Edwards AFB and Morro Bay
April 21, 2013 11:49 AM
Four hours after “leaving Las Vegas” last Thuraday, we arrived at Edwards Air Force Base and parked at their FamCamp. Edwards, established in the mid-1930’s, has been home to the Air Force and NASA Test Centers since the 1940’s. Many aviations “firsts” have taken place there, from Chuck Yeager’s first supersonic flight to the first landing of the space shuttle. Edwards is a barren, dusty, windy place, a perfect place for testing airplanes that may fall out of the sky at any moment. I assure you, the chance of hitting someone or something of value is very tiny. It’s very big country with very little in it.
We never left the base during our two-day stop. Instead, we visited the Air Test Center Museum, the NASA Visitor’s Center, and a few other places on base. We also walked a lot, enjoying the untold miles of trails crisscrossing the 470 square mile base. We tidied up the motorhome and stocked up on steaks from the commissary. It was a pleasant stop.
Then on Friday, sixteen days after leaving Denver, we left Edwards and four hours later arrived at our first milestone, the Pacific Coast at Morro Bay, CA. Morro Bay is a great little coastal town, famous for the monster haystack rock. The downtown area is full of restaurants and pubs, as are most of the little costal towns. Ann and I enjoy wandering around in such towns, stopping in shops and the occasional pub, and people-watching.
We’re parked at the Morro Dunes RV Park, about as close to the beach as you can get in a 40’ motorhome. The park is old and crowded, but we aren’t here for the park; we’re here for the beach. We’re spending an hour or so in the morning walking the beach and then returning in the afternoon. Muffin is in heaven. She loves to chase the birds in the edge of the surf. Given her plentiful fur, she picks up about five pounds of sand every trip that we have to get off her before she’s allowed back in the motorhome. Luckily, a little sand never hurt anyone.
We’re also enjoying some of the inland towns, particularly Paso Robles and San Luis Obispo. Both are towns I believe we could enjoy living in, except for the California prices. Both are surrounded by beautiful country, rolling hills full of farms and vineyards. Both are also home to some great breweries; in particular, the Firestone Walker Brewing Company in Paso Robles, brewer of some of the finest beers in the craft beer world. So far, we’ve visited Firestone Walker, SLO Brewing, Creekside Brewing, and Pismo Brewing, and we may work in another one or two today. Have I mentioned I’m a beer nut?
We end our time here tomorrow and head up the coast to Monterey, CA, so we’d better get busy and visit all the spots we’ve missed. Our best to you all. See’ya in Monterey!
Alan
We never left the base during our two-day stop. Instead, we visited the Air Test Center Museum, the NASA Visitor’s Center, and a few other places on base. We also walked a lot, enjoying the untold miles of trails crisscrossing the 470 square mile base. We tidied up the motorhome and stocked up on steaks from the commissary. It was a pleasant stop.
Then on Friday, sixteen days after leaving Denver, we left Edwards and four hours later arrived at our first milestone, the Pacific Coast at Morro Bay, CA. Morro Bay is a great little coastal town, famous for the monster haystack rock. The downtown area is full of restaurants and pubs, as are most of the little costal towns. Ann and I enjoy wandering around in such towns, stopping in shops and the occasional pub, and people-watching.
We’re parked at the Morro Dunes RV Park, about as close to the beach as you can get in a 40’ motorhome. The park is old and crowded, but we aren’t here for the park; we’re here for the beach. We’re spending an hour or so in the morning walking the beach and then returning in the afternoon. Muffin is in heaven. She loves to chase the birds in the edge of the surf. Given her plentiful fur, she picks up about five pounds of sand every trip that we have to get off her before she’s allowed back in the motorhome. Luckily, a little sand never hurt anyone.
We’re also enjoying some of the inland towns, particularly Paso Robles and San Luis Obispo. Both are towns I believe we could enjoy living in, except for the California prices. Both are surrounded by beautiful country, rolling hills full of farms and vineyards. Both are also home to some great breweries; in particular, the Firestone Walker Brewing Company in Paso Robles, brewer of some of the finest beers in the craft beer world. So far, we’ve visited Firestone Walker, SLO Brewing, Creekside Brewing, and Pismo Brewing, and we may work in another one or two today. Have I mentioned I’m a beer nut?
We end our time here tomorrow and head up the coast to Monterey, CA, so we’d better get busy and visit all the spots we’ve missed. Our best to you all. See’ya in Monterey!
Alan
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