California Central Coast -
We found much to explore on Highway One
Discovery Route
We decided the California Highway One Discovery
Route was well named. This when we pulled into
Harmony, Population 17, elevation 178 feet. Although
born in California and having spent most of my years
in the State this town was new to us.
In Harmony we stopped at the Visitor Center and met
charming Aarika Wells who acts as hostess at the
Center. She told us something of the history of
Harmony which began as a center for local dairy
farmers in the early 20th century. She also told us
of an interesting project currently underway to
finance the Harmony bell tower. She asks visitors to
send her pre-1982 pennies which were made of copper.
The Visitor Center is at 2180 Old Creamery Road in
Harmony.
While in Harmony we also visited Harmony Cellars and
met Chuck Mulligan, owner and winemaker and his
wife, Kim. This was the first stop for us on the
Pacific Coast Wine Trail and one of ten wineries
located along Highway One. Our story about Harmony
Cellars and Chuck Mulligan as well as the other six
wineries we visited on this tour will be the subject
of a separate story in Vittles. This is also true
for some of the restaurants and culinary delights
the Central Coast has to offer.
Nothing adds more to a pastoral scene, whether photo
or painting, than including a few grazing horses.
This came to life for us when we were fortunate to
be taken on a tour of Covell California Clydesdales,
Cambia Pines by the sea Ranch by Owner Ralph Melvin.
The Ranch includes 2000 acres as well as the largest
privately owned stand of the endangered Monterey
Pine. Also one of the best herds of Clydesdale
horses in the nation. Here the horses roam the ranch
freely among forest and rolling meadows often with
in sight of the Pacific Ocean.
This is also the story of one man's life long
interest and love of horses. Somehow Ralph Melvin
has always managed to make horses part of his life
and career and in the lives of his children as well.
We roamed the ranch on a clear late autumn day that
offered stunning views of the coastal range of
mountains on one side and the Pacific Ocean on the
other. Soon as we moved over hill and meadow the
horses began to appear, sometimes singularly others
in groups of two or three. They all have names and
wander close to the car to say hello from the man
they know so well.
Fortunately Ralph Melvin loves to share both the
ranch and horses with visitors and tours are
available either for single persons or for groups up
to forty. Riding and driving lessons are available
as well as weddings and private events which can
include a steak dinner, hay ride or barn dance. The
Covell Clydesdales are also featured in many civic
events and celebrations.
To find out how to schedule a Ranch tour and the
pricing call 805 927-3398, e mail
covellsclydesdales@yahoo.com.
To say we were pleased with our stay at FogCatcher
Inn in Cambria is an understatement. Our room was a
stone throw from the ocean which used up a good deal
of our time watching waves, surfers, sunsets and
other folk enjoying all of the above. A click of the
switch and my fire place was ablaze with light and
heat. There was a desk placed by a window overlook
the ocean often a good distraction from the notepad
which now seems to be an inevitable part of travel.
A FogCatcher WiFi comes with the room and available
throughout ones stay.
I always seem to have need of my car close at hand.
Here it was right outside my door,. As I write this
I have just returned from a wonderful breakfast of
omelet, sausage and sweet rolls from the self serve
complimentary breakfast available from 7 a.m. to 10
a.m. each morning. There is also a Pool but a much,
much bigger body of water just yards away. The room
also included refrigerator, micro wave, TV and lots
of space.
FogCatcher Inn is located at 6400 Moonstone Beach
Drive, Cambria, Ca. 93428. Telephone 895 927-1400.
Web www. fogcatcherinn,com.
Moonstone Beach Drive follows the ocean shore for a
few miles offering views of scenic coast to the far
distance. We found the trail adjacent to Moonstone
Beach Drive was most rewarding as it offers the
ocean close-up and stunning views of the whole coast
north.
Moving through downtown Cambria is a look at an
earlier time in America. Most of the shops and
businesses are small and intimate featuring a single
commodity or service. The city is divided in its
downtown areas with a East Village and a West
Village.
The East Village places Cambria's historic past on
display. There is a historical Walking Tour through
East Village that links the city's historic past
with the present. Many of the homes date as far back
as 1875. Both downtown areas offer many small shops
and the East hosts four winery tasting rooms as
well.
Think family when planning a trip to California's
Central Coast on the Highway One Discovery Route.
This is especially true at Morro Bay with its many
attractions, some designed especially for
youngsters. These attractions include the Morro Bay
Museum of Natural History in the State Park and then
on the Embarcadero. Here there is much to delight
children including a Skateboard museum, and a tour
aboard the tall ship Lady Washington. This sailing
ship built in 1989 is a replica of a historic vessel
that was the first to make a landfall on the west
coast. It also was the first American ship to visit
Hawaii, Hong Kong and Japan. The ship is located at
Sub Sea Tours which also offers sub sea tour and
rents Kayaks, Canoes and Stand Up Paddle Boards.
The Morro Bay Aquarium is a sure winner with people
of all ages. We visited it, said hello to the seals
and decided we did not want to mix with the Moray
Eels. It is open daily. The adjacent Morro Bay State
Park offers camping and a good base for hiking the
land surrounding the Bay including famous Morro
Rock. We learned that the hike around the Rock is a
great place to view the Sea Otters that are native
to this part of the Pacific Coast.
The Morro Bay Museum of National History, located in
the State Park, is the perfect place for a family
visit. The building occupies a rock outcropping
offering a magnificent view of the bay, waterfront
and towering Morro rock. A well kept trail surrounds
the building on what is called White Point.
Inside the natural forces that shaped our planet are
all presented in a most clever fashion often with
moveable panels that are a great attraction for
adults and children alike. Exhibits explain the
forces that shape the terrain like volcanoes,
earthquakes and erosion. Another describes how
change is constant with rain, fog, wind and erosion.
We found the history of the Bay Estuary most
interesting and the role ocean waves play along with
sand dunes and the tides to create the favorable
environment for the many types of animal and marine
life that abound in the region.
The museum has a wonderful collection of stuffed
birds, both sea and land, all looking most natural.
Some of these are located in the auditorium which
offers movies, puppet shows for children and many
public programs We sat and watched a fifteen minute
video on the life of sea otters that are part of the
ocean scene on California's Central Coast.
The Morro Bay Museum is the only one in the State
Park system devoted to natural history. It is
located at 20 State Park Road, Morro Bay, telephone
805 772-2694.
Our stay at Inn at Morro Bay, while brief, was
memorable. We had a interesting visit with General
Manager Charlie Yates who has enjoyed a lengthy career
as a hotelier in Central California. The Inn is a
showplace situated on the Bay with many rooms, ours
included, with spectacular views of the Rock,
Embarcadero, across the bay to the sand dunes and,
in the far distance, the
coastal mountains.
Many amenities are available including pool, hot tub
and massage center. Located in the reception center
is the new 60 State Park Restaurant, bar and lounge.
The bar and lounge offers many original cocktails as
well as a long list of wines and fourteen brews on
tap
Inn at Morro Bay is located at 60 State Park Road,
Morro Bay, Ca 93442, Telephone 805 772-5651. Web
www.innatmorrobay.com.
Our dining experience at the restaurant will be
covered in Vittles story on Central Coast cuisine.
(This story will soon be published in
the Spring 2016 edition of Vittles,
Vintages, Voyages.)
© 2015 Joe Hilbers All Rights Reserved.