Wednesday, April 21, 2010

SLO Town View


slo town view, originally uploaded by ParsecTraveller.

It was a stormy day in San Luis Obispo, but that meant for dramatic skies. Indeed, sunset proved to be an amazing time, with fast-moving clouds and beautiful shades of pink and orange. The non-native grasses, which can be seen in the foreground, are already drying up, despite all the late-season rains we've been having.

Monday, April 19, 2010

Lupine Explosion


Lupine Explosion, originally uploaded by ParsecTraveller.

First it was a tidy tip explosion, but a return to Shell Creek Road revealed an explosion of lupines.

Sunday, April 11, 2010

Canyon of Color


Canyon of Color, originally uploaded by ParsecTraveller.

I returned to Shell Creek Road again yesterday, the third time in several weeks. The wildflowers were still as beautiful as ever. My friend and I did some hiking up into the hills and found a small canyon whose floor was carpeted in these lupines, goldfields, and tidy tips.

The goldfields are going downhill in terms of bloom, but the lupines and tidy tips are still at their peak! With the upcoming storm, the wildflower bloom should be prolonged a week or two.

Saturday, April 10, 2010

Los Padres View


Los Padres View, originally uploaded by ParsecTraveller.

A view into Los Padres National Forest and Grass Mountain, seen from Figueroa Mountain. Poppies and goldfields are in the foreground, while vast sheets of lupine carpet the distant hills.

Thursday, April 08, 2010

Shooting Star Road


One Out of Many, originally uploaded by ParsecTraveller.

As we drove down Highway 58, a dirt path leading off to some ranches caught my eye because of its unusual name: Shooting Star Road. On the way back from Shell Creek, we stopped at this road and saw spectacular masses of goldfields with scattered sky lupines mixed in. No shooting stars, but definitely gold.

Wednesday, April 07, 2010

Cal Poly Poppies


Cal Poly Poppies, originally uploaded by ParsecTraveller.

The California poppies are in full bloom on top of the Cal Poly "P" ridge. The "P" is a large monument-like letter engraved in the hillside above the Cal Poly campus. The ridge above the "P" is covered in wildflowers right now.

Technicolor Fields


Technicolor Fields, originally uploaded by ParsecTraveller.

Multicolored carpets at Shell Creek Road...the species you see here include goldfields and owl's clover.

Tuesday, April 06, 2010

Tipped Off


Tipped Off, originally uploaded by ParsecTraveller.

A tidy tip among owl's clover at Shell Creek Road.

Monday, April 05, 2010

Shell Creek Oak


Shell Creek Oak, originally uploaded by ParsecTraveller.

The oaks are just starting to leaf out at Shell Creek Road. The wildflowers, however, are at peak bloom. Wildflowers in this view include tidy tips and goldfields.

Sunday, April 04, 2010

Tidy Tips for Easter


Tidy Tip Explosion, originally uploaded by ParsecTraveller.

Happy Easter everyone!

Yesterday I was at Shell Creek Road in remote San Luis Obispo county. The wildflowers were at peak bloom, with Easter pastels and vivid oranges covered in the color scheme. The tidy tips were the major bloomers, with incredible sheets of the flowers stretching across the valley.

Friday, April 02, 2010

Dessert at Farmers'


Dessert at Farmers', originally uploaded by ParsecTraveller.

The San Luis Obispo Farmers' Market is much more than just a place to buy fruits and vegetables. You can get culinary delights such as tri-tip sandwiches and teriyaki bowls to churros and strawberry shortcakes like the ones seen in this picture.

Sky Lupine


Sky Lupine, originally uploaded by ParsecTraveller.

This is the fragrant sky lupine, lupinus nanus. It grows in exposed fields and on hillsides all over California. If you drive through the Santa Ynez Valley right now you will see hillsides covered in sky lupine. These blooms were on Figueroa Mountain, just outside of Los Olivos.

Thursday, April 01, 2010

A Slo Afternoon


A Slo Afternoon, originally uploaded by ParsecTraveller.

Cerro San Luis is a special place. Uncrowded and varied in environs, it's an awesome mountain to climb. The view from the top is spectacular - the morros of SLO county line up and stretch all the way to the Pacific.