My mother Nancy and I try every year to go on a trip together. This year she decided on Pismo Beach, Cambia, Harris Ranch, Elk Grove then Bakersfield before home. After the NRHS trip to Colorado, I really did not want to take another trip but for my mother I would do anything to make her happy.
8/9/2016 We left at 10:50 AM and took Interstate 5 to CA 57 to CA 210 to CA 118 to CA 126 to Ventura and stopped at Larrianne's Small Wonders for my mother. Once she was finished, we drove US 101 to CA 1 and once we crossed over the UP Coast Line tracks, I saw a headlight coming down the railroad from the north.
Coast Starlight train 11 south of Guadalupe. From here we drove to the Spyglass Inn at Pismo Beach and after we checked in, I walked along the path above the cliff.
There are not too many viewpoints at the Spyglass Inn. We had a good dinner in the hotel's dining room.
After dinner and during "NCIS", I took these pictures from our deck. That is Whale Rock in the foreground. I had a good night's sleep.
8/10/2016 We drove to Grover Beach and after a stop at Ross Dress For Less, we went to the Rock N' Roll Diner for breakfast which was excellent.
Rock N' Roll Diner in Grover Beach, housed in former Seaboard Air Line lounge car 6605 built by Budd in 1947 and used on the Orange Blossom. It later became Seaboard Coast Lines 5845 then Amtrak 3345.
We drove through Price Canyon then drove to Los Osos before heading to Morro Bay and the main attraction there.
Morro Rock.
The Morro Bay Power Station.
Looking towards the breakwaters.
Morro Strand north of Morro Rock.
On the way out of town, one last picture of Morro Rock. From here it was an easy drive to Cambia and we checked in to the Fireside Inn. About two hours later, I went for a walk on the Cambia Boardwalk.
Views from my walk.
The Fireside Inn from the Boardwalk. Later we had a fantastic dinner at the Moonstone Grill and Bar and I had another good night's sleep.
8/11/2016 After breakfast at the Fireside Inn we checked out and headed south on CA 1 to CA 46 to US 101 and filled the car with petrol at Paso Robles. I drive CA 46 to CA 41 to CA 33 which we took to Coalinga and a stop at Dollar General. We went to Harris Ranch but our rooms were not ready so went to McDonald's for lunch then I made my 2017 Chris Guenzler Train Travel calendar as we waited for 3:00 PM to arrive. We finally obtained our room and then at 5:30 PM, went to the Harris Ranch Steakhouse for an excellent meal. Yet another good night's sleep.
8/12/2016 This day after a McDonald's breakfast, I drove CA 198 to CA 41 to Fresno and a brief stop, then CA 99 to Road 20 1/2 taking my mother on the way we used to go to Winterail in Stockton. We caught our first train of the day south of LeGrand.
BNSF 5170 East. We stopped at Carl's Junior for lunch in Merced before taking J7 north. North of Denair I saw a headlight coming our way and I crossed at a grade crossing to be on the sunny side.
BNSF 8356 East north of Denair. From here we took J7 north, stopping at the Modesto Amtrak station to pick up a timetable. We then drove to Escalon taking CA 120 to J9 then went north on Jack Tone Road to Seven Mile Road to CA 99 to Laguna Boulevard and checked in to the Holiday Inn Express. We then drove to my late brother Bruce's home where we met his wife Karla and son Eric. We had a nice talk before we meeting his other son Adam at the Texas Roadhouse where we all dined together. It was good to spend some time with my two nephews. Afer that, it was back to the Holiday Inn Express for another good night's sleep.
8/13/2016 After a breakfast at the hotel, we checked out and drove back to Escalon where I filled up the car with petrol. Just east of town a westbound BNSF freight passed one in the siding.
BNSF 7888 East at East Escalon. We jumped ahead of him and waited just a few minutes at Plainview Road.
BNSF 7888 East at Plainview Road. We then drove south and at Ballico found BNSF 7888 East in the siding there.
Amtrak San Joaquin 711 at Ballico. We jumped ahead of BNSF 7888 East.
BNSF 7888 East at the Merced River bridge. Since BNSF 7888 East stopped the traffic at all the crossings, we were able to get to Merced quickly and went to the Amtrak station for a bathroom break for my mother. We then went back the same way we had come north and stopped at Madera at Carl's Junior for lunch. We took CA 99 south to CA 41 to CA 201 to Fowler Avenue, which we took to Douglas Avenue to 12th Ave to Hanford-Aroma Road to 11th Ave to Kansas Ave and the grade crossing there.
Amtrak San Joaquin 714 at Kansas Avenue.
Amtrak San Joaquin 715 at Kansas Aveune. We went east to CA 43 and followed the BNSF tracks south. At Allensworth we found the same train we had seen at Stockton earlier this morning then made it to Sandrini and had two trains for the price of one.
BNSF 6680 East met BNSF 7960 West at Sandrini. We headed south through Wasco and Shafter before seeing a headight and pulled over at Burbank Street.
Amtrak San Joaquin 717 at Burbank Street. From here we took Santa Fe Road to the Rosedale Highway then checked into the Clarion Inn in Bakersfield and had another excellent dinner at the Hungry Hunter. After dinner, I wrote this story then called it a night.
8/14/2016 After another great night's sleep, my mother and I arose early and following breakfast, checked out then drove home via CA 99 to Interstate 5 to CA 210 to CA 57 to Interstate 5 and then home. It had been a fantastic trip with my mother.
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