the campground, continued

Springtime at Red Rock Canyon State Park.

the campground

Red Rock Canyon State Park, but feels like Mars or Nevada.

the Scrabble game of 4-26-18

our campsite

...at beautiful Red Rock Canyon State Park.

Whistler Ridge

One of the best hikes we took in Red Rock Canyon State Park went up the spine of a hill to this sign pointing to Whistler Ridge. There is a bench from which you get a view of the larger Mojave Desert (below), and also a junction of trails suggesting much longer hikes in three different directions.

Randsburg, CA

It took over half a century, but we finally made it to the fabulously obscure mining town of Randsburg, CA, population 37. One of those residents just opened a very nice restaurant called Black Horse Tavern, which we can recommend to all who make it up to this remote corner of the Mojave Desert. It's a town is so quiet that you can just linger in the street and work on your suntan.

the overlook

Determined to explore new parts of Red Rock Canyon State Park, we followed up on a suggestion to drive to an "overlook". This consisted of three or four miles of dirt road that passed through a lot of BLM land. When we got to what we were 90% sure was the overlook, the vista of Last Chance Canyon looked like the above. To the right, the road continued in a most sketchy manner to the remains of the Old Dutch Cleanser Mine (below).

apricot mallow

What mustard flowers are to most California roadsides, these beautiful apricot mallow are to the Mojave Desert, with the difference that they are native.

a tale of two tortoises

The first one, "Mr. Bob" (above), lives at the Jawbone Canyon information center run by the Bureau of Land Management. He is a 120 year old desert tortoise! The second one (below) was seen crossing the road at the Red Rock Canyon State Park campground. A park staffer told us that it was a rare occurrence and that someone would move her off the road.

Red Cliffs Nature Trail

Red Rock Canyon State Park revisited... I had previously explored some of the areas west of highway 14, but this was the first time I set foot on the east side, another world unto itself...

Red Rock Canyon SP campground

A return visit to one of our favorite parks, but this time we stayed in the campground, a first!

the rock that was a piece of art

The rock that was in a sense a work of art, seen near the Tarpits area of Carpinteria.

Australian landscape in black & white

...the way it looked last year.

one more view of Melbourne

...the way it looked last year.

don't forget to share the sweet stuff...

Herb Home Thai

We had a delicious lunch at Herb Home Thai Restaurant. The ambience was also agreeable. This was my third visit to Lompoc but I hardly recognized the place - it is definitely bigger than I remember. It felt like a cross between Gilroy, CA and the state of Arizona. Overall I liked this pleasantly remote and detached city and would not mind returning.

South Side Coffee, Lompoc

I have an amazing relationship with this coffee house. I first came here in 2001. Impressed by their display of coffee grinders, I purchased one that I still have and use to this date. Then I returned in 2009. The coffee grinders were gone, as was the adjoining bookstore. The interior was different, but from the outside it looked the same. Then in 2018 I visited for a third time. I can't remember if the interior had changed again, but the shelves that displayed the grinders in 2001 are still there (and visible in the photo below). At bottom, the famous coffee grinder.

Scout Coffee, SLO

A great new downtown coffee house in San Luis Obispo is Scout Coffee on Garden Street. It's a wonderful space, especially if your seat looks out at the street. For some crazy reason, wandering around this part of town reminded of Adelaide, Australia.

Granada Hotel and Bistro

This year we celebrated our wedding anniversary by driving up to San Luis Obispo and staying at the Granada Hotel and Bistro, which I would describe as equal parts boutique, historic and quirky. Highlights included the little balcony off our room, an inspired dinner at the Bistro, and an equally inspired breakfast at Nourish - all under the same roof.

Breakfast Day

Another "Pete and Kate" holiday, this one commemorates their first breakfast together on April 8, 1991 at the Cup and Saucer Cafe in Portland, OR. This year they had an equally wonderful breakfast at the Cajun Kitchen Cafe in Ventura, CA.

a pagoda for Pagoda Day

A pagoda for Pagoda Day! This one is found in Gardens of the World in Thousand Oaks, CA.

Hobson Beach snack bar

Also known as Hobson Grill & Pizza.

San Bernardino, CA train station

Silver Street

You can add Albuquerque, NM to the list of train stations that have decent markets nearby. It's not Tucson or Denver yet, but the Silver Street Market is a huge step in the right direction. Like those other cities, the downtown is being improved, with the train station serving as a focal point. The market is a mere block from the station.