Morro Bay, California

Heavy overcast and rain forced cancellation of our hike on the Pecho Coast trail out to the lighthouse near the Diablo Canyon nuclear plant. (A relatively rare guided tour since PG&E doesn't normally allow folks meandering across their land.) So Peter, Ellen, Ann and Julie improvised, driving around the point at Avila to get to Shell Beach Road. After walking past some extraordinary mansions looking out at the sea, we found a trail -- heading up. In soil wet from last night's downpour, we slogged on.
Eventually found a path down to Pirates' Cove. Slippery. Which Ann confirmed when we had to rappel down the last 10-12 feet to the sand, courtesy of some previous hiker who'd strung a strong nylon line down the last slick railroad tie steps. She was fine until the last 4-5 steps -- lost her footing and went down in the mud. No injuries. Some beach combing turned up some fine examples of drying seaweed (Peter's goatee in the photo was a mystery -- we're calling it pubic kelp.) On the way back from this fine, but muddy hike, we swung into a likely looking establishment along the road offering broken up wine barrels -- staves, end pieces and the like. While wandering around (admiring the vintage cars in the tumble-down garage and the fabulously feathered chickens in the yard), we encountered two fierce geese, who advanced on us with great cacophony of honking. Ann sagely warned the rest of us that geese can bite -- and these weren't being shooed away. After the big white gander plucked at her pant legs, Ann not-so-sagely turned to walk away and got a savage nip in her calf. Big purple bruise. That's it. Paula wants to upload pix and post this!!