A three-month return up the California coast — unhurried, familiar, and lived at our own pace.
Published on May 10, 2026 – Narrated by Jim
You can fly from San Diego to Sacramento in an hour and a half — or drive it in eight.
We took three months to get there.
We put Spring Fever in reverse — no need for speed.
We set out from Sun Outdoors San Diego Bay with a fix-it list for Vinnie — nothing serious, just repairs and upgrades we’d postponed or tolerated far too long. The kind of list that says it’s time.
From Sacramento, we would fly to Vienna to celebrate our first 50 years of marriage — a milestone deserving a dignified glacial pace.
So we set the GPS for “North” with a loose itinerary. No locked-in reservations, few responsibilities, and an agreement to brake for poppies.
The first real test came quickly.
Slash X Ranch Cafe – 1 Night
The Mojave wind hurled dust and tumbleweeds at us, shaking the rig like a toy.
Such harsh conditions can cause life-changing injuries just stepping out of a vehicle.
This was no ordinary wind. We’re talking Devil Winds — the Fiery Breath of California — and we were in the dragon’s mouth. Zipped tight in our parkas, we clung to each other. The short distance from the rig to the cafe door felt like a scene from a survival film.
Slash X Ranch Cafe is blissfully wind-free — an oasis for dirt bikers, motorists on their way to Vegas, and Desert Rats.
Slash X has the Desert Empire nailed down — literally. Vintage photos and yellowed newspaper articles adorning the walls document the history of desert racing. The ceiling is decorated with hats and ball caps the wind sucked off patrons’ heads — or donated to the cause.
We ordered a bite and a cold pitcher while taking in the colorful history and character.
The oversized meal gave us the extra gravity needed to make our way back to Beauty and The Beast.
Even while hitched, the rig felt like an E-ticket ride. We kept the curtains open to assure ourselves we weren’t airborne. Under normal conditions, that kind of rocking might raise an eyebrow. But no, it was just the Mojave having its way with us.
At sunup, the wind stopped howling and the trailer stopped shaking. I unlatched the door and stepped into an eerie vortex of silence. On the highway, a committee of buzzards fought over a fuzzy smear of roadkill while eighteen wheelers blasted by, their roar reduced to a whisper. California extremes mess with you that way.
Oasis Las Vegas RV Resort – 30 Nights
We soaked in Las Vegas without Las Vegas soaking us.
We planned to stay two months.
One was enough.
We’re not gamers. You have to pay to play and believe you can win. We’re gambling atheists.
Fortunately, Vegas understands people like us who like to eat well at any hour, on any budget. So we dug in.
We also caught some shows and strolled the Strip and Fremont Street.
Breweries and coffeehouses are scattered just far enough apart to feel like discoveries.
Vegas has a strong art scene, plus there’s a network of cycling paths, scenic road rides, and off-road trails. We had plenty to do, and we’ll be back.
A full campground review is on the way.
Peggy Sue’s 50’s Diner – 1 Night
If Slash X caught us off guard, Peggy Sue’s 50’s Diner was a blast-from-the-past.
You either commit to Peggy Sue’s, or they show you the door.
It’s a shrine to our parents’ era, The Silent Generation.
Peggy Sue’s keeps the “Happy Days” heyday alive.
The vintage café food is the real thing — and it’s good.
The servers are a hoot — fully in on the experience without overplaying it.
The Route 66-style atmosphere is why we always brake for Peggy Sue’s.
Guido’s @ Hangar – 1 Night
Dinner at Guido’s on a desert runway is a new favorite!
Guido’s overlooks a small airport runway. Our friend Frank DiBona inspires us to pause to admire air traffic. There’s something satisfying about watching humans do something useful.
A charming desert garden surrounds the restaurant, framing the mountains.
Our early dinner stretched into the night.
Warm food, excellent margaritas, and a great view.
Planes arrived and departed in the late afternoon sun as a snowstorm rolled in against the mountain backdrop.
After dinner we retreated to the trailer for hot showers, a warm furnace, and a quiet night of snowfall.
We woke to snow-dusted mountains.
And fortunately, no road ice.
Which made for a pleasant drive to
Sun Outdoors Paso Robles Resort – 28 Nights
We settled into a resort pace: morning swims, brunch, naps.
Evening wine tastings.
We’ll share a full resort review soon — this one deserves it.
Leaving “Paso” is never easy.
On our way out, we stopped by our favorite Harvest Host.
Tobin James Cellars – 1 Night
High desert wine country traces back to Spanish missionaries who planted the first vines.
Cowboy wine — and Tobin James carries that story forward.
We bought several bottles, one chilled for a picnic.
San Luis Obispo Elks Lodge – 7 Nights
San Luis Obispo isn’t called SLO for nothing.
The European-style pace reminds us of San Diego when we were kids.
The vintage lodge café serves California cuisine, regional wines, and features a beautifully maintained pool.
This tiny Elks campground sits on the bank of San Luis Obispo Creek, just a stone’s throw from Central Coast Brewing Company. Their IPAs skip the small talk.
Days were spent shopping in New SLO, strolling and dining in Old SLO, and hiking urban trails where we took in the wondrous beauty of a California spring,
and, of course, sampling the local hooch…
(a name we appreciated more each time we said it)
and wearing ourselves to a frazzle watching happy young people dance.
Morro Bay State Park – 9 Nights
Three stacks and a rock —
Returning to Morro Bay is like visiting old friends.
We stayed longer this time because, at our age, you never know when, or if, you’ll be back.
Our kayaks slipped quietly past otters with notorious reputations,
and juvenile sea lions annoying their elders.
We frequented Bayside Cafe because the location and prices make it way too easy. Why cook in a paradise with mui bueno wet burritos?
Hikes along the shady coastal trails filled our days.
As if blooming grasses, shrubs, songbirds, and waterfowl weren’t enough — there were poppies… poppies… poppies…
Los Osos Oaks and the Elfin Forest take our breath away.
It’s ironic how these shifting estuarine lands ground us in a region of constant flux.
We’ve reached an age where the thought of being born surfers on a shifting planet is more comforting than the illusion of stability.
Monterey Elks Lodge – 5 Nights
A smooth landing at another lodge — and more poppies.
Days began with a swim in the pool overlooking Pebble Beach…
and ended in the lounge with a generous California pour of the local grape.
Camping a couple of miles from the entrance to 17-Mile Drive was a surprise bonus.
Cycling the coastal trail is the best way to experience the beaches and Cannery Row. Our Dolphin eBikes made it a pleasure.
Vitamin B breaks sustained us along the way.
This is true California. No kidding. No hype. No apologies.
South San Francisco Elks Lodge – 5 Nights
Rebuilt after a fire, the new lodge had only recently reopened.
The club has a welcoming Happy Hour. Friendly members were eager to help us feel at home, sharing local haunts, favorite restaurants, and practical advice.
Returning to a familiar place now filled with driverless cars and robotic baristas couldn’t distract us from the intoxicating spring garden displays,
or the food on the pier.
Cal Expo Fairgrounds RV Park – 3 Nights
This campground served as the perfect spot for a thorough spring cleaning.
With full hookups, we emptied and rinsed the water tanks, and cleared out the freezer and refrigerator to prepare for a long departure.
Vinnie’s
Like an old cattle run up the California coast, Beauty and the Beast rolled into Vinnie’s Airstream livery and farrier stable to rest and have some “me time.”
We handed over the keys.
And looked over our shoulders more than once before leaving them there for three months.
Three months.
It sounded reasonable when we said it out loud.
Less so when we walked away.
Sacramento Hostel – 1 Night
An Uber dropped us off at the Sacramento Hostel, a beautifully restored Victorian.
High ceilings, worn wood, comfortable rooms, and large sitting areas for chatting with world travelers. Once again, we were the oldest people there.
The next morning,
Vienna was waiting.
Looking Back
Carmen and I are not sure what to make of this FOMO-to-JOMO thing. Is it a phase or our new jam? Ten years ago we never thought we’d still be living feral at this age.
At a Victorian-era stagecoach pace, traveling from San Diego to Sacramento would average about 50 miles a day. We averaged 12 miles per day. A comfortable walking pace.
Growing up in California, the vibrations of the Gold Rush still shape our nervous systems — our priorities and work ethic. Speed and momentum are worshiped here.
If that bullet train ever gets built, we’ll probably use it, but so far we haven’t found a more relaxing way to travel — or a better way to live a fulfilling retirement.
We’re not ready to face the Forever Waiting Room.
We’re still keen to feel the force of a desert wind,
sleep through a snowstorm,
get flagged down by friends on the road,
picnic beneath the oaks,
and paddle on the bay,
These are the moments we want to continue.
Some say, “You can never go back.” Our California coastal trip was about returning — and even though much has changed, Spring does have a way of making all things new.
When you go back, things will be different, sure. Every time you return, more will be gone — some precious and irreplaceable — gone forever.
But there will be poppies
and surprises and newness emerging from what came before. And there will be memories layered and stacked impossibly between other memories like a decadent Elvis Sandwich.
Yes, you can go back.
But don’t take my word for it.
Ask The King.
You can see our exact route on this map.
*Photos in this post, unless otherwise noted, were taken and copyrighted by Living in Beauty.
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