Our next stop was Pinnacles National Park. The drive was only 152.6 miles (80,827.2 miles total), but it seemed like we traveled to the middle of nowhere. I did not know any part of California was so remote. The pavement seemed to narrow each time we turned onto another highway. The last 30 miles had no shoulder whatsoever and it seemed there was no straight stretch longer than a quarter mile. Luckily, there was very little traffic and most of that drove at a respectably appropriate speed.
Our site was pretty roomy and included 30 amp power (no water or sewer). It could have used some gravel - it was mostly muddy. It might not have been worth the standard site fee of $36/night, but with our Senior Pass it was half price and well worth that. Being in the park makes seeing the sights so much easier. Don't even think about cell phone coverage or TV broadcast. Fortunately, the park had WiFi ($10/per device/per length of stay) that was accessible from our site (closest to the Visitor's Center) or the next two weeks might have been just a little too primitive.
Pinnacles had been a National Monument until very recently when it was promoted to National Park status. It is only about 50 miles from the Pacific Ocean, but I suspect the ocean has little effect on the park. It is desert with an annual rainfall of fewer than 20 inches per year. The park was pretty crowded and then I realized we were still in the vacation period between Christmas and New Year's. The mild weather drew campers to the park even though it was pretty soggy. With a little luck, we hope to see the park's most famous residents, the California Condor sometime in the next two weeks.
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