Day 11 - San Jose, Monterey and Paso Robles, CA

Day 11:
Heading to Morro Bay today; specifically we are staying at Paso Robles at the Wine Country RV Park. It is about 8 miles or so inland from the coast because I could not find any available places to stay in Morro Bay itself.

But first we need to get through San Francisco traffic. Our GPS was faithful and true and we made it without any glitches. Johnnie drove and I navigated and that seems to work pretty good.

First stop is at the Winchester Mystery House in San Jose. We fuel up at Bill's cafe before heading over to tour the house.

A good place to stop for local food

Sarah Winchester, heiress to the Winchester fortune (gun makers), was obsessed with building and kept carpenters busy 24 hrs. a day for 38 years adding onto the mansion. She was thought to be a bit daffy or possibly senile because of the unexplainable features: doors and windows that open to blank walls, a door that opens to an 8 ft. drop, and a staircase that goes from floor to ceiling. Supposedly there were several deaths in the house including workmen and a child, and that may contribute to the rumors of it being haunted. She was definitely into symbolism with various religious or spiritual motifs.

I remembered the house as sitting off by itself from the days when we traveled by it when I was a child. Well, San Jose has grown up around the estate and now surrounds it entirely! The mansion is huge with 130 rooms and originally had an estate of 160 acres filled with farm land and orchards. It was as close to self sufficient as could be in those days.

I was so disappointed to find that the main mansion tour includes 13 flights of stairs (no functional elevator). I simply could not do that, so we had to resign ourselves to touring just the gardens and outbuildings. Next time!

This supplied the house with electricity from a gasoline engine

Anyone know what this is?

All the fountains were just a trickle because of the drought

Grain separator

How would you like to push mow this huge estate?

Fine example of Victorian architecture

From San Jose we drive to Monterey and stop for a walk along the old Fisherman's Wharf. It is a fine day and the Sea Lions and Otters are putting on a show for us.

Sea lions at play

View of the harbor

From Monterey to Paso Robles we travel through the agricultural belt with fields as far as the eye can see: all kinds of vegetables and fruits.

Arriving at the Wine Country RV Resort in Paso Robles about 5:30pm. My back is ready to get out of the truck and stretch, although I am a little better today than yesterday.