Above The Clouds
A few weeks ago we visited wine country in Paso Robles, along the Central Coast of California. Since we are now a bit older (and wiser), and unlike previous trips to Napa and Sonoma, we built in a couple days where we didn't spend the entire day drinking lots and lots of wine. On one of those days, I left the house before sunrise and drove the short distance toward the coast.
Paso Robles, and its nearby bigger city of San Luis Obispo, is a wonderful place! Paso sits inland from a 3000 foot coastal range called the Santa Lucia Mountains. On the inland side it was hot - 95 degrees of dry heat! Drive forty minutes through a gap in the range and you are on the Central Coast and it is a pleasant 75 degrees! You can basically have whatever you want... warm desert climate inland, or a pleasant coastal climate along the ocean... with fun California coastal towns like Morro Bay along the beach.
On the morning I drove to the coast before sunrise, I crested the Santa Lucia Range and saw a beautiful cloud inversion sitting over the entire coastline below. I waited for the first rays of the sun to light up the golden hillside to create the image above. It would take several hours for that cloud layer to burn off and reveal the sun along the coast. I made some images there too, and hopefully I'll share one of those in the coming weeks.
What a special place. I'm sure I will revisit!