August 19, 2020 ~ Pismo Beach, California
Karen, Joanne & Susan
As with so many of you, we have been isolated for the past six months. We are now (cautiously) headed out the door for the next 12 days with plans to smell some fresh air, walk on the beach, hug some redwoods, kick up our heals, and spend time with dear friends.
It has been over a year since we last loaded up Ellie Mae (our RV) and tethered Jethro (our tow vehicle) up for a road trip. It feels like a giant step toward normalcy.
Our first stop as we head north from Southern California is Pismo Beach. We are traveling with our long-time travel buddies, Dick and Karen. We were last here in 2011 when we came to put Karen’s mother to rest.
This was just a one night stopover to pay our respects, eat some delicious clam chowder at Splash, and try to replicate a picture I had taken of Dick and Tim nine years earlier.
Splash Cafe serves excellent clam chowder. Make sure to order it “loaded”
Pismo Beach Pier
This is the original picture taken of Tim and Dick back in 2011
Tim and Dick
And here is today’s snap. Tim looks more like a mountain man, with his long hair. COVID has prevented a trip to the barber shop 🙂
At least the smiles are still the same!
Karen “Reflection”
Visiting her mother
And the biggest surprise was when we found out the night before that two other friends would be staying at the SAME RV site. I have known Laura since 1988, when we used to work together in a doctors office in Fountain Valley.
What a coincidence! It was totally unplanned, and made for a wonderful evening when they joined us for cocktail time at the campsite. Our RV’s ended up being just 5 units away. What are the odds? I think it was meant to be.
Michael & Laura with Tim and Joanne
Tomorrow we will get an early start as we have a LONG drive continuing north into the Redwoods. There are numerous forest fires currently scorching the route, so we are concerned.
GRATITUDE MOMENT: Today I am grateful to be once again on the road. It has been far too long. I feel like I am out of my element, and barely able to put two words together. I am especially thankful that we were able to have a surprise reunion with Laura and Michael.
A Note From Abroad 
So glad you are venturing out. I miss traveling, but Covid-19 is too much of a threat! Can’t wait to follow you on this trip.
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Yes, COVID has certainly turned our lives upside down hasn’t it! We are putting our toes back in the water, but trying to use common sense and keep ourselves safe.
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Happy you are venturing out in my native and permanent state. Live long & prosper.
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Thank you Cindy. It is good to be able to get back on the road, even if we are only interacting with a few close and trusted friends.
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How wonderful that you are out and about again. Meeting up with friends is a bonus. Have fun!!
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Hi Darlene, thanks for stopping by. Yes, meeting up with our longtime dear friends was icing on the cake.
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Lucky you two. Enjoy. Daryl and I are in the third of a six weeks lock down. Stage 4. Australia is just about COVID-19 free, except for Melbourne where we live. The Government is hitting it hard, we are all in masks, no one able to travel more than 5 kms from their home. Curfew between 8.00pm and 0500am. Only 1 hr exercise a day and 1 person doing food shopping.
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HI Gaye! I read about your recent shutdown. I immediately thought of you and Daryl. I think that nipping it in the bud may be the best answer. I know it is a tough decision, but I am hopeful that you will soon be released and somewhat “back to normal”. Our restrictions have eased (perhaps too soon), and our wide spread has been the end result. Stay safe ❤
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We also think our meeting again was meant to be and look forward to spending time together. Hopefully some traveling together in our future? Enjoy your trip up north
Love
Laura
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Thank you Laura. What an incredible set of circumstances brought us to the same RV park at exactly the same time. You are right – it was meant to be. I have a feeling we will be planning our next get-a-way very soon..
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Just (literally) yesterday thinking about you and wondering when you would be on the road again! I greatly enjoy traveling vicariously with you. Have fun. Stay safe.
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What a nice comment! We are starting out slowly and cautiously, but still grateful to be back out of the cabin and back on the road. Thank you for following along with us. We are always thankful for the company.
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We are venturing out in September in the trailer. I love to travel this way around the states.
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Oh, I’m so happy that you will be getting out next month. Both September and October are usually my favorite time of the year to travel. Happy trails!
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Glad you are back on the road again. We love to travel vicariously with you. We had to cancel two planned trips this year and don’t have any planned in the near future. We are in the Chicago suburbs, wearing masks except when able to social distance, but have resumed safe doctors appointments, live grocery and farmers market visits as well as al fresco dining at local restaurants!
Stay safe on your travels. Moira and Mike
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Moira and Mike, I’m sure sorry that you had to cancel two trips. We were fortunate that we only had one trip booked, but it was rescheduled (hopeful now for November). I’m glad you are staying safe. Although this is a pretty low key trip, we are so pleased that you have chosen to follow along. Thank you!
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Won’t quite up to traveling yet too many pockets of heavy Covid infection around here
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I hear you. Some areas are certainly more dangerous than others. Most of our time away will be in areas with few people, and where social distancing will be easy to maintain.
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How wonderful!!! Seeing your travel posts again is just like seeing an old friend who has been absent for far too long. Welcome back and safe travels!!!
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Thank you Paul. You know first hand how much fun we have when traveling with Dick and Karen. One of these days it would be wonderful to have another adventure with you and Linda joining us.
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Glad to see you are back on the road. We love traveling through Pisano Beach. We enjoy the fish and chips and strawberry shortcake at Pismo Fish and Chips. We also like the cinnamon rolls sold in Pismo. We are heading that way starting September 20 on our way up the cost then over to Portland. Can’t wait. Safe travels to you.
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It sounds like you know Pismo Beach well. Enjoy your time there in September.
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How cool! How exciting! I’m going to read your uplifting email to Edith when she awakes. Stay safe! 😊
It’s ok to panic. If not for you, then for your kids and grandkids. The problem: Climate Change. Extinctions. Habitat loss. Pollution. Population growth! After you panic, Act! Embrace science! Vote! Fight to keep the world livable!
>
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I could not agree more with you. We absolutely will VOTE this year.
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Happy you are getting back to a somewhat normal again! Love your posts. Travel safe and stay well. Tim is due for a haircut for sure 🙂
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HaHa Fran, I will pass your advice on to him 🙂
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When I saw the map of Pismo Beach, knowing we have relatives in Ojai and Stockton area, and in around Los Angeles. Beautiful country there.My cousin said a lot of desert, as he was raised in the central USA where trees and hills are plentiful. Enjoy your travels.
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It really is a beautiful area. Thank you for your good wishes!
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excited for you for this road trip. it has been too long for us as well. The COVID haircut is what most of us are wearing these days. My guy had me take his hair to the scalp and he is loving every minute of it. We wanted to get out of Sacramento by the 15th.. didn’t make it and now it feels like it will be September with all the fires to the West and North of us. HOT HOT HOT on top of stagnet smoky ash filled air… (oh a cooling trend of about 100 for the next few days) WEAR A MASK if you have an doubt…The Redwoods are calling.. and the Ocean… Do you have a Redwood destination?
Take Care, Stay Safe.. So much COVID in this area….
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I can’t picture Tim with his hair that short, but yes, COVID haircut is all the range these days 🙂 The air was horrible driving north from Pismo this morning. We chose to wear our masks in the RV while driving. Thankfully when we got about 100 miles north of San Francisco, we finally got out of the smoke. We are now in the Redwoods at Myers Flat for two nights. The air is clear and the sky blue. Can’t wait to get out tomorrow and hug a tree.
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A much better day today – Friday – at least the smoke has not set in YET… will enjoy what we have for now. Myers Flat… Amen… Enjoy all you can . The Redwoods are near and dear to my heart. And when we travel they are always included on our map…. HUGS
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Enjoy your adventure!
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Thank you Kim!
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There you are!!!. 🙂
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It has been a very long drought for us. Sure thankful to be on the road once again. Our trips may be sporadic and fewer for a bit, but we have every intention of continuing our travels when we can safely do so.
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I love the names you gave your veehicles. I’m sorry I didn’t notice them before. I too enjoyed watching The Beverley Hillbillies when I was younger. Good luck with the rest of your trip. I’m looking forward to reading more.
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Thank you Abbie. With Tim’s long mane, and my uncolored roots, we are quite the pair. I think we would fit in nicely with the Hillbillies 🙂
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Those hair(non)cuts really are different, aren’t they? 🙂 I’m happy for you getting on the road again. I also hadn’t known/noticed the names of your vehicles. Now I have the theme song in my head 🙂 Be careful with those fires. I’ve seen horrific photo of some of them. I guess the only positive thing about them is that they don’t seem to have been started by arson.
I was able to get away to Wyoming for just over three weeks recently and it was such a joy. Not only was it a place I love, but things felt almost normal…until I’d go down the mountain to town and put my mask on again. But I feel blessed because wearing a mask is probably the most difficult/annoying thing I have to do these days. 🙂
Enjoy and take care,
janet
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Hi Janet! Aren’t we a mess these days 🙂 I am just so grateful that we are healthy and able to enjoy the little things. That’s great that you were able to get out to Wyoming. I mentioned to Tim yesterday that even though things are so upside down, I still felt a bit more “normal” just getting on the road again. The air quality was horrific this morning driving north from Pismo Beach, but we finally got out of it a ways north of San Francisco. We are now settled in the Redwoods for a couple of nights. Feeling blessed!
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Glad to see you on the road again – self-contained is one of the safest ways to travel, after all. None of this has stopped my travel. Where I live positivity rate is really low, but I’m still careful about always having a mask if I’m in an area indoors, where I can’t physically distance, and most of my socializing is in kayaks – or at least outdoors, 6′ apart. Keep safe. Keep away from fires! Have a wonderful time.
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I’m so happy that you too have been able to get out and enjoy nature. Yes, we are being caution, social distancing and wearing mask except with our core group. The fires are horrific, but other than a bunch of smoke this morning, we have not had to reroute around any.
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Pismo Beach?
If you were Bugs Bunny, you MUST have taken a left turn at Albuquerque…
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Peter, I had to look this reference up. I have not seen Bugs Bunny in years, but sure got a kick out of watching an episode and getting the connection. So, YES, we did make that LEFT turn at Albuquerque. You silly Wabbit…
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It’s nice to get out again, isn’t it! RV travel is definitely the way to go these days. I get a chuckle every time I see something about Pismo Beach…reminds me of a great Bugs Bunny episode. Enjoy!
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We are so glad we got our RV a couple of years ago. It is wonderful to be able to get out to do some traveling, yet still have our own personal space. Probably about the safest way to go right now.
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Redwoods are beautiful! If you get a chance, try Crescent City beaches. We were just there a few weeks ago and the weather was amazing!
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