We started the mini vacation on Friday morning with a long day drive ahead of us to meet the "bosses" for dinner on Shell Beach.
The first stop of interest was the Tehachapi Loop, a 0.73 miles long spiral on the Union Pacific Railroad throught Tehachapi. The railroad line connects Bakersfield in the San Joaquin Valley to Mojave in the Antelope Valley. The loop takes its name from the circuitous route it takes, in which the track passes over itself, a design which lessens the angle of degree of the grade. The loop gains a total of 77 feet in elevation as the track ascends at a sustained 2% grade. Today, the railway line, with almost 40 daily trains on average, is one of the busiest single-track mainlines in the world. In the few minutes we spent there, we saw two trains.
The Loop
Tehachapi Loop monument
A Tractor Supply shopping spree in Bakersfield was next. Doggie friendly store, so Buck & Spitz can browse with us and stay cool.
The golden hills through the central valley and the oil fields (which I did not get a good picture of) were beautiful all the way to the coast. 
We made it right on time for the wonderful dinner with the bosses.
Saturday morning, the bosses were on their annual shareholder meeting, while I took the babies on a beachwalk. In the afternoon, we did a family stroll through downtown San Luis Obispo in search of good pastry. It was not easy to find. Mama's Meatballs is the one and only shop that knows about the art of baking.
The doggies and I took Mark on our beachwalk.
Along the doggie walkway of The Cliffs Resort
Saturday afternoon family walk on the beach
Buck thinks: let me go for a swim please!
Spitz thinks: get me out of this wet environment please!
On the trail along Shell Beach
Buck & Spitz had so many miles on for the day, they were ready to call it quit and retire for the evening on the cool tile floor in the hotel room.
We found a little mom and pop Italian restaurant for dinner followed by a drive along the beach communities to see how everyone tolerates the crowded and costly living with lots of birds around. There are some uncrowded, gated estates along the cliff, that I think are pretty tolerable if you have the money.
It was a short, but very enjoyable mini vacation.
after taking a bath.
after taking a bath.
