The mighty rock that dominates everything at Morro Bay is of interest itself.  Drive the road that circles the Bay and on one side of the towering monolith is a view across the quiet waters to the Embarcadero and City,  walk a few paces in the other direction and you see a beach that stretches for miles and with the surf of the Pacific Ocean dashing the shore.   We might add that all summer this is a very busy beach indeed with folks wading, surfing or just lolling next to their cold box filled with goodies.
The Pacific Coast Wine Trail begins in Morro Bay and then extends north through hamlets like Harmony and colorful beachside cities like Cambria.
At Morro Bay we were able to visit one of the  wineries on the PC Wine Trail.
 Chateau Margene has had a tasting room located on the Embarcadero since 2014. There we met personable and knowledgeable James Springfield who told us about the winery which opened in 1997. Also the legend of El Pistolero, an early California settler with a very clouded career.
 Margene has a whole flight of El Pistolero wines including chardonnay, pinot noir, cabernet sauvignon and meritage. We tasted the 2014 El Pistolero Chardonnay which is from grapes grown at the acclaimed Santa Lucia Highlands.
We were awed with the quality of the 2012 El Pistolero Riata Red made with 34% cabernet sauvignon, 33% merlot and 33% cabernet franc. We thought it excellent and value plus in its price range and unusual packaging. The wine showed its six years of barrel aging with wonderful flavors, mild tannins and a long finish.
The Chateau Margene Tasting Room is located at 845 Embarcadero Road at Morro Bay and open daily from 12 p.m. to 7 p.m. The Winery is located at Creston and there is a tasting room there as well.

Think family when planning a trip to California's Central Coast on the Highway One Discovery Route.  This is especially true at Morro Bay with its many attractions, some designed especially for  youngsters.  These attractions include the Morro Bay Museum of Natural History in the State Park and then on the Embarcadero.  Here there is much to delight children  including a Skateboard museum, and a tour aboard the tall ship Lady Washington.  This sailing ship built in 1989 is a replica of a historic vessel that was the first to make a landfall on the west coast.  It also was the first American ship to visit Hawaii, Hong Kong and Japan.  The ship is located at Sub Sea Tours which also offers sub sea tour and rents Kayaks, Canoes and Stand Up Paddle Boards.
  Just walking and exploring the shops, antique and art galleries, restaurants and wine tasting rooms that line the Embarcardero is considered a must for every Bay visitor.
The adjacent Morro Bay State Park offers camping and a good base for hiking the  land surrounding the Bay including famous Morro Rock.  We found that the hike around the Rock is a great place to view the Sea Otters that are native to this part of the Pacific Coast.
Museum of National History, located in the State Park, is the perfect place for a family visit.  The building occupies a rock outcropping offering a magnificent view of  the bay, waterfront and towering Morro rock.  A well kept trail surrounds the building on what is called White Point. 
Inside the natural forces that shaped our planet are all presented in a most clever fashion often with movable panels that are a great attraction for adults and children alike.  Exhibits explain the forces that shape the terrain like volcanoes, earthquakes and erosion.  Another describes how change is constant with rain, fog, wind and erosion.
We found the history of the Bay Estuary most interesting and the role ocean waves play  along with sand dunes and the tides to create the favorable environment for the many types of animal and marine life that abound in the region.
The museum has a wonderful collection of stuffed birds, both sea and land, all looking most natural.  Some of these are located in the auditorium which offers movies, puppet shows for children and many public programs  We sat and watched a fifteen minute video on the life of sea otters that are part of the ocean scene on California's Central Coast.
The Morro Bay Museum is the only one in the State Park system devoted to natural history.  It is located at 20 State Park Road, Morro Bay, telephone 805 772-2694.

Our approach to Six Flags Magic Mountain always reminds us that we are, indeed, in the 21st century.  Ahead loom strange towers and objects dotting the skyline.  This visit was to take part in the official opening of CraZanity, the Park's newest thrill ride.  CraZanity is the world's tallest Pendulum ride reaching 170 feet high as it swings back and forth at  speeds up to 70 miles an hour,  taking its forty thrill seekers ever higher.
We were there with the media as Park President Neal Thurman explained that CraZanity offers a thrill not duplicated in any other ride.  Neal also announced that Six Flags Magic Mountain is now open 365 days a year offering new opportunities for the travel industry as well as expanding services for the 24 million Southern California locals.  This now puts Six Flags on the same operating schedule as all other theme parks in the region.
CraZanity is located in the Boardwalk area of the 262 acre park and this has received an extensive renovation with new themes and attractions as well as more dining opportunities.
Did your dedicated reporter immediately get aboard CraZanity to tell readers how it felt to swing up to 170 feet above the ground and experience speeds of 70 miles an hour and the weightlessness that follows?  Unfortunately recent surgery precluded my taking such a ride at the present time.  And, of course, that is the only reason.
We then  turned our attention to some of the other new attractions and this centered on food.  This took place at Ace O' Clubs where a lunch reception was held.  This was the a showplace for what is available for foodies at Six Flags.  Appetizers included pizza slices and ears of corn with a unique topping.  The buffet featured a park specialty slider as well as ground beef sandwiched between pineapple slices for a tropical flair.  We confess to returning for seconds, or was it thirds, for the breaded shrimp.  My dining partner demanded seconds for the sliced crispy onion rings.
While Ace 'O Club regularly features all American fare there is Chop Six for Asian cuisine, Carlini's Pizza and Kate's Kettle for chicken wings and a bistro styled menu.  Dining passes are available for season ticket holders.
One thing in plentiful supply at Six Flags is the enthusiasm of the young people and how contagious this is for all who visit regardless of age.  Last year the Magic Mountain Park had three and one third million visitors.
Six Flags Magic Mountain is located at 26101 Magic Mountain Parkway in Valencia, Ca.  Open daily from 10:30 a.m. weekdays, 10 a.m. on weekends.  Closing time varies with the season.  At this writing it is 9 p.m.             

One of the best ways to see this mix of country surrounding Julian is to drive Highway 79.  This highway traverses a huge amount of territory starting at I 10 and ending at I 15.  It starts in Beaumont on I 10 and then goes through Hemet,  and then Temecula.  It leaves I 15 there and  crosses country  which has a beauty all its own, from mountains covered in chaparral to valleys with live oak and often large meadows.
  Here you pass small settlements like Aguanga, ranches, a few wineries, vineyards,  an olive tree grove and a company producing the oil.  Recreational opportunities range from glider flights at Warner Springs to winery visits as well as picnics and camping.   The three wineries you pass include Tule Creek, Shadow Mountain and Hawk Watch.  Also the Cleveland National Forest Oak Grove campground. 
  There is a bit of history with as plaque explaining that it is the site of Camp Wright, a guard station from 1861-1866, during the Civil War, manned by the First California Volunteers.
  The region  includes a good deal of history dating to when it was home to many tribes of native Americans and you will pass through some of their reservations.
  From Oak Grove the road climbs gently to a 3282 foot summit.  Pass the summit the view expands dramatically picturing large pastures with a backdrop of rugged ridges and distant mountains.
  Then you reach a junction with County highway S22.  This leads to the community of Ranchita at an elevation of 4600 feet.  Here too is El Tesoro Winery.  We took S22 to look at Ranchita and the entrance to Anza Borrego State Park.  But stopped and retraced our steps after taking some photos of the desert far below.  On S22 the views are of huge open areas that offer excellent pasture for cattle.     
After returning to Highway 79 we passed Warner Spring and the airport with the gliders.  We had our picnic at Inaja Memorial Park. This park in Cleveland National Forest is in memory of eleven fire fighters who lost their lives in a forest fire that occurred  November 1956.  The park has picnic tables with overhead shade, a rest room and self guided nature trail.

In our search of Temecula dining we had to include a restaurant in classic Old Town and what better choice that Baily's which has been part of the Old Town scene since 1993.
 Baily's is a prominent name in Temecula Valley with Phil Baily and Baily's Winery, one of the pioneer vintners in Temecula Valley Wine Country.  Christopher Baily is owner and the corner building includes a bar, lounge and both indoor and patio dining on the ground floor.  Upstairs a bright window filled room offers an ambiance for a more serious dining experience.  Here also a spacious room for special events which fill the calendar at Baily's.
We chatted with Manager Gabe Gonzales while settling in with a cocktail.  Looking over the menu I immediately spotted one of my personal favorites, fish and chips while my dining partner selected  the Chicken Schnitzel.  My fish and chips proved to be the best in memory with a breaded coating that was full of flavor but without a speck of cooking oil present.  Manager Gabe explained that it was a beer based batter, and a well kept secret house recipe.  Our dessert was a brownie sundae.
This is a restaurant with fine dining as well as a night club with live entertainment and many scheduled special events.
Baily's is a local tradition and on most days you will find as many locals as visitors enjoying the spacious outdoor patio and a classic American menu.  A big plus is the spacious free parking area behind the restaurant.
Baily's is located at 28698 Old Town Front Street and hard to miss.  Telephone 951 676 9567, webwww.Baily.com.    

If there is anything easy to find in Temecula it is a restaurant.  The number and variety of cuisines seem endless.
We had heard good things about Bluewater Grill Seafood Restaurant & Fish Market in uptown Temecula and so decided it would be perfect for dinner one evening.  However it took some finding on our part since we took an unwanted tour of the Promenade seeking it.  Finally using Bluewater's Hostess as our guide by phone we found it and were most grateful when we finally met Sophia. 
Once seated all went well.  This restaurant is all about seafood and shows a casual seaside ambiance both in the spacious dining room and bar lounge.   We looked over a menu that was perfect from our standpoint since we love seafood. Then we met General Manager Chad Simpson  who suggested we might want to try a couple of  the specialty  entrees by sharing two.   This proved an excellent plan.  I opened with the New England clam chowder then for our entrees we had the halibut  which came perfectly cooked with meat flaked as you touched it with the fork.  It came on a bed of corn bread topped with spinach..  My dining partner ordered and shared the pan seared sea scallops in a tasty sauce on a bed of grits and surrounded by corn and asparagus tips.
Now it was time for dessert and on the menu was Mud Pie, an item we had not seen in some time.  When it arrived it was not only most tempting but huge in size and even though both of us attacked with vigor we could not finish it.
We were so impressed with Bluewater Grill that we asked Manager Chad about some of the other locations and learned that both Santa Barbara and Redondo Beach also had Bluewater Restaurants.  In Temecula it is located at 25700 Ynez Court in the Tustin area.  Telephone 951 308-2722, web www.bluewatergrill.com.

One of the things we immediately noticed on arrival was how Pechanga is now a family oriented Resort.  Parents with small children were everywhere and the Pool and outdoor areas were especially popular for all ages..
Among the many new looks and services Pechanga now has a Spa in a separate two story building.  Here all the amenities and services of a modern Spa are offered.  My partner went for a massage while I chose a haircut to shed some of my curly locks.  Both of us left smelling and looking very well, thank you.  The Spa also includes an upstairs lounge equipped with refreshments and a perfect view of the adjacent golf course.
A tour of the wedding facilities showed a scenic outdoor setting as well as private dressing rooms for both bride and groom.   I inquired if golf reservations were available for the groom but this did not seem to be appreciated by the ladies present.
Wedding receptions are available at the skyroom atop the new North Tower which offers breathtaking 360 degree views of Temecula and its surrounding vineyards as well as the rugged mountains that shape what is known as the Rainbow Gap.  This Gap allows breezes from he Pacific Ocean to funnel into the Temecula Valley most afternoons, perfect for the vineyards and the quality grapes they produce.
The 18 hole Journey Golf Course has a clubhouse which almost defines description.  Walls and columns are constructed with natural rock and the club house  offers extensive facilities for the golfer.  In addition there is an outstanding restaurant and here we enjoyed a leisurely  breakfast.  My time as a golfer covered decades but was now over but as I looked over Journey at Pechanga I must admit to some pangs of  the game that can be loved and hated at the same time.
Besides its five hundred new rooms the North Tower also has a number of meetings rooms and during our visit a craft beer showing was taking place in one of immense halls.  On one of its elevated levels one evening we were treated to a preview of some of the new desserts that will be available including such delights as a chocolate chip cookie ice cream sandwich.
One aspect of Pechanga we especially noted.  This was the helpful attitude and courtesy of the staff which was immediately apparent.  This was always present and available.  We also liked the security offered which  while always present was never an inconvenience.