Moss Landing

On our first day at Moss Landing we took a long walk along the dunes that separate the slough from the beach.


The path was roped off to keep people, dogs, and horses off the dunes because they are in a state of restoration.


Below is a 1 minute video of the highlights of the walk. The plants were interesting, The sunshine was perfect, and the weather was perfect.  After walking along the back of the dunes we cut across to the beach.  The waves were wonderful, and at one point we stopped to rest on a large driftwood log.  As we looked out to sea we saw the fins of a very large pod of dolphin.  There must have been a hundred of them!


At this point I'm learning to cut video down to just a taste.  I will soon be learning to add words and music.
What I want to do is create very short videos like this for my blog, but also do a longer version for ourselves.

On the second day we took a guided boat ride in the Elkhorn Slough.  The video below gives you a taste of what we saw.  It is only a minute and a half, but this time I experimented with using the still photos taken with my Canon Point and Shoot, titles and background music.

if you click on  YouTube  you can see a larger version

 Once there you can expand to full screen by clicking on the 

arrows in the lower right corner, give it a try

There is so much to learn in using the new camera and in using iMovie and iTunes.  But it sure is a lot less trouble than editing the old 8mm with white gloves!

I'm not sure if this is my thing yet or not.  

New Name

I just don't feel like processing pictures today so the images from Moss Landing will just have to wait.


Somehow, when we arrived in Moss Landing we missed the very obvious entrance to the KOA.  We went a little way past it and turned around, then we drove past it a second time. 


(We were later told by Levonne that she and the manager watched us drive by.)


We stopped down the street from it, and I went into the Post Office to ask directions.  Two nice ladies were getting their mail and walked out with me to point out the KOA which was all of a half block away. 


  They looked at the Alfa and asked: "Is that your Big White Thing?"


When I reboarded the Alfa I told Craig what they had called it and he decided that would be its new name.


"The Big White Thing"


I will probably still call it The Alfa.


Other bits:
We have ordered walkie-talkie head sets to use when getting in or out of our yard, or backing into park spots.


I called and requested an estimate from a stump grinding company to remove the stump which will widen the upper drive a bit.


I ordered a $10 toy Class A RV that I can play with to help me understand how to give better backing up directions.


We will do better next time! 

So Where Do We Sign Up?

If today is an example of a laid back day on the road, I say: "where do we sign up!"

After a very comfortable night sleep (I was totally exhausted both mentally and physically) we walked over to a local restrauant with our friends Levonne and John for breakfast.  

Their dog Gingee was sad she couldn't come in, but found a way to see her Mom and Dad.  (Levonne was NOT happy she found her way onto a table.)

On the way back to our rigs we sighted our first otter. 
They are everywhere!


Tomorrow we are going on a guided boat tour that will focus on the otters.


John and Levonne had their own things to do, so Craig and I decided to look into renting some Kayaks.  I wasn't enthusiastic because we really didn't have what I considered the right clothes, and it would have been a long walk to the rental place.  (I have never been kayaking.)

So we settled on a nice long walk in the dunes and along the beach.








I also shot some video, but I don't have my YouTube password along, so I will post a bit of it later in the week.


I was excited to see some dolphins out in the ocean.  I have lived in California for a long time and have never seen them!

One last picture:


These are the two little dings we put in the lower edge of the Alfa.  If we get home and have this be the worst, I'll be happy.


It has been a nice first day.  


Like I said:
"Where do we sign up!"


Right now our dinner is cooking in the slow cooker, Craig is watching a baseball game, and I am blogging.  Sweet!

First Drive OUT

Well, we made it out of our drive and out of our road, but it was not easy and it was not "pretty!"

As Craig eased the Alfa out of it's parking place everything seemed good:


But, as he came around the curve where the evil tree had been, he got too close to its root and got a bit hung up.


Unfortunately this dented the lower edge along the  bottom of the driver's side.  Not too bad.  But dented.


We got out of the upper drive and went down to the lower drive to turn around. 

Unfortunately, Craig started the turn into the driveway a bit too soon and came very very close to the jagged stone wall:


Stop!  Look out!

But after a few careful moves he was in the clear:

He straightened it out and was able to do a clean back out:


Not a lot of extra room, but we did it!

Then he was able to turn it around and we were headed up the road.  I did get out once more to watch the side as we edged past a tight curve along a rocky wall, but otherwise we were quite OK.


The next 1/2 mile were a little scary.  As we approached the worse of the tight, blind curves, I suggested Craig blow the horn before edging around it.  That was good because there was  car coming  the other way.


Next we had to merge onto the freeway in rush our traffic, but that went OK.

The next 44 miles were smooth.  A bit stop and go, but no problems.


We had a small problem actually finding the KOA.  Passed the entrance twice! But once we found it and a couple of guys helped us park we got settled in OK. 


We did have one more minor mishap.  A box of Kleenex was in the way of the slide edge and bent the trim a little.  I'm way too tired to be upset about it.

Taking along a precooked meal was a good idea. The white bean chili tasted pretty good!


We even got the oven lit and baked a par-baked bread from Trader Joe's!


After dinner we went for a night walk.  


The only bad thing about the Moss Landing KOA so far is that the water smells like rotten eggs!  Glad I brought a big bottle of water for coffee tomorrow!


So, a few dings, a few problems, but so far so good!


 We did it!