Seeking To Satisfy My Own Illusions: North or South. Make up your mind. Pismo/Bismo. PCH.

Today I started out with a hike up Black Hill located in the Morro Bay State Park.

It's a nice park with a very nice campground with spots big enough for my RV, though there's no electrical or sewer dumps at the sites.

Just a little more than three miles round trip to the top from the Campground and elevation gain of 600 feet, all the oxygen down here made it a breeze up to the top. My Fitbit said the downhill trip only took 36:58 for the 1.54 trip so I'm estimating about 40 minutes up.

A bit of a meandering start led to a distinct trail that followed a "exercise" trail, you know with stops to stretch and do push ups. It joined the Black Hill trail that passed thru a Monterrey Pines forest that was planted by a former superintendent and then a Eucalyptus grove that cleared my sinus right up.

Here's the view of Black Hill just below the Eucalyptus grove.

More eucalyptus trees.

The trail passed thru some California oaks as it got steeper.

As I approached the top, I found a nice little parking lot for those who didn't want to do the whole three miles. (Cheaters)

Morro Rock is the last of nine volcanic plugs that begin in San Luis Obispo and Black Hill is the eighth. All were formed from underwater volcanoes some 15 million years ago. It's rumored that Black Hill got it's name from a tar seep.

Looking south towards the bay and Montana de Oro Park.

After a breakfast of Biscuits Benedict (seriously). A biscuit split with 2 sausage patties, 2 eggs and gravy (all the manly food groups), I headed down the 101 and 1 to Pismo Beach.

Around 20 minutes away Pismo is a very nice town of around 7500 people and a beach that runs about 17 miles. Its on the annual Monarch Butterfly migration route as well as being a great place for Gray Whale sightings.

From the pier to the south. Lots of surfers and fishermen with lines from the pier.

To the north.

Walking down Main Street I noticed this cafe. Its been there only since 1989 (it looked older) and is known for it's clam chowder. I had a cup, good, but certainly not the best I've had (that's reserved for a place on the Chittenden Locks in Seattle called Anthony's HomePort. Yes. YUM.)

I headed back up north to Cambria. A quaint little town set down in a bit of a valley while motel row (lots of nice non-chain motels) faced the ocean. Here's a snap of the beach area. More headlands than beach.