Life Is a Beach

The drive north from Pismo Beach was an extraordinary adventure. We enjoyed our stay at Pismo Beach, but the drive north along the 101 was an equal delight. The road took us through some of the most beautiful vineyards, ranches, and fruit/vegetable farms we have ever seen. The rolling hills appeared to be manicured by master gardeners, while the regimented vines filled vast acreages within the valleys. As we entered the Pajaro Valley, the vineyards gave way to vast fields of strawberries (more about those later), greens, and some wild bushes that I later learned were artichokes. Despite a rough and winding road at the end, we found our way to our home for the next 7 nights, Santa Cruz/Monterey Bay KOA Watsonville, CA. 

The Santa Cruz/Monterey KOA was adjacent to a Natural Reserve, so we chose to stay there. Unfortunately, there was no way to access the Reserve. A few of the Reserve's residents would visit, but mostly we had a green wall of trees and shrubs at the back of our site. A lovely area for walking within the park still had a few lingering blooms. The park marketed itself as a place for young families to stay for a weekend or longer, and they were everywhere. Our space at the back of the park kept us insulated from herds of children and their bikes, trikes, and scooters. However, the sound of laughter and watching families enjoying their time together offered their own rewards.

 

We went through the Scripps Aquarium in La Jolla, CA, several years ago. One of the visitors at that time mentioned that the Monterey Bay Aquarium was even better. At that time, I was impressed with Scripps and decided to see Monterey Bay. We made the drive and discovered that the museum is part of the Old Cannery Row District, made famous by the writings of John Steinbeck. (More on that in a bit.) In fact, the Aquarium is in one of the old Sardine Canneries. Different areas of the Aquarium highlight various parts of flora and fauna of the coastal waters. The Open Sea exhibit gave you a feel for the ocean depths.

 

The picture is from a feeding of the sardines that live in the exhibit with their natural predators, Mahi-Mahi and Blue-fin Tuna. This is commonplace in our world, but for me, it was an exotic world where my everyday assumptions and expectations were drowned in a whole new perspective. These creatures shared a single space but were cared for in ways that they did not have to be enemies, competing for food or space. The staff fed the predators first. And when they had their fill, they fed the sardines, allowing them time at the top of the water to feed. This aquatic dance of predator and prey is beyond human control in the open Ocean. But it works. At one time, I would have called this a wilderness of competing interests where the winner takes all. But now, I see it as the natural world, where there are no real enemies. Nature is not about winners and losers but about balanced living, where cooperation is the true survival skill for all concerned. If each species gets what it needs, not necessarily all it wants, it can live in peace. This story was told repeatedly in the Aquarium.

 

After observing this role of cooperation, I gained a greater understanding of John Steinbeck's writings, especially about the human condition on Cannery Row. Cannery Row had a reputation as a classic human landscape where competition and greed drove the community or lack thereof. But Steinbeck saw that the ugliness of unvarnished capitalism obscured but did not diminish the great nobility of spirit in the residents of Cannery Row. This picture is the Cannery Row memorial and pictures Steinbeck sitting on top and observing the people of the Row as they lived their lives. The figures around him are the workers on the lines of the fish processing plants, a scientist who understood the necessity of the tidal waters of Monterey Bay, a Chinese fisherman, the men who redeveloped the Row for tourism, and the young women who worked in the bars and brothels. I have started rereading Cannery Row to appreciate all he saw in his time and place along Monterey Bay. He offers a window through which I can see our ordinary, everyday world in 2023 with a new perspective.

 

As I mentioned, the Pajaro Valley is one of the USA's biggest fruit and vegetable producers. The valley is formed along the Pajaro River and the slough it created thousands of years ago. The river carried sediment from the hills above the valley and enriched the soil. It provides water to nurture agriculture. The old mouth of the river now forms the Elkhorn Slough, which has been set aside as an Estuarine Research Reserve. We walked the primary loop and saw all five types of land represented by the Reserve. The picture gives you an overview of the estuary part of the Reserve. We saw many birds living abundant lives amid the vast human development surrounding them. Many of the birds are old friends from the Texas Gulf Coast, but they were beginning to show their Summer Breeding colors and seemed like whole new species. If the farmers stay out of the Reserve and the Reserve does not inhibit them from growing crops, they will all find a way to survive and thrive in this beautiful place.

 

It was a different story back in the 19th Century for the Hills above the valleys of the Central California coast. The Henry Cowell Redwood State Park Grove shelters a small grove of Old-Growth Redwoods. The rest were clear-cut to build the San Francisco that was destroyed by the great earthquake of 1906 and, more recently, the decks and deck chairs for California beach houses that line the Pacific Coast. As the picture demonstrates, these magnificent trees have evolved to lean on one another and intertwine their roots in circles. These circles stabilize their shallow root systems in the loose mountain soils. When fires or high winds threaten to topple them, they literally lean and hold on to one another to survive. A tree circle is evidence of nature’s need for cooperation, not competition. As we found in the depths of the Pacific Ocean, here on the hills above Santa Cruz, cooperation is the key to life in a world of change. I wish more people would sit quietly amid these gentle giants and let nature help them grow up! Unfortunately, they are no match for human greed. Nature understands life.

 

We went to the Watsonville Farmer's Market along the Pajaro River. The weekly market on the central plaza is a marvel. On one side, vendors sell crafts, produce, and services. At the same time, across the street, we found all kinds of food stands selling tacos and hundreds of other delicacies. This is a State Certified Farmer's Market, meaning every vendor had to bring their product from their farm. The produce was amazing, and they reintroduced me to an old friend, the strawberry. (I told you we would get to those strawberries.) I love strawberries, but often by the time we would get them in Texas, they were rather tasteless. They do not transport very well. But these strawberries were fresh from the fields, and they tasted like it. The flavor exploded in my mouth, and I hesitated to swallow, to savor that rich “strawberriness” for a bit longer. It was as if I had never really known a strawberry before. 

 

We then rode to Moss Landing State Beach, where the Elkhorn Slough empties into the Pacific. This is a new landscape for us, and we found four new species of birds, along with a group of harbor seals lounging on the sand. We saw White-winged Scoters, Surf Scoters, Heermann’s Gulls, and Red-throated Loons (picture above). In addition, we encountered some old friends in their breeding plumage, including Common Loons, Red-throated Mergansers, Barrow's Golden Eyes, Dunlins, Western Grebes, and Pelagic Cormorants. Along an old slough, we made new friends and got to know some old friends in new ways. 

 

I mentioned that we saw some Harbor Seals lounging on a sand bar in the slough. Is this a picture of indolence or self-care? In Cannery Row, Steinbeck tells the story of Mack and the boys who lived in the Palace Flophouse and Grill, where they stayed without paying rent and worked in the canneries only when they needed the money. Were they indolent, or were they taking care of themselves the best way they could? I agree with Steinbeck that the only reasonable answer to both questions is an emphatic "Yes!” This would be indolence in a competitive human realm where industry is supposed to be rewarded and laziness punished to avoid the sin of sloth. But these seals and Mack’s Boys are living life on their terms. They have chosen their kingdoms and do not need anyone else's approval to live their choices. They are not some esoteric free spirits. They are just creatures of their world, making the best of the life that they have been dealt. The seals have been dealt their niche by nature. Mack and Boy's world was handed to them by society. And instead of being victims, they have chosen to be the kings and princes of their realm, Cannery Row, and the small patch of sand. I have nothing but respect and a little envy for the seals on their sand bar and Mack and the Boys in their Palace.

 

 

We did enjoy one day of wanderings when we headed down into the valley beyond the coastal hills and found our way to Gilroy, CA, the Garlic Capital of the World. We have visited Cranberry World Headquarters near Cape Cod and Pistachio World in Alamogordo, NM. Those experiences led us to make a stop when Garlic World appeared on Google Maps. We were expecting a place that celebrated all things garlicky. In short, it was a garlic store with this picture opportunity out front. I had never considered buying garlic ice cream, garlic honey, or different varieties of garlic salsas. Unfortunately, unlike Pistachio World, they did not let the customers sample their products so that they could let go of a sawbuck for a bag of garlic chips. So, we nodded and worked our way along the aisles, unconvinced of the worth of the various products. There was a BBQ joint at the back of the store, and it was lunchtime, so we decided to try our first California BBQ. It was good. Marlene had a Pulled Pork Sandwich with Mike's Secret Sauce. We both enjoyed the cole slaw and garlic bread. I had a tri-tip sandwich and tried all three of the sauces they offered. The Secret Sauce was good. The Sweet and Spicy was both. But the Hickory Sauce was excellent. As many of you know, I am a bit of a BBQ snob. I do not usually go for sauces. But the tri-tip was a bit tasteless and needed the sauce. The sauce was the real star. Despite our disappointment with Garlic World, the BBQ was a pleasant surprise. This is one of the joys of wandering without expectations. Pleasant surprises can make up for the occasional disappointment. 

 

Our trip back to Koko took us through Hecker Pass, where we stopped for a tasting at Hecker Pass Winery. We met Jenny, a third-generation winemaker on the vineyard, who introduced us to five different wines. Marlene had a selection of sweet whites and dessert wines. I enjoyed a variety of dry reds, including a Sirah, Merlot, Cabernet, Burgundy, and Chianti. All were excellent, but I came home with a Cab (the wine, not the mode of transportation). Jenny was fun to talk to. She was interested in our travels as well as sharing her family's travels in their own RV. It was a delightful hour in a comfortable setting with good folks. Again, a pleasant surprise offset the disappointment of not seeing a Native American site at a County park due to hundreds of bicycles in the parking lot for a bike rally. We wandered over Hecker Pass, and I was ready for a nap. Indolence or self-care? Yep, it was both, and I enjoyed the whole thing!

 

Our last full day in Watsonville was a chill and chore day. It was time to clean out Koko and prepare for our move to the San Francisco Area for a week. Living in a small area means everything must have a place, and the space needs to be kept clean. Stuff tends to move around after a few weeks and needs to be repacked. Grit and dust accumulate and needs sweeping and wiping. Wandering is not a vacation in a hotel room where we can leave the cleaning to others. Plus, two vehicles need to be maintained. Our last day is all about the chores that are part of our wanderlust. But then, we always make room for some chillin' since I have a couple of books waiting for my return. Plus, we rewarded ourselves with a nice dinner at a small Mom-and-Pop Mexican food restaurant. A good meal, and Mama made sure to show us her wedding picture as well as tell us all about her family. I love these places. Then we returned to Koko or a quiet last evening in Watsonville. How is that for the exciting life of full-time RVers?

 

 

On the West Coast, life is a beach! Our time in Southern California and Monterey has helped me understand Californian’s infatuation with the beach and beach culture. From the Beach Boys to sun-tanned bodies playing volleyball, California has created a sense of what the good life represents. But, like most things, the reality is never quite clear-cut. For example, I never realized how cold it can get on the beach. The Pacific is a cold ocean, and the winds that blow across it are not the warm temperate winds of the Texas Gulf Coast. I never noticed that California Beach wear often includes a light sweater or windbreaker (often hanging around the neck when the sun comes out). I also never appreciated the sea fog's role in California Beach life. It blows in and can coat everything with enough water to sustain a Redwood Forest through a drought. The California Beach scene is not all sunshine and sunbathing in barely any clothing.

 

The Californian idea that life is a beach is still valid. Why? Because in California, things are not always what they appear. It is a land of imagination. California works if we do not expect it to be more than it is, a place where paradise is sometimes possible. What is required is for people to learn from the majestic Redwoods and lean on one another when the winds blow. Life is a beach only as long as we can wrap our roots around our neighbors, knowing that the mud will slide down the hills and the fires will burn. 

 

California Dreamin’ is a good hymn for life on the beaches of California, where paradise is more aspirational than actual! And that is perfectly okay.

 

All the leaves are brown 

And the sky is gray 

I've been for a walk 

On a winter's day 

I'd be safe and warm 

If I was in LA.

 

California dreamin' 

On such a winter's day

(by John Edmund Andrew Phillips / Michelle Gilliam Phillips)

 

Looking forward to the journey north to San Francisco/Petaluma KOA in Petaluma, CA. 

 

Come along and see what else California has to teach me.

 

Bob