We love this aspect of our western sojourns. Other than coastal California, we often stumble upon small gated roads without a sign. They can be dirt, as is often the case, or it can be a tired, retired paved road.
We found this gem a mile from the trailhead of Humbug Mountain, the highest peak along the Pacific Coast Highway. We climbed the mountain a few years ago, and I hoped we would again this year. The trail is a constant “up,” but the footing is gentle. Unlike our trails in the Northeast, there are many switchbacks. Still, it is a 5-mile hike with 1,800 feet of elevation gain.
However, as Samwise has aged, while I believe he would have made it, there was no need to make him work so hard.
Thankfully, there are beaches here, too. The sand is not as delicious as we enjoyed in Morro Bay or Carmel. It feels almost like minuscule pieces of gravel. But we walked one beach yesterday and had three miles to ourselves.
Today, I longed for the deep, dark woods and trees wrapped in moss and lic…
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