At the end of last week’s post, I said Pismo, California, was next up and our last stop. That was not entirely true. I forgot about having to stay in Valencia for the three-day President’s weekend. There had been no problem procuring sites since we left on January 24, 2020, and the holiday weekend slipped my mind. At the last minute, the only spot I could find was at Valencia Travel Village RV Resort, and they required payment for three nights.

To make the best of the situation, we drove to Fort Tejon State Historic Park. I guess my slippery mind was still fully engaged because I left my camera behind. That’s okay, I used the best camera I had, the one in my pocket.

On our many trips up and down Interstate 5 through the Grapevine, I would see the signs to Fort Tejon and wonder what was there. We took this opportunity to find out.

Fort Tejon became a state park in 1947, designated as a California Historical Landmark in 1954, and added to the U.S. National Register of Historic Places in 1971. We stopped in at the visitor center where informational panels tell the historical story of the park and displays contain artifacts and recreations.

Edward Fitzgerald Beale, Superintendent of Indian Affairs in California, was instrumental in the establishment of the fort in August 1854. It’s mission being to “protect and control the Sebastian Indian Reservation,” and to protect white settlers from raids by other Indian groups. Ten years later, it was abandoned.

Then we took the self-guided tour around the grounds where foundations outline the footprints of buildings. Some of the buildings have been restored, and apparently, there are plans to restore others.

The website lists the Frontier Army Days event scheduled for May 2, 2020. It would be wonderful if the State of California was back in business at that time. More than likely the event will need to be canceled due to the dreaded virus.

Not ready to head back to the trailer, we drove up to Mt. Pinos in the Los Padres Forest and found a place to park and eat our lunch.

Then we stopped at Pyramid Lake, which is part of the West Branch California Aqueduct of the California State Water Project. The lake is fed with water from the San Joaquin Valley, which is pumped through the Tehachapi Mountains. The water then flows downstream to Castaic Lake. Both lakes supply water for the Castaic Power Plant, a 1,405-megawatt pumped-storage hydroelectric plant.

There are 90 tent and RV camping sites at the Los Alamos Campground. Tucked far away from the freeway in lower Hungry Valley, it’s quiet and rustic. It includes drinking water, toilets, a dump station, and a camp store. This is a place we might consider staying overnight in the future if we need to.

On Monday, February 17, 2020, we left Valencia Travel Village for Pismo Coast Village RV Resort in Pismo Beach. We liked the wide spaces, access to the dunes, and other amenities. The grassy area and large shade trees were a bonus. It was a perfect place to spend the last three nights of our trip.

Monarch Grove Park was a short walk from the resort on the other side of Pismo State Beach North Beach Campground. We encountered a few butterflies while there and a few that had wandered over into the resort, but most of the population had already flown to the next stop on their migration.

In a list of things to do, I found Price Historical Park and Anniversary House. We like touring old homes, so off we went. Too bad the house was all closed up, and we could only walk around the property.

A need for lunch led us to Avila Beach and the Custom House for plates of fish and chips. My mouth waters as I remember biting into the crispy crust to reach the tender moist cod inside. It had to be the best I ever tasted.

Pismo Preserve is a popular place for hiking, biking, and horseback riding. Owned by The Land Conservancy, the 880-acre preserve is a private, not-for-profit organization that recently opened for recreation. There are 11 miles of trails and roads on the property that traverse through coastal-hill terrain ranging from grasslands to a wooded oak canyon and streambed.

When near the beach, tide pools are fun to explore and Margo Dodd Park seemed to be the best place for the activity. I checked the tide chart, but somehow got the time wrong, so we arrived when the tide was already coming back in. No worries, though, we scrambled over rocks, then watched the sun sink into the horizon.

For our last meal in Pismo Beach, we stopped in at Ada’s Fish House for a dynamite shrimp dish in a wine and butter sauce served with au gratin potatoes and asparagus. Jon ordered the fish and chips again and said it was as good as what we had at the Custom House. My mouth is watering just thinking of our meal at Ada’s and wish we could drive there for another visit.

That concludes our Winter 2020 adventure. We are patiently waiting at home until the dreaded virus releases the world from its grip, allowing all of us to travel once again. May you all be well during this crisis and keep busy with planning your next trip.

Stay safe