Eyes Wide Open
Hummingbird Ranch has a true four-season climate.
On winter mornings, frosty hillsides gradually thaw, set aglow as the day’s new sun glides across their chilly shadows. Spring is arguably the most vibrant season, the land bursting with growth, its rolling curves wrapped in lush green velvet. Summertime is hot, too hot for me - afternoons best spent under the pepper tree with only a breath of wind every now and then. We’ve definitely limited our time June through August. Starting in October, we begin to visit regularly again, mornings and evenings are crisp while afternoons are still warm. In the Fall, I sit outside and read, listening as the wind rustles through a large, nearby pine always weighty with cones. When the wind comes up, it ebbs and flows like waves rolling off and on the beach.
And speaking of waves, the ranch is about 30 minutes from the sea, and I SWEAR I have smelled the ocean when the wind blows onshore.
We liken our location to the hub of a wheel, adventure and opportunity spoking out in every direction. Ocean, lakes, vineyards, mountains, orchards, vast plains - It’s been a revelatory experience to discover the diverse beauty of the area. Additionally, more well-known places like San Luis Obispo, Morro Bay, Cambria, and Paso Robles are within a 25-30 minute drive. My favorite thing to do, however, is visit the unique and charming towns that neighbor the ranch.
Downtown Templeton is technically are hometown, although we are geographically closer to others.
Established in 1886, Templeton was the southern terminus for rail passengers coming from the north. Travelers disembarked here and took a stagecoach south to San Luis Obispo. In its heyday, Templeton had a reputation for saloon brawls and wild west gunslinging. It is the only town along the fabled El Camino Real named for a person, rather than a saint.
Today, because of its Mediterranean-like climate and proximity to the cool Pacific Ocean, the Templeton Gap is emerging as a world class wine producer - in fact, many of the wineries carrying the "Paso Robles" appellation are actually in unincorporated Templeton, where Hummingbird Ranch is located.
Our favorite is Castoro Cellars, which produces delicious, certified organic wine from its 1,400 acres of grapes. They also have a gorgeous 18-hole disc golf course, where you can play amongst the vines.
The town closest to us is Creston, a rural village where actual cowboys/cowgirls live and work. Only a five minute drive from the ranch, we often go there to eat at the Longbranch Saloon, a legit rustic bar/restaurant with great burgers, beers, and a fancy wine menu. Still clad in the workday’s dusty jeans, boots, and sometimes spurs, the locals tolerate us pretend-cowpokes, and often welcome us with a smile and nod.
Another place we love is Santa Margarita, home to a gorgeous lake and a very quaint one-road town.
We like to eat on the back patio at Rosalina's for amazing and authentic Mexican food, and have recently had an incredible celebratory dinner for Chad’s birthday at The Range, an old-school steakhouse, that’s daily special is called The Fresh Kill…
We still have so much to explore, and so much more to share. Becoming hummingbird ranchers has been the most unexpected and gratifying experience of my post child-rearing life. I never imagined this would be our path, but I am SO here for it! Thanks for coming along for the ride.