Squeaking in

We are at Gaviota State Beach, where Hwy 1 turns inland at Hollister Ranch (map).

Like many parks in the California state system, the spaces here are incredibly short; rigs over about 30' or so have a real challenge. Other than the two full-hookup camp host spaces, there is really only one space in the entire park large enough for Odyssey, and we were lucky it was free when we arrived. All sites here are $25, and there are no hookups, although bathrooms and a slop sink with hot and cold running water are available, as well as coin-op showers.

This morning, the park is starting to fill up -- Good Friday means many schools are off today, and lots of folks will be camping for the three-day weekend. Among other things, that means Kirk Creek would be full before we could get to it today, so we'll plan to stop sooner than that, perhaps near San Simeon or Morro Bay. We're going to take our chances on finding a spot; if we get aced out, we might have to hunt for a dispersed turnout someplace in the Los Padres forest.

This being the closest coastal access for many communities north of here, the park has a unique feature: a self-service boat hoist capable of lifting two tons. The hoist is at the end of the pier, and lets you drop your boat in the open ocean. You need to have your own ANSI-approved slings, and get trained on hoist operation before using it. So far, is has not seen any use since we arrived.

We had a nice drive yesterday along the Santa Barbara coast, and we are looking forward to today's drive as well.