The Corona Diaries Week 54 - Spring Break Part I

We got out of Dodge for a few days over Spring Break. I was so ready. (I'm still ready for next trip and the one after that and the one after that. LET'S GO.)

But first I had to tidy up the car because yowza. Colorful, but yowza.

We drove to San Luis Obispo to stay for two nights at the Madonna Inn. We've been stopping there for lunches when we drive north to visit the Callahans in Santa Cruz so now we were going to stay. We got the "Antique Cars" room.

Antique Car wallpaper and drapes. Also two double beds. Not queen size. Oy. One night I slept with Kurt and the next I slept with Harper. Neither was great. (And somehow the mom always gets the short side of the bed...)

We explored the hotel area a little after our drive, walking up to where the pool was.

Meeting some horses.

Going to the lovely little garden near our room.

Harper told us to stand in the giant stone thing, as though we were getting married.

And we had to kiss, masks and all.

That evening's adventure: Drive In Theater!! We picked up some food and snacks and went to see a movie the old fashioned way.

We parked backward and opened the back hatch, piled up the pillows and blankets and Harper got her bear (and her thumb) and enjoyed the show. Kurt found a way to to get comfortable by putting a seat down and reclining. I sat in the driver's seat, reading social media on my phone and escorting Harper to the bathroom. Luckily it was a movie we'd seen already, so no big deal that it was not ideal...but it was an experience!

Then back to the tiny beds for a mediocre night sleep.

Next morning - donuts!

Then off to a boardwalk trail through a nature preserve. Harper was thrilled. (But she got into it later...)

The view of Morro Bay was SPECTACULAR.

It was a lovely walk, actually.

There is a place at Volcano National Park called Devastation Trail. When I was Harper's age, we would go to Volcano and that boardwalk trail was one of my favorite spots. It was originally built over a recent (cooled) lava flow (This was in the 70's) and was fascinating. I loved walking through the misty landscape, imagining all kinds of wonderful things. So watching Harper run ahead on this boardwalk made me hope her imagination was sparked somehow. Or I'm just 100% projecting... Funny thing about Devastation Trail - when we first went in the mid-70's, it was all cinder and cooled lava. Ten years later there was SO much regrowth it was hardly devastated at all. I'd love to back there now. I'm sure I won't recognize it at all. Nature is awesome like that.

Back to SLO - Once we drove into Morro Bay proper, the sun came out and we got to walk around the big rock.

The afternoon was all about swimming in the pool at the hotel. Well. Harper swam, I sat in a hot tub and also read under an umbrella. I know, I know, pics or it didn't happen, but sometimes you just relax and forget about your camera.

The late afternoon adventure was going into downtown SLO to find some dinner to take back to the hotel. But first a stop at Bubble Gum Alley.

Harper leaving her offering.

I put mine next to hers.

We found sushi and took it back to our wonderful room (#sarcasm) and feasted.

Then for dessert - champagne cake from the bakery at the Madonna Inn. Our favorite. The three of us only ate 1/2 of it.


The next morning we packed up and had a small detour to our trip.