Saturday Solitude

On a whim, I woke up and drove to Avila Beach for an amazing glimpse of the migrating whales. From there, I enjoyed some retail therapy but was soon back in my car in search of new scenery. I decided to take Los Osos road... and kept driving until I found myself at one of California's largest state parks: Montana De Oro. 

Although the afternoon fog had rolled in, I was greeted by a beautiful ray of light. I stopped at nearly every scenic pullout to truly savor the uniqueness of this beautiful park. With its varying scenery along a narrow and winding road, it was definitely an over the river and through the woods kind of experience. Only, instead of ending up at grandmother's house, I ended up at stunning Spooner's Cove.

There is no better way to feel grounded than to take time to nurture yourself, explore new corners of your world, and be grateful for all that surrounds you. If you're looking for a unique day trip, I suggest checking out Montana De Oro. 







A view of Spooner's Cove from the bluff






Some of the golden wildflowers for which this park is named


The historic Spooner Ranch House


My whale of an adventure:  Several of us from Paso drove to Avila Beach at different times throughout the weekend, but I was the only one lucky enough to see the whales. I actually witnessed two of them and saw dolphins as well.  Although I chose to experience this rare opportunity with my own eyes, rather than view it entirely through my lens, I did manage to snap a couple of photos. Even with only a small portion of the whale exposed in this shot, that section is as wide as the boat.  I feel so lucky to have checked this off my bucket list... whales are magnificent creatures, and they are as graceful as they are powerful. Click on the image to view it larger.