20 days?

Day 20: How in the heck is it already day 20? One part of this trip we enjoyed most was planning it. Before we even rolled out of the driveway. The days, weeks, months preceding where Tara and I stayed up after the kids went to bed and figured out what we wanted to do, and where we wanted to go. The discussions with the kids about what they hoped to see. Booking campsites. As the actual trip approached it almost felt a little sad that all the anticipation was almost over. It’s been fun comparing how we imagined all the different places would look and feel, to the reality of each location.

Each stop along the way has been our favorite. As the day comes close to moving on we always wonder if we should “just stay one more day”, thinking to ourselves there is no way the next stop can compare… but each has exceeded our expectations.

Today we left amazing Oceanside for San Mateo campground. It was my favorite drive of the trip for a few reasons, the biggest of which being the drive was only 30 minutes long. San Mateo is located right next to San Clemente, one of my favorite places in the world, and a short walk to Tressles, a world class surf destination. Everything you have read online about the California “superbloom” is spot on. California has never looked more beautiful. Every drive on the interstate is through a full palate of colorful wildflowers atop Hawaii-like rolling hills of green. I’ve never seen California like this and I’m glad we have the chance to drive through it. San Mateo, being a state campground is beautiful, surrounded by the previously described green hills which lead to a spectacular Pacific Ocean. It feels like we are in the country, while we know we are in southern California. We got to our stop a little early so we had to turn around and find a place to kill a couple hours. As such. We enjoyed a picturesque family picnic in the San Clemente Walmart parking lot (plenty of parking), got some necessities (sunglasses, boogie board, ice cream)… and returned to setup.

We met up with the my Aunt Nancy and Uncle Dan, and went to Mission Viejo Lake for a cookout with them and my cousins Amy and Laura and their kids. Cousin Mary couldn’t make it but we were glad Michael and Emma came. All the kids had a blast playing in the sand, running around, and having fun. I thought Owen really liked the Capri Sun juices he kept asking for until i saw him chasing ducks and trying to squirt them with it. I’m afraid to say if there were others at the park they too would have known Owen by name. Threenagers (sigh).

Excited for some San Clemente, Surfin Donuts, and more time with family tomorrow.