and head to our next camp in the mountains. Our original plan was to head up to Prewitt Ridge Camp. After giving it some thought and discussing that camping area with some friends of ours, we decided against it because the flies are supposed to be out of control up there this time of year. So we headed up by Lake Lopez to find that all the campsites were full also. So as a last resort we headed up high mountain road to high mountain campground. We found that this campsite was completely full as well with only one spot left. We were really lucky. Apparently deer hunting season had just started. Normally this camping area isn't crowded at all.
High Mountain Rd. Campground
Lopez Lake
The next morning we woke up and headed back down the Mtn. Our camping goal was Gaviota SP down near Santa Barbara. This was a nice little camping area where we would have our own beach/pier and enjoy some more surf and sand. The only draw back was that it seemed as if you were camping in a parking lot. But with the beach access, we didn't mind.
Gaviota State Park is a popular spot for swimming, picnicking and surf fishing. This section of the coast was first called "gaviota" (seagull) by soldiers of the Portola Expedition in 1769. A pier on the west end of the beach is used by divers and surfers. A Southern Pacific railroad trestle crosses the creek above the day-use parking lot. Visitors can explore the upland portions of the park from a trailhead in the parking area. Gaviota Peak offers a view of the coast and the Channel Islands.
A Gaviota park ranger wrote about its history as the "ghost bridge" which miraculously has withstood earthquakes and numerous natural disasters during its hundred some odd years of existence. The park ranger reports that ghosts of the bridge may exist in some form. The Ghost Bridge eerily sits near Highway 101 with a backdrop of the blue Pacific Ocean. It is visible only when the brush is cleared from the southbound lanes. Another great bridge that holds many tales of the past is located further south at a place designated as a roadside vista.
After a nice steak dinner, we enjoyed the sunset on the beach that never got old. It was breath taking.
The next morning we headed back to reality and the heat/smog of LA. We really didn't want too, but we did anyways. All in all it was a great trip with great weather and great people. Till next time!