Super Bloom, etc.
Last Thursday, I woke from a dream to the sound of dishes clattering upstairs. It was midnight dark and the dog was still asleep next me. I squinted at my phone - 4:30 - what the actual… We were planning to leave for the ranch, but not in the middle of the freaking night. Chad had decided departure was imminent and I was not stoked. We loaded into the car and set out on our way. Not a word was spoken for two hours - mutually agreed silence - until we hit the Starbucks on the other side of the Grapevine.
The morning light on California’s central valley is golden and penetrating. I slid on my sunglasses and settled in for my favorite part of the journey. There are two ways to Hummingbird Ranch - 101 or the 5 - both generally take four hours. We like to mix it up, and this time chose the 5, exiting at Highway 46 which takes us directly into the Paso Robles area.
From the 5, Highway 46 passes through a small town that seems to be on the rise. Lost Hills has a beautiful city park and a brand new, very impressive pedestrian bridge. Cal Trans is also widening its once two-lane road to a divided four lanes. Not sure if that’s a good or a bad thing…
After Lost Hills, hundreds of oil wells dot the landscape, their noses and tails rocking rhythmically up and down. When I was little, oil wells reminded me of horses, so I think they are a bit charming.
This area is normally a sea of buff-colored, dried-out grasses and shrubs. Cattle graze here, on what, I’m not sure. There is a very small lavender farm trying to make a go of it, promising visitors photo ops among purple blooming mounds. In the two plus years we’ve been driving by the signs are still promising, but the mounds have yet to astound - not sure how that’s even possible after all the rain we’ve had.
The rain has had an impact on the rest of the landscape however, providing a velvety green canvas for the wildflowers to pop orange, yellow, pink, purple. It’s really stunning. I see why people get excited about the “Super Bloom.”
After the oil wells, the road opens up, cutting through almond, walnut and pistachio groves toward the foothills that divide the flat agricultural valley from the more coastal area. When you come down the small grade on the other side, it becomes more hilly, and the cattle become more abundant. This is also the place James Dean died in a 1955 car accident. A little makeshift memorial on the side of the road marks the location.
A bit further down the 46, we peel off and begin the final leg of our trip, through Highway 41’s lush hills. The 41 is a winding two-lane road scattered with farms and cows and windmills and silos - it’s very dreamy. I always put Charles on my lap for this part and we roll down the window to take in the fresh air.
Once we are on our little ranch road, I always breathe a little easier. As we approached the ranch this time, I could see all the oaks were leafing out and the meadows were super green. Flowers were everywhere, and the roadside maintenance Chad has diligently persisted with for more than two years has paid off. Where reedy, brown stalks used to stand, emerald grasses now wave and undulate with the breeze.
When we pulled up the driveway this time we were met by Smokey and Gunner, two free-range dogs that live on a ranch at the very end of our road. We’d seen them before traipsing on other people’s property, but they had never been at Hummingbird Ranch. Charles was a little surprised to see his ranch breached, but the boys were nice and he was a bit intrigued. They like Chad a lot too.
As per usual, Chad can’t sit still for more than 10 minutes, so he set out with the weed whipper, and Charley and I, and the boys, set out for our regular ranch loop to see the sights - and wowzer, the sights did not disappoint.
This place has truly been a gift. It feeds my soul. I know that sounds trite or like an amateurish trope, but it really is life-affirming.
When we come up, we like to drive around and explore nearby areas. We went a little deeper into Creston this time and I had to stop and capture this moment. I hope you enjoy it as much as I did.
Absolutely magical. I actually started laughing with the 4:30 am comment, because even though it was decades ago, I still remember that mornings (and morning classes) were not your favorite. ;)
give Emmy my love...