The Sun will come out to Morro...

I think that if we pulled into the Econolodge a minute later than we did, I would likely have imploded, like an eggplant when you bake them too long at 350 degrees. We rang the bell (it was after 9PM) and waited until a tiny Indian Man came forth sing-songing about how nice it was to see us. I don't know much about seeing anything at that point. My cheeks were numb from the wind. My shorts were literally soaked through, making me look as if I had peed my pants. Key. Key. Key!, Man, JUST GIVE US THE FUCKING KEY! It was dark-ish and a bit foggy, but I could smell that we were by the ocean.

I grabbed my toiletry kit from the bike and headed straight for the room. Peeling off clothes as I went, I headed directly to the shower. After that, I remember watching some TV about Yellowstone Park and volcanoes, and not much else. The alarm was the next thing I heard. Another long day of driving ahead, we stopped by the "lobby" (about the size of a broom closet) and got some hot water in a styrofoam cup for tea. I ate some Cheerios from one of those knob-turny-dispenser thingies. On the way out the door I looked up and saw THIS:

Shortly after Columbus reached the American shores, a Portuguese explorer, Juan Rodriguez Cabrillo, traveled the land now called Southern California. In 1542 he discovered and named Morro Rock.

Today geologists associate Morro Rock, an extinct volcano, with eight other extinct volcanoes in the region. Collectively they are known as the nine sisters, and they run from Morrow Bay to San Luis Obispo, along the South-central California Coast.

Morrow Rock currently serves as a nature preserve protecting, among other things, the peregrine falcon, which tastes a great deal like chicken.

By that marina was a lovely old man watering the flowers. I spied this wonderful California Poppy, remembering that it is one of my mother's favorite flowers.