Cambria 2017

Back in January Glen had planned a late-April Cambria camping weekend with special Hearst Castle tickets, but when April arrived and I saw so many photos of the Southern California “superbloom” in Carizzo Plain National Monument, we added that on our way to Cambria camping. Even though 2017 has been a record rainfall year, the bathrooms were still closed for drought reasons at San Simeon Creek Campground, so camping was even trickier than we had hoped. 😉

Friday April 21st

The peak superbloom at Carizzo Plain was a week ago, but the “average” bloom was still very pretty! So glad we could go the extra distance on our way to our weekend camping trip!

We set up our campsite in time to stroll along the beach at sunset before a delicious seafood dinner in Cambria!

Saturday April 22nd

We slept well in our tent and were up early to cook a yummy breakfast! Now for more fun at the coast today!

Current status…Glen had never set up his teal & gold hammock before! My first hammock experience and it was easy & comfy!

We got lucky with a chili cookoff in downtown Cambria, so we had a tasty lunch of 12 chilis! We saw the original glass prisms from the local lighthouse, it’s a lovely day, the shops are cute, and I found an antique teal hat to add to my collection!

Both wine tasting flights completed and two bottles purchased for campfire dinners tonight & tomorrow! Next stop, the special evening Hearst Castle tour with period costumes…

Hearst Castle has special evening tours only in spring & fall with guests in period attire, especially in the evening sunlight. It was really fun to see them sprinkled around rooms, patios and even dressing rooms and tennis courts! More Hearst Castle tours tomorrow…

Successful campfire cooking tonight with sautéed mushrooms, corn on the cob, toasted sandwiches, and pies with homemade strawberry filling, but can’t get cozy by the fire when the metal firepit cans are so tall…darn!

Sunday April 23rd

Another delicious breakfast with bacon, scrambled eggs, and French toast! Glen invested in a portable shower and changing tent so he enjoyed 8 gallons of hot water this morning! I tease him that he is glamping, not camping, but I have to admit using my full queen air mattress, real sheets, & down comforters inside the tent is much comfier than sleeping bags and hard ground. 😉

Four different tours in over five hours straight at Hearst Castle today, and we probably still didn’t see everything…whew!

Elephant seal beach then searching for moonstones near Moonstone Beach…but boy was it freezing with the wind blowing so hard!

Whole wheat coconut oil homemade bisquick started as an epic fail of stickiness but ended up a success by sausage pig in blanket #2! Green beans, sweet potato salad, wine, & s’mores rounded out tonight’s campfire menu. Sure wish we could reach the fire better since it is super chilly tonight! At least the wind died down since this afternoon!

Monday April 24th

Breakfast burritos with leftover sweet potato salad & mushroom hash for our last camping breakfast. Goodbye San Simeon Creek Campground! Hope your water is back on for sinks & toilets before we visit again!

We ate a quick picnic then walked the extremely windy Bluff Trail at Fiscalini Ranch Preserve, with stunning flowers & beach cliffs, ground squirrels popping up then hiding from turkey vultures, then since the loop back wasn’t as windy, we cooled down in the wind by showing off our new shirts. 😉

Home again! Here are some more souvenirs from our fun weekend at the Central Coast! Moonstones and shells from Moonstone Beach, Hearst Castle 2003 shot glass compared to 2017 shot glass, antique teal hat, and sparkly aqua bracelet.