Breakfast

Brian and Dale in front of the Redwood restaurant in downtown Cambria––an old fashioned restaurant where you can order the breakfasts that you only dare eat when you are on vacation. I had two eggs over easy, hash browns, bacon, sourdough toast, orange juice, and coffee and I enjoyed every bite of it.

Breakfast

Meeting Place

Cambria is a small town where people congregate. Brian said that one of these places is in this photo. They meet at 10 a.m. three days a week just to talk and to enjoy each other’s company. I was introduced to some of Brian and Dale’s friends. One was a 70–year–old surfer from Brooklyn, NY, who gives surfing lessons to veteran amputees.

Meeting Place

On the Way to the Elephant Seals

One of the places I enjoy most in this area is the drive from Cambria to San Simeon to view the elephant seals. Brian drove while Dale went to an appointment. Photo: The road, with the Hearst Ranch on the right.

On the Way to the Elephant Seals

On the Way to the Elephant Seals

More of the Hearst Ranch.

On the Way to the Elephant Seals

On the Way to the Elephant Seals

In this photo, you can make out the Hearst Castle on top of the hill.

On the Way to the Elephant Seals

Elephant Seals

The elephant seals. I never get tired of seeing them. Today, there were many seals on the beach. Sometimes, there are few seals here––it depends on the time of the year. Right now, the female seals are getting ready to give birth––that is why they look so big. The males are waiting for the females to give birth so they can start breeding with them. The small seals are about 1 year old and will soon leave the rookery. If you visit here in January or February, you should see the new pups. The elephant seal population in this area of the Central Coast is about 15,000. For more information on the elephant seals, see www.elephantseal.org.

Elephant Seals

Elephant Seals

Most of the seals were fast asleep, resting after their trip here. Once in awhile you would see one of them wake up.

Elephant Seals

Elephant Seals

More elephant seals.

Elephant Seals

Elephant Seals

And more.

Elephant Seals

Elephant Seals

There are two sections of the beach here full of seals. This is the other one. You can make out the Piedras Blanco Lighthouse at the end of the promontory.

Elephant Seals

Elephant Seals

A closer–up view of the Piedras Blanco Lighthouse.

Elephant Seals

Elephant Seals

This is a male seal. You can tell by its snout.

Elephant Seals

Elephant Seals

He was one of most active seals––lifting his head up now and then.

Elephant Seals

Driving Back to Cambria

A Hearst Ranch bull on the ocean side of the highway.

Driving Back to Cambria

Driving Back to Cambria

Close–up of the bull.

Driving Back to Cambria

San Simeon State Park

Sebastian’s General Store, 1852. It has never been open anytime that I have been here, but it does open on certain days. There is a U.S. Post Office on the side of the building.

San Simeon State Park

San Simeon State Park

Another view of the Sebastian’s General Store.

San Simeon State Park

San Simeon State Park

Tractor, the old one–room San Simeon school house, and the Hearst Castle on top of the hill.

San Simeon State Park

San Simeon State Park

The School House and the Hearst Castle.

San Simeon State Park

San Simeon State Park

The Hearst Castle.

San Simeon State Park

San Simeon State Park

Close–up of the Hearst Castle.

San Simeon State Park

Hearst Ranch

We stopped at the Hearst Castle ticket office so I could buy a ticket for tomorrow night’s night tour of the castle. After leaving the ticket office, on our way back to Cambria, we spotted two of the Hearst Ranch zebras. These zebras are descendants of the original zebras brought to the ranch by William Randolph Hearst.

Hearst Ranch

Hearst Ranch

Closer–up of the zebras.

Hearst Ranch

Hearst Ranch

When I was driving back from the Piedas Blanco Lighthouse the next day, I saw the zebras again and took this photo and the following photos.

Hearst Ranch

Hearst Ranch

The zebras.

Hearst Ranch

Hearst Ranch

The zebras.

Hearst Ranch

Hearst Ranch

The zebras.

Hearst Ranch

Hearst Ranch

A little different view.

Hearst Ranch

Barbary Sheep at Hearst Ranch

Brian sent me this great photo he took of a Barbary sheep at the Hearst Ranch. I didn’t see any of the goats.

Barbary Sheep at Hearst Ranch

More Zebras

Photo also taken by Brian.

More Zebras

Friends

Cherye Lawson Neale drove about an hour from her home to join us for dinner. That made our group to be made up of three graduates of Northport High School (Northport, Long Island, New York)––Brian, 1961; Cherye, 1962; me, 1960. Dale is from South Carolina, but an honorary Northporter (Eddie was also––he liked my friends from Northport and they liked him as well). Old Northporters love to get together to talk about our old hometown and our old school buddies, even though we are now dedicated Californians.

Friends

Friends

We all had dinner at the Cambria Pines Resort.

Friends

Friends

At dinner. We all had the Early Bird Special for $10.00––steak, shrimp, etc., salad, and dessert. Very good. A great day for me on the Central Coast.

Friends