T-Mac's Sixth 30th Birthday Party

Our good friend Theresa celebrated her sixth, 30th birthday on March 27th. Theresa (lover of all things themed and kitsch) invited a group of friends to join her at the Forbidden Island Tiki Lounge for huge bowls of drinks and flaming cocktails. Good fun.

Kayaking with Otters and Seals

After a blistering hike (literally), we decided to take the day off and go on a half-day kayaking trip in Morro Bay. We had a *very* exciting, up close and personal experience with an otter swimming about four or five feet from our Kayak. We also had a few run-ins with seals, a flock of white herons (who are quite loud when they squak), and tons of water foul. Half-way through our trip we stopped for snacks; we sat alone on a desolate stretch of beach separating Morro Bay from the open Pacific. In the distance of the last photo, you can see Morrow Rock, visible from Valencia Peak on our hike the previous day. It was all around dreamy.

Wild Poppies

Anne was taken with the wild flowers all week long. The poppies, in particular, lit the fields with color.

Montaña de Oro

Our day trip to Montaña de Oro to hike Valencia Peak and Oats Peak was full of gorgeous views throughout our 9 mile hike. The hike was stunning with coastal views to the west and rolling hills and peaks to the east swathed in blooming wild orange poppies.

Avila Beach

Our timeshare had a lovely view of Avila Beach. We enjoyed our slow mornings waking up with coffee and gazing in wonder at the early morning beach volleyball games. While we did not spend much time in Avila, it served as a great place to begin and end our days with coffee and walks on the pier.

Spring Break in the Central Coast

We took advantage of Eric's Spring Break and Anne's vacation days to spend some time on the Central Coast. Thanks to Eric's mom's timeshare time, we stayed in Avila Beach, a small tourist town about 15 miles southwest of San Luis Obispo. From our home base in Avila, we drove all around the area: hiking in Montaña de Oro State Park, Madonna Mountain (sadly, it is named for an explorer, not the pop idol), and to the Gaviotas Hot Springs near Santa Barbara. The view from the Hot Springs was great, but we didn't get in: too many naked strangers. We also drove north about 20 miles to do some kayaking in Morro Bay—that is where the intimate shots of otters and seals come from. Our drive south also included a short trip to Solvang, the Dutch capital of the west (as if you didn't know). We did some drinking in the middle of the day in Solvang—that is what culture looks like in wine country.

All in all a lovely trip. We are working on our relaxing skills.