49.04 California: Montana de Oro: Valencia Peak, a golden park. (A salute to Mario Baptista).
Nice perspective from height. A visit to Montana de Oro state park is a treat. A second visit is double pleasure. It truly is a wonderful place which is further enhanced by the colors and foliage of spring. Our last visit was in winter which provided the same structure of course but different coloring. While the park is wonderful in all seasons, spring allowed for an extra treat for the senses because of the vibrancy of the features. We followed the climb and descent with a visit to the dunes that lead into the ocean. It was a satisfying end to a day that once again set us up for a relaxing evening and the promise of a good start for the next day. We've included more than the typical number of pictures even though we've left off many that would normally qualify. It attests to how beautiful we believe the region to be. (Continues at end...) Heading to the peak of Valencia. Early stages as we hit an extremely steep section. That's the steep section which ...