Butterfly World

 

To go to the first post for this trip click here.

 

Click on images to enlarge

 

We had a short drive of about half an hour today down from Morro Bay to Pismo Beach, where there is a State Park. We were here once before: on the 9th of March 2013. In my log for that date, I said this was a nice place and we should return again some time! The big attraction here are the Monarch Butterfllies, but more on that later. At our previous visit, we were too late, and most of the butterflies had left.

 

It is a very pretty place with nice big Eucalyptus trees.

(Miss Travelaire is the tiny white spot in the lower center of the picture).

 

We arrived here at about noon, since it was such a short trip, but they wouldn't let us in until 2pm. So we made an excursion to the Pismo Beach Outlet Mall, which was just fine with Doreen!

 

Of course the first order of business was our afternoon snack, and you can see Doreen here with her box of Cheez-Its (you know, you can't buy these in Canada!). They were forecasting 80 F weather today, but it didn't get past about 68 F (20C), I think because of a thin cloud layer, but that was ok with us, it was a very comfortable afternoon.

 

Monarch butterflies winter in Mexico and along the coast of California. The Eastern ones go down to Mexico, the ones west of the Rockies come to California. Pismo beach grove, shown in the picture here, is one of the areas they spend the winter before they spread out to the north.

 

These particular ones at Pismo Beach live for about 6 months.

 

Here are a few fluttering around in the trees.

 

Lots of tourists come here to view these butterflies, including Doreen!

 

There are also large clumps of them here and there.