A Rock and a Castle

No, the title is NOT our nicknames, read on...

Leaving Simi Valley, we had only an hour and a half drive to our next destination in Morro Bay, California: the Morro Dunes RV Park.  We stopped along the way to get gas and propane; the latter especially because we would continue to be in weather that was cool at night creating the need for us to run the furnace, which operates on propane.  Our ride up U.S. Highway 101 was beautiful with mountains around one curve and the ocean around the next, repeating again and again.

When we arrived at Morro Dunes, we were awed by Morro Rock that gives this town such a unique view.  Morro Rock is 576 feet tall and is the last in a chain of long-extinct volcanoes known as “The Morros.”  Morro Dunes RV Park is located just north of Morro Rock, adjacent to the Pacific Ocean and Atascadero Beach.  The RV Park is separated into various cul-de-sacs, each of which have gated walking exits steps away from each RV that led directly to the sandy dunes of the beach.

Turning left after exiting that same gate, crossing a bridge, and walking about a mile, we encountered various shops and restaurants in the heart of Morro Bay.  We walked into the village to explore the menus at the various restaurants and enjoy the sea otters we saw playing in the water next to boardwalk.  The views of the water and Morro Rock from the marina were spectacular.  We decided we would have lunch there the next day.  We returned to the RV park and Pat did some laundry while Tim caught up on writing blog entries.

The next day, we walked back to the village and ate lunch at a restaurant called The Galley Seafood Grill & Bar which was surrounded by views of the bay and the Rock.  We shared our appetizers: Clam Chowder and a Caesar Salad.  For an entrée, Pat had Blackened Pacific Rockfish (caught locally) and Tim had the Alaskan Halibut (we also shared our entrees).  Our sides included wild rice pilaf, crispy fries, and garlic mashed potatoes.  

That afternoon, Tim did some laundry and read the manual and watched a video on how to install our new tire pressure monitoring system; EEZTire T515 TPMS System 720.  Tim had learned about the importance of measuring tire pressure for the RV when he went to RV Boot Camp.  In fact, it was recommended that RVers should check their tire pressure each time they leave a campground and get back on the road.  Blow outs are a common occurrence for RVs if your rig is overweight or the tires are over or under inflated.  Because of the way our hubcaps fit on our front tires, we have had issues trying to use a manual tire pressure gauge.  Shortly after attending Escapade, we finally ordered and received an automated tire pressure monitoring system.  The monitor sensors are fixed to the air pressure valve on each tire and send a signal to a monitor located in the cab of the RV about the pressure and temperature of each tire.  After we set up the tire pressure monitoring system it worked perfectly.  Our tire pressure is good for now, but we probably need to get a little bit of air put into them soon.

At the same time, Pat installed an iPhone holder (that he bought for Tim) on the dashboard on the driver’s side, so Tim could see the GPS directly in front of him when he is driving.  Prior to this time, Tim had been putting his phone in a cup holder located near the floor of the cab.  All in all, a very productive afternoon.

Later that afternoon, we walked out of the gate next to our RV, to the sand dunes across from us, and out on the beach.  At the end of the day, we watched the sunset from the bridge leading to the village where we had lunch that day.  A very fulfilling day.

The following day, we drove the RV about 30 minutes north on California Highway 1 to San Simeon, California, to tour Hearst Castle.  We started by watching a 40-minute film at the Visitor’s Center that explained William Randolph Hearst’s background and how he came to build the castle.  The film was a high-quality film with beautiful panoramic views of the landscape surrounding Hearst Castle; not surprising that Hearst owned a movie studio at one point.  The film included moving pictures of some of the guests at Hearst Castle during the 1920s and 1930s, such as Winston Churchill, Calvin Coolidge, Hedda Hopper, Howard Hughes, Charlie Chaplin (apparently a frequent visitor), Joan Crawford and Bette Davis (but not at the same time), Clark Gable, Cary Grant, Jean Harlow, Carole Lombard, and Harpo Marx.

Then, a bus took us on a 15-minute trip up the winding road on the mountainside to Hearst Castle (no cars allowed).   It is magnificent; very difficult to explain so we took many pictures for the blog.  We took the Grand Rooms tour that takes you to the façade of the guest house (with 18 rooms, including 8 bedrooms); the outdoor Neptune pool; and Casa Grande (where Hearst stayed when he was there).  The Casa Grande included a tour of the assembly room (walnut paneling, Renaissance and Baroque tapestries and masterpieces of neoclassical sculpture); billiards room (a 15th century Spanish ceiling painted with scenes of courtly life, in addition to a Flemish tapestry from 1500); refectory (high windows, bright silk banners, and gleaming silver candlesticks convey the atmosphere of the Middle Ages, but the long dining room table has antique mustard and ketchup bottles on it to show that Hearst liked to keep things informal); morning room (with more gorgeous tapestries); indoor Roman pool; and indoor theatre.

After the tour, we drove the RV about 10 miles south on California Highway 1 to Cambria, California, where we stayed at the San Simeon Creek Campground at the Hearst San Simeon State Park (the Hearst family donated land to the State of California to create this park).  This was the fourth state park that we’ve visited since we started our full time RV traveling.  Our RV site was in the middle of a loop and may have been the most secluded site at the campground.  Our RV site was cement, with a fire pit and picnic table located on the grass behind the cement site.  It was a bit unlevel, so we took our time manually leveling the RV.  This campground has no hookups, so we had to use our water pump for fresh water from our tank onboard.  The house batteries allowed us to have the use of some power outlets and the tv without the use of the generator.  The house batteries also provided enough power to keep the refrigerator working without the use of the generator; although, we did turn on the generator for a half hour in the evening and an hour in the morning.  In addition, the house batteries allowed us to use the furnace sparingly without turning on the generator; the temperature was dropping to the low 50s that evening, but the campground did not permit the use of generators between the hours of 8:00 p.m. and 10:00 a.m.  We did not want the furnace to turn on too often anyway because it was a huge drain on the house batteries (it operates on propane, but the blower requires electricity), so we set it at about 60 degrees; put on warm clothing; and crawled underneath the blankets to keep warm.

San Simeon Creek Campground was just a place to spend the night before moving on to our next destination, so we didn’t do anything while we were there.  We got there late afternoon, fixed some dinner, watched some tv, and went to bed.  

Review of Morro Dunes RV Park

Morro Dunes RV Park, located in Morro Bay, California, is a terrific location to relax.  There’s the beautiful view of the Morro Rock; the sand dunes, Atascadero Beach, and the Pacific Ocean just feet away from your RV site; and restaurants, bars, and shops a short walk away from the RV Park.  

Morro Dunes has 139 full hookup RV sites, along with some partial hookup and tent camping sites.  Many of the RV sites are set up in cul-de-sacs adjacent to the sand dunes and beach across a small road.  This provides easy access to the beach.

Morro Dunes has a small store onsite with a few groceries and other items; however, there are shops within walking distance.  The RV Park also has several restroom/shower areas with a laundry facility in each.  There are group picnic areas and a “horseshoe pit.”  The Hearst Castle is within driving distance; about a 30-minute drive from Morro Dunes.  There are also golf courses within driving distance.  We really enjoyed our short stay at Morro Dunes and would definitely consider staying again.

Review of San Simeon Creek Campground at the Hearst San Simeon State Park

San Simeon Creek Campground is part of the Hearst San Simeon State Park.  The land was donated by the Hearst family to the State of California, which runs the campground.  It is located about 10 miles south of Hearst Castle.  The Hearst San Simeon State Park has two campgrounds: Washburn Campground and San Simeon Creek Campground (which is where we stayed).  

The Washburn Campground is a primitive campground with 68 sites for tent camping or RV boondocking; it has no hookups.  It is located farther inland.  

The San Simeon Creek Campground has 134 sites for tent camping or RVs; it is located within walking distance of the beaches on the Pacific Ocean.  There are no hookups to electricity, water, or sewer (there is a dump station for sewer).  The maximum length for an RV is 35 feet (ours is 31 feet).  Each campsite has a fire pit and picnic table, but no grill.  

There are restrooms located at San Simeon Creek Campground.  There is also a shower facility, but you must pay for warm water for your shower with tokens you can purchase in the bathroom.  There are no laundry facilities or any other amenities.  You can purchase firewood from the campground host for your fire pit. 

Campers can hike, fish, picnic, surf, bird watch, and whale watch (the ocean is nearby).  There is a 3.3-mile hiking trail that runs through parts of San Simeon Natural Preserve and the Washburn Campground.  The San Simeon Natural Preserve consists of vast wetlands, riparian areas, and several undisturbed native plant communities; it is also a wintering site for monarch butterflies.  There is a viewing area for elephant seals located on a boardwalk 9.3 miles north of the San Simeon Creek Campground.  Additionally, it is located just 10 miles south of Hearst Castle.

We are not big boondockers (camping without electricity, water, or sewer), but we were willing to do it for one night to be close to Hearst Castle.  It was a cool night, and we were definitely cold since we had to run the furnace sparingly to not run out the house batteries.  We would rather have stayed an additional night at Morro Dunes RV Park and driven to Hearst Castle if we had a car (but that’s not our approach now).  We probably wouldn’t return to San Simeon Creek Campground unless someone wants to guarantee us mild weather.

 

more Hearst Castle photos...

...and even more are unpublished