Week 418 - 40 is a Big Deal - 08-17-2014

Avila Revisited: 41 years later

Last week we said "40 is not that big of a deal." Well, many of our viewers told us otherwise. So we decided to spend this week celebrating this big event. And what better place than Avila Beach / Port San Luis Harbor?

We love to camp at Port San Luis. We learned about it from our wonderful friend Paula. The first time we camped here, it cost us $20 to dry camp. Not too bad for such a beautiful setting. 1) On our left is the quaint little town of Avila Beach and 2) on our right is Port San Luis Harbor pier. We did not camp here this time as now the dry camping is $50 per night, ouch! But you can park along the beach for free from 6am to 2am. So we settled in for a few hours of bliss.

On our left the kayakers paddled out as the canoers on the right sped along in unison.

1) Right in the middle is Captain Jack in his pirate ship. 2) Then it hit us, on the beach, just 100 yards to our left, is where we had our first date, Sunday August 5th, 1973, 41 years and 12 days ago!

This is truly a time to celebrate. So we brought out the wine that Melissa bought us at StillWaters Vineyards on our 40th anniversary (you remember that!). Mandy and Ellen enjoy a glass of wine while Pete takes some more snapshots.

Straight out in front of us was this pelican hovering over the sailboats. We know you'll think we superimposed the bird overs the boats, but we didn't!

For a while the weather was perfect, but even when it got chilly, it was too beautiful to leave. Mandy didn't seem to mind the cold.

A few days after that visit we were at the San Luis Obispo Elks Lodge. A couple approached us and gave us two $45 tickets to the Avila BeachFest on Sunday. And what was great is that they said that Mandy was welcome; they take their dog all the time. So we jumped on the scooter and headed out for a fun filled day.

The weather was great, and in a short walk across the bridge . . .

. . . we would be treated to concerts, fish tacos and refreshments, all sponsored by Firestone Walker.

Wow, a free $90 day and we got it as a random gift! They didn't even know it was our anniversary.

Not so fast. Mandy was persona not grata. Nooooooooooooooo! What happened? They were wrong!

Oh well, Mandy had such fun on the grass, we had a parking spot close to town, so walked on over to enjoy the beach on Front Street. Back to the Future: Will this be us on our 50th anniversary?

Another day in Paradise. Folks enjoy the art, food, drinks, shopping, sailing, walking on the pier, tanning on the beach, kite flying and more.

Wonderful years, wonderful day celebrating our first date!

Thank you to all who wrote back last week and may you be blessed this week.

"For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and the two will become one flesh." Matthew 19:5

Love, Pete, Ellen and Mandy

Photos from Aug 2014