Pinnacles

 Starbucks right next to my hotel this morning... now that's what I'm talkin' about!

I got to Paso Robles just after dark last night, very tired. Asked the nice woman at the hotel where to eat, and she gave me this map that showed Red Brick Pizza very close, she said even within walking distance. Having walked quite a bit already (see below) I thought I'd drive there anyway. Couldn't really tell whether the restaurant was to the right or left, so I started out right...1/2 mile, nothing. Turned around, went almost a mile, nothing (now I'm tired and hungry and it's dark, I'm swearing). Back to the hotel, dammit, I'll just go to the crappy Denny's clone attached to the hotel. Sustenance, anyway. As I'm leaving the restaurant I notice...right there, almost ATTACHED to the hotel, are about 6 eateries, including the one I'd been looking for, and Starbucks. Like I say, I was tired, and it was dark.

Anyway, that walk... 8 strenuous miles and 1600 feet of elevation gain in 5 hours at Pinnacles National Monument. Have you ever heard of this place? Neither had I. Well worth a visit. After a 15 mile winding and scenic drive through wineries and those beautiful dry California hills, big rocky..well...pinnacles. Rock spires, ramparts, crags, massive monoliths, sheer-walled canyons. This is part of an ancient volcano, lying right atop the San Andreas fault. Blue oak and gray pine, 2 new trees I learned today. Gray pine has perhaps the most impressive cones I've ever seen  and blue oak has these odd, long and narrow acorns.

Euchie enjoying the balcony of the nice B&B in Carmel

 About 3/4 of the way through this hike I came to the High Peaks area, with a sign saying "steep and narrow". Wow!

 

 

Steep and narrow!