Lake Cachuma campground feels like home;  we’ve been here 1 1/2 weeks.  Campground neighbors change, mostly coming and going on weekends and lots of open space in the middle of the week.   I suspect we’ll have a full house this July 4 weekend.

We continue to investigate the area.  Twice we’ve driven El Camino Cielo, an incredible road that travels a mountain ridge, with one side overlooking Santa Barbara and the Channel Islands; the other side the San Padre national forest and canyons.  Crazy switchbacks, drop offs, views and no guard rails on the road.   On the second trip, we hooked the video camera to the windshield and memorialized the trip.    Learning how to cut, edit and post a video clip next on the ‘to do’ list.

We spent a day in beautiful Santa Barbara, a town over the mountain and on the ocean.  The Visitors Center staff provided many suggestions for places to visit.  First, was lunch at an open air restaurant serving ‘rustic CA’ food in the historic area off State street.  Yum – a red meat fix with lots of avocados for me;  Steve munched a turkey burger loaded with cheese.   Next was the court house, built in 1929, with beautiful wall  murals, paintings and ceramic designs depicting history of the area. Open air hallways and courtyards throughout.   We drove to and parked on Stearns  Wharf, which juts well out into the ocean and houses many stores and restaurants.  The wharf and beach area are busy with musicians, artists, swimmers, kayakers,  paddle boarders, personal and commercial boats….    Round about way home via Costco, grocery store, gas station….   And once home, I realized the notebook I’ve been using as both a diary and list keeper for RV activities since we left CT was missing!!  Steve, to the rescue, drove back to the grocery store and was able to retrieve it from ‘lost and found’     Big, big sigh of relief and many thanks to Steve.

A few days before going to Santa Barbara, the campground was hazy and contained smoke smell.  Turns out there was a 300 acre forest fire in Lompoc, a town approximately 25 miles away.   Fortunately the fire was contained within 24 hours….     With so little rain and water restrictions, any fire causes great concern.

Another town nearby is Solvang, founded by Danes and with many connections still to Denmark.   The town resembles a Danish village and includes an old fashion windmill, a replica of the ‘little mermaid’ and a great coffee shop with free coffee refills and WIFI.

From a two-hour ranger-led boat tour on lake Cachuma, we learned much about the local animals, plants, history, etc…   This area (Santa Barbara county)  has the most diverse plant life in the U.S., due to the varying terrain and ocean impact.  Sequoia trees on the top of mountains that are over 4,800 feet up, chaparral and a wide range of trees, shrubs and flowers that live on the mountain sides, canyons and arrid areas.   We saw a bald eagle, blue herons, red tail Hawks, Greebs (which remind me of the cormorants) and other birds.  No mountain lions, deer or other 4 legged critters.

And a couple of side-bar comments:

– the campground is being patrolled this weekend by mounted Rangers, most likely due to the July 4 holiday.  So cool to have a horse and rider stop by the campsite…

– should have checked the deck of cards I brought.   Playing cribbage tonight with Steve  found out there were only 50 cards!  Oh well, only missing 2…….