Wednesday, April 12, 2017

April 12, 2017 - Bluffs Trail, Montana de Oro






Title:  April 12, 2017 - Bluffs Trail, Montana de Oro
Hike Info : Description : Trail Lessons : Extra Photo's : Animals : Flowers and Plants


Trail head: Montana de Oro Parking area
Hike Info:
Type: Hiking
Trail: Bluffs Trail
Destination: Rattlesnake Creek Trailhead
Distance:  4.31 miles
Start Time: 10:43
End Time:     1:15
Travel Time:  2:32 (1.70 mph)
Moving Time:  1:34 (2.75 mph)
Elevation Rise:  361'
Maximum Elevation: 160'

Description:
We wake up to some noise around 7:00am. Next door it looks like there is construction being done for a new hotel. Then at 8 overhead is the sound of scrapping. This gets both of us up and about. The hotel has a continental breakfast which we opt to skip. Instead we wander down the street to the Apple Farm for a full breakfast. I order a full stack  of seven grain pancakes. Afterwards, I feel stuffed in a good ways-probably should have had one less pancake. We checked out of the hotel room a little before 10 and make our way to Montana de Oro.


North up the coast
On the way to Montana de Oro, it starts to rain. Will this be the end of our walking for today? We decide to go on the Bluffs Trail. Neither of us are energetic and those pancakes are really starting to make me feel sluggish. We have not been on the Bluffs Trail in a little while. The last time we were there, they were renovating the trail for handicap access. So this should be a good one to go on.
Interesting erosion
The path has gradual grades and flat, as well as wide.  We start along, taking pictures here and there, but mostly just admiring the seascape. There are birds, seagulls, which pose for us. Also some black cormorants perched on an island. That rain we were concerned about-did not show. But there was some wind, but not bothersome. Several plants have us wondering what the names of them are. Some morning glories and poppies and other fine looking plants.
There are plenty of benches to sit down on and today, I need them. Not sure why. That sluggishness I said earlier, it has broken out into a full fledged, flat out being tired. This is not a tiring trail either. Only 400’ of rise over 4 miles. I should be able to do this as a morning walk. But not today. Legs are tired, breathing hard and body just non-responsive. This is being a long walk for such a short and easy hike.


Moro Bay State Park
Tired Old Man at end of Bluffs Trail
When we reach the Rattlesnake Creek Trailhead, we hit the outhouses there and then decide which way to go. We could go to the east of the road, up in the hills with some ups and downs, or just go back the way we came. Sherri is leaving the decision to me. Usually this means going on the more challenging trail. But today, I say let’s go back the way we came. Sherri looks at me with a bit of concern. Am I sick? Is something a matter? I do not know, I just know my legs feel full of lead and I am sweating a lot.

Shoreline and Moro Rock from Bluffs Trail
But it is a good walk back. I stop several times to take pictures, at least that is what I say. I do take pictures, but maybe a bit more than warranted. On the way in, Sherri talked about a talk we hear from   Peter Kreeft on The Spirituality of the Sea.  I do not go as far as Kreeft does on how comes the Sea gives us relaxation and peace. But there is something to what he says and this is something to stop and ponder when I look out at the ocean.


Hills of Moro Bay State Park
By the time we get back to the car, it is after 1pm. But neither of us feel too hungry, at least not hungry enough for a Sylvester’s Hamburger. Something about a hearty breakfast keeps with you for a while. What to do? So we decide to head over to the pygmy pine forest. It would help to find it if I got the name right-it is really called the Elfin Oak Forest in Los Osos. It would be even better if I remembered which streets to turn on to get there. But eventually we make it there.The entrance we use is on 16th St.  We go a couple hundred yards in sand before hitting the boardwalk loop. The loop is pleasant and only about a mile. I still am lethargic, so I am glad for an easy walk. When I am alert, it is a fascinating walk. There is a variety of vegetation to look at. We complete our walk in an hour or so. The Elfin Forest is only a mile or so on boardwalk.
Moro Rock from the Elfin Forest
Moro Bay State Park from Elfin Forest
Now it is time for Sylvester’s I have a Texas Burger, which in reality is an open face burger with chili over it. It is ok, but knowing what some of the other burgers are like, I am a bit disappointed. But one good thing is that lethargicness is disappearing. So this did the trick.
Now it is time to head back to Fresno. But instead of going straight back to Fresno, we go up the coast past Morro Bay and past San Simeon to Piedras Blancas and the elephant lions.  There is something about a mammal who can snort, fart and wallow. Even though it was cold and windy, we stayed out watching them and fascinated. As we looked around, we saw a couple interpretive signs. Looking at them, we realize that the signs were created by a friend of our, Faith Rumm.


After leaving Piedras Blancas, we travel up Highway 46 past Paso Robles and on the way home. Except, that we have another thought. Maybe a perfect ending is to swing around Hanford for some ice cream. Like a sundae with chocolate chip ice cream and fudge topping. That is a perfect way. We roll into Fresno around 9pm, content with our couple of days.





 Trail Lesson:   Even hiking, you can have one of those days.

Extra Photo's
North from the Bluffs Trail

Ocean and Plants

Seagulls posing



Animals
Seagull


Black Cornanets

Spider web in the grass

Common Checkspot

Common Checkspot




 
Flowers and Plants
Morning Glory

Morning Glory

Gypsum Loving Larkspar

California Golden Poppy




1 comment:

  1. Beautiful place...I feel like I can hear the sound of the waves thrashing against the rocks. Such beauty and serenity! A place worth visiting indeed.

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