Part of this whole new lifestyle we have found ourselves in gives us lots of opportunities to do things we didn’t have time for when working 5 days a week or more.  Friday we left Morgan Hill heading south to Paso Robles.   As we are approaching Salinas Paul calls up an old friend and gets them to meet us for dinner in 30 minutes!  It worked out and we got to see 1 more friend before we leave the state.  We arrived in Paso Robles about 8:30 at our friends Dennis & Elizabeths. 

Saturday morning Dennis treated us to breakfast at fabulous golf resort and then Paul, Dennis & I went golfing.  I am really enjoying the opportunity to get out there and hit the tiny little white (well mine are usually pink!) ball.  It is a very interesting game.

So far we have only traveled about 150 miles but we have 10 days before we need to be in Arizona.

We spent a lot of time this week visiting friends and wrapping up our stay in California.  Tuesday was such a beautiful day I couldn’t resist one more trip to the beach.  We decided about 2 pm to take the drive and have dinner on the wharf and since it is a week of good-byes we invited our friends Gary & Diane Carnes to meet us at Stagnaro Brothers for clam chowder.  Paul and I got there in time for the sunset and took some time to watch the surfers.  There were so many of them and the waves were really small so it looked like surfer school with dad’s holding boards for young kids and lots of surfers learning to balance on flat water.  With each wave it look like a race.

The race is on!!!

Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk

Looking past the surfers to the wharf and onto the boardwalk.  As the sun was setting we still had some time to wait for Gary & Diane to drive over the hill so we took a walk on the boardwalk even though it was closed up for the winter.  Growing up in San Jose this was a regular spot to go with family as a child and then later as teenagers we spent many summer days laying on the beaches in Santa Cruz.

Looking back to the wharf from the boardwalk

By Friday Paul had finished up his project with Pan Pacific, the errands for CA were finished and we were ready to head south for the winter and new adventures.  We will be back for Christmas we think so until then keep reading.

Henry Coe State Park  Norhern California’s largest State Park,  located outside of Morgan Hill was our destination for Sunday afternoon.  We  had never been there and it is  up the hill from our current location.   You drive 10 miles  through Holiday Hills near Anderson Reservoir and into the hills until you come to this old farm or what remains of a farm and there you are.   A beautiful day and we took our friends Annie & Marlin with us (actually Marlin had to drive!).  We only did a little 1.6 mile hike but it was uphill all the way!

Looking back

This is us at the start of the trailhead.  We asked for the easiest trail as it was already 3:30 pm and this is what we got – straight up for at least 1 mile, a little loop and then straight back down!  We saw a lot of backbackers in the visitors area as this park really needs to be explored on foot over many days.

Top of the ridge

Setting sun as we descended

We returned home and put some burgers on the fire!  A beautiful fall day in Morgan Hill.

While we have been staying here in Morgan Hill we have been doing a little remodeling to make our little home more accomodating to our lifestyle.  We replaced the big bulky tv in the bedroom with a  new flat screen tv and by removing the big tv we gained much needed cupboard space.  Then we did our biggest project yet of replacing the booth dinette with a table & chairs and a beautiful credenza that holds a lot of our stuff that we need everyday like, pencils, paper, tape, etc.  We are not quite finished with the table as we will order a new one piece counter top and table once we get to Arizona.  We can now eat dinner without the computer on the table! yeah!

Tv and more room

Dining table, desk & more

Even an empty shelf!