2003 Coastal Trail Expedition

August 16, San Luis Obispo County Avila Beach to Pismo Beach State Park. 9.3 miles Today was a somewhat lazy day as indicated by our total mileage. After cleaning up the rental house in Grover Beach, we drove back to Avila Beach to start the hike. With us were our two new section hikers who joined…

August 15, San Luis Obispo County Layover day or Foothill Road to Avila Beach. 10.8 miles This was our scheduled layover day, but several of us felt that we needed to make the effort and statement of going around PG & E’s property at Diablo Canyon. To that end, we made a start yesterday and…

August 14, San Luis Obispo County Morro Bay to Montaña de Oro. 7.0 milesMontaña de Oro to Foothill Rd. 10.8 miles Yes, that’s right. Two hikes. The day started at 8 am when our “mystery” day leader appeared at the Morro Bay Harbormaster’s Office. We soon were ferried in two of the Harbor Patrol boats to…

August 13: San Luis Obispo County Villa Creek to Morro Bay. 13.0 miles Our camp this morning was quite damp. The thick night fog had deposited moisture on every surface: our tents, equipment, the park tables. Breakfast was a stand up affair. After driving back to Villa Creek, we made our way to the beach via…

August 12: San Luis Obispo County Shamel County Park to Villa Creek. 14 miles plus a 3 mile round trip through SeaWest. 17 miles total Medical Update: J, Ginny, Max, Linda, Steve & Janette have poison oak to one degree or another. This morning we awoke to the yapping of an extremely small dog who…

August 11, San Luis Obispo County Vista Point 4 to Shamel County Park. 14.8 miles A note from our layover day, August 10: In the AM, we had Shirley Bianchi, San Louis Obispo County 2nd District Supervisor, visit us at our camp at San Simeon State Park. We sat in an informal circle of camp…

August 10: San Luis Obispo County A Typical Day (Layover Day) Our log entries for this adventure have spoken primarily of movement and the impressions gathered as a result of that movement. Little information has been offered regarding the mechanics of the journey. For starters, just what exactly is a Melmobile? When last this walk…

August 10: San Luis Obispo County A Coastwalk Perspective on the Hearst Ranch The spectacular and undeveloped Hearst Ranch is the largest piece of privately held coastal real estate in California. This almost entirely undeveloped land has been in the news for years as the question, how much development can be allowed on the parcel and how…

August 9, San Luis Obispo County Ragged Point to Vista Point 4, just south of Point Piedras Blancas. 12.6 miles Susan McDonald was formerly head of the docent program for the elephant seals along this section of the coast, which is part of the vast Hearst Ranch. Today, in her capacity as a consultant for…