SLO, CA Gathering at Montana de Oro SP Sept. 13-15, 2007

[dhazard]

As of now I think the Hazards will make it.

[Esteban]

Here are some pictures of Montana do Oro and the campground where we'll have the SLO Gathering in September. It's a very pretty park that is seldom very crowded. i'd guess about 10 miles of coastline is state parks land from the southern end of Montana do Oro northward to the tip of the Morro Bay sandspit.


This is Spooner's Cove at Montana de Oro State Park. The campground is a little way above the cove in a sheltered valley.


This is the open space inside the first road loop in the campground, with a couple of loos. In the background you can see campsites. More camp sites are along the road to the right of the picture against the hillside with pine trees.


One of the campsites. Each one has paved parking, that's about 24' x 24', for 2 side by side vehicles, a table, and a metal fire ring. No shade at this spot but it shows a campsite's layout well. Each campsite has room for tents or Easy Ups. Most are pretty level.


A creek side camp site with some shade. Wonder if they're going to kayak in Morro Bay or the ocean?


Ready to roll in.


This is part of the back loop where we have sites "on hold." The tents are inside the loop. In between the tent on the left and the loo is a water tank behind a fence. Potable water is trucked in.


Another water tank, loos, shade, and camp spots inside the rear loop. There's more open space under the big trees that doesn't show up well in this shot that would be nice for socializing and pot lucks.



Hope this helps you picture the enjoyable time we're all going to have camping at Montana de Oro in September.

[Mike Ahern]

Steve
The pictures are great, looking forward to SLO gathering.
Mike

[cherokeegeorge]

good pics Steve I've been to montana de oro many times and its a great call for a gathering. something that makes it different is that the beach is covered with low grade semi prescios stones. I,m really looking forward to Sept.

[Italia]

Steve,
Dan & Deb DeBono of Simi Valley, Ca. will be at the gathering.

Thanks,
Chris

[Esteban]

Welcome Dan and Deb.

Thanks Chris for your recruiting. We're up to 22 campers now. It looks like a good gathering of people and trailers is coming together.

[martha24]

As of now I think the Hazards will make it.

Steve, Looks like you missed Dan Hazard on your on going RSVP list.
Martha

[Esteban]

Welcome Dan Hazard.

Thanks for catching my oversight Martha.

[Harmany]

Harmany - Lynda Harman, Campinn 550. I would like to attend. I met George and Kathy up at Buckhorn this weekend. Am I in time to secure the last 24th spot??

[Esteban]

Welcome Lynda, You get the 24th "on hold" spot. I see this is your first posting so welcome to the SLO Gathering and to the T&TTT playground.

We'll talk to the camp host soon to see if we can get more spots.

[Duane King]

Steve,

You started this whole thing by saying you wanted a small campout. I think it's quickly growing beyond that. Next, you're going to have to start planning group activities.

[Esteban]

Steve,

You started this whole thing by saying you wanted a small campout. I think it's quickly growing beyond that. Next, you're going to have to start planning group activities.

Duane, you're right...this is a bigger gathering than I first envisioned. 24 people/couples are signed up. It's exceeded my expectations to have so many people signed up so soon.

We have a very, very small group of people putting this gathering together. Chris, Dan, and I threw out a few ideas among ourselves. So far we've only said we expect a traditional Saturday evening pot luck. We're newbies organizing a camping gathering. So, our "activity planning" will be low key.

For planned activities to happen we want and need people to get things going. Duane are you volunteering?

Here are some ideas:

SLO has a Thursday evening downtown Farmer's Market from 6:30 to 9 PM people may enjoy. There are blocks of fruit and veggie vendors, downtown restaurants with food booths, live music, with good people watching. It's something to do on your own or get together to car pool.

Are there any good Dutch Oven cooks coming who could do a demonstration of DO cooking?

There's a pretty beach at Spooner's Cove almost begging for something to happen. It doesn't have fire rings, and beach fires aren't allowed. It's OK to BBQ on top of the picnic tables on the beach. Lunch, dinner, a beach party?

Montana de Oro has a long ocean bluff top walk and trails into the hills for walkers and hikers. It's a good park for photographers. A bike could be handy for getting around. There's a 9 hole golf course in Los Osos and MBSP has an 18 hole course. Nearby Morro Bay has good restaurants especially for seafood. SLO county has many wineries for anyone who wants to go wine tasting.

Ma3tt wrote, awhile back, that he'd like to help plan and organize some fun things to. Hope to hear what he has in mind.

I want to meet you all, to make some new friends, and admire your trailers.

[dmb90260]

SLO has a Thursday evening Farmer's Market downtown from 6:30 to 9 PM people may enjoy. There are blocks of fruit and veggie vendors, downtown restaurants with food booths, live music, and good people watching. It's something to do on your own or to car pool together.

On another thread someone mentioned not having a good experience with a fine Santa Maria Tri-tip BBQ. You will find them here. The tri-tip will be worth the trip.
With jury duty on that Monday, there is no way I can commit to being there.
I have used up my single date-switch so I can make Mendocino.

[martha24]

Ma3tt has a great cast iron collection & knows dutch oven cooking, maybe he could do a demonstration.
Martha

[Esteban]

SLO Farmer's Market has booths selling tri-tip sandwiches. It'd be easy to bring a BBQ to MdeO to cook some up on the spot. Not Santa Maria authentic but very tasty.