Tails From The Road

Cambria & Big Sur: Fido Waves to the Ocean

Thursday, May 6th, 2010

Written by: Carol Bryant

Guest Blogger: Cooper, as told to Carrie Woodburn

My owners were after a sweet kinda lovin’, so they took me to a cute little seaside village called Cambria near Big Sur where they kindly located on my behalf the ultimate Fido-friendly hotel, Cambria Shores Inn. Nirvana for canines! I was greeted with a VIP (very important pooch) welcome basket sporting a copy of Fido Friendly, my own bedspread and bed! Luxury at its finest. Treats up the wazoo and a diverse sprinkling of canine culture.

Cambria is both fascinating and educational. Being a city dog, I had many encounters with a vast array of wildlife. If you happen to travel with your owners in the early months of the year, I highly recommend a trip 10 miles north, past San Simeon, to the beaches where the elephant seals hang for their birth and mating frolics. I had the best bark I’ve had in years! And who wouldn’t? Those big male elephant seals are spooky lookin’! And as for their mating habits….well….let’s just say, now I understand why humans call it “doggie style”. I mean, let’s face it, us pooches have style.

My owners brought me by the village store at San Simeon where I profited from the biggest egg salad sandwich I’ve ever seen! Get your owners to take you here! The portions are so big, you easily get half!! We were off for an awesome hike starting along the beach where I had a chance to get up–close and personal with one of those big male elephant seals…. but I didn’t! The trail up from the beach is lined with delicious sniffings of eucalyptus and cedar. I felt like I was in the steam room of my favorite doggie spa! We meandered through a meadow with many opportunities for chasing butterflies then my owners chose a superb cliff-top picnic spot for my egg salad sandwich where I saw my first dolphins and otters frolicking in the sea below. After our picnic I couldn’t think of anything more perfect than diggin’ a hole for a refreshing cool nap!

Later that day, my owners took me to Linn’s on Main Street, Cambria; an incredible spot for your humans if they dig fruit pie! Ollalieberry Pie to be precise. But no leftovers here! Which means one thing….five paws for Linn’s!
That night I enjoyed a fabulous night sleep in my own queen size bed. I thought there must be some mistake….I mean; I’m a king not a queen!

That morning my owners took me on a wine tasting tour through Paso Robles wine country. Boring!!! But I was wrong. First stop was Opolo Winery where the sausage sampling was terrific!! I was kind of leery of the wine tasting idea….I mean, really, what was going to be in it for me? But when I got my first sausage I thought “hey, this could be fun”. Boy was I wrong! It was dangerous!! Next stop was Pasolivio. My Mom has this thing about olive oil, so we had to stop there. It was a terrorist attack! I mean dude…!! I understand “territorial”, but this terrier brought terror to a red alert! I was suckered out of my car by my owners to say hi, only to be overwhelmingly humiliated when this little runt 1/5th my size went straight for my jugular. “Sonny”… boy was that dog ever misnamed. Although I’m a city dweller now, at my roots I am a hunting dog from Arkansas, and to be chased off the property by a half pint terrier was the ultimate humiliation. As we exited the property I gained face putting on a big show of bravado barking at a herd of cows.

Next stop was another winery. They had prime rib sliders! I was starting to dig this wine tasting thing! Whalebone Winery! Five paws for the sliders! We stopped by one more winery, Adelaida, where I had the cool shot of me in the mustard field taken. Nothing much happened there, but a great place for pit stop and photo opportunity!

Next stop we hit cheese heaven in Downtown Paso Robles. Then back to Cambria Shores for a sunset stroll along Moonstone Beach boardwalk where I hit the jackpot chasing beach squirrels.
Back at the hotel, I knew something was up. Now Cambria Shores Inn is a GREAT hotel for dogs. It has everything a dog could want….plus some things he doesn’t… Showers! I knew something was up when my owner walked into the room carrying a takeout coffee cup and he wasn’t drinking from it. Two sniffs and I knew what it was…Oatmeal Shampoo! I spent the rest of my trip avoiding the bathroom, but they suckered me with my new dog leash which I find really attractive. The morning we left, I followed my master unwittingly toward the shower and before I knew it…bam! It was curtains for me. Afterward I had a good roll around the carpet and a good snuggle with my mama. That made it all worthwhile.

On our way back home we discovered a phenomenal doggie beach just north of Morro Strand State Beach between Morro Bay and Cayucos. Miles of free-roaming and dogs galore!

But the crowning glory as far as this dog is concerned was my Mexican Food encounter in Santa Barbara. Los Agaves Restaurant on Milpas Street…paws down the best Mexican food this galloping gaucho has ever had! Get your owner to try the Agaves Enchiladas for the best leftovers in town.

Paws down / the big sniff:Cambria for Canines? Five ‘woofs’ and five paws! Just make sure your owner goes for Cambria Shores!!

Pawsnote: My owners visited two other restaurants which had to be sensational because I got nothin! They loved The Sow’s Ear on Main Street in Cambria. I hear they have great lobster pot pie and shrimp scampi. And if your human fancies an all seafood fare, they should try The Sea Chest on Moonstone Beach Drive. Make sure they avoid the 5:00 line up for seating and go for a late supper instead as they take no reservations.

About Cooper
Walking in the paw prints of literary legend Old Yeller, Cooper is a Black Mouth Cur hailing from Arkansas. Cooper now resides on the west coast in Laguna Beach, California where he lives a life of sun, sand and surf. Apart from writing this blog, his favorite past-times are chasing birds and butterflies, long runs on the beach, eating and sleeping. (Not necessarily in that order.)

About Carrie Woodburn:
Learn more here:Carrie Woodburn info

Question: Would you like to visit Big Sur with your favorite Fido????

Tags Cambria, dog travel, dogs

This entry was posted on Thursday, May 6th, 2010 at 4:11 pm and is filed under Tails From The Road. You can leave a response by clicking here.