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| | | Cousins Hike with the Bishops to Bishop's Peak, CA | | | |
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Cousins Hike with the Bishops to Bishop's Peak, CA
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| Hiking | 4.06 Miles |
1,338 AEG |
| | Hiking | 4.06 Miles | 2 Hrs 48 Mns | | 1.92 mph |
| 1,338 ft AEG | 41 Mns Break | | | |
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none
[ show ]
| no partners | | ok here goes: "the COUSIN hike" of Bishop Peak with the Bishops and Romain cousins:
Jesse Bishop (I call him my cousin-in-law) and his children: Jayla (the new high school graduate, UCLA student) Dane and Case (all my first cousins twice removed), Jesse's wife, Stacy Romain Bishop & Stacy's sister Kelly Romain (my first cousins once removed), and last my first cousin Wendy Romain Walsh. She was born the same year as me but 10 months earlier. Kelly had planned an easier hike but a couple of the people that were coming didn't, thus the peak hike instead.
Bishop Peak is the tallest of the nine Morros, and is the third of the Nine Sisters from the east behind Islay Hill and Cerro San Luis. The rocky three-pointed summit, which the padres at the San Luis Obispo Mission imagined resembled a bishop’s miter. I don't fully get it but close enough. To the west rises Chumash Peak and the other volcanic prominences leading out to Morro Bay (a place my parents hung out before they were married in 1952. Dad was stationed at Camp Roberts just like his brother before him in 1945).
Wendy and I drove up from my other cousin's Cross Creek Ranch, Lompoc to Orcutt, to hook up with the Bishops where we drove one vehicle north to San Luis Obispo. The marine layer hovered during the drive and for the hike up the peak. There are at least 3 trailheads by which to access this peak. We were going to take the easier one but no room for parking so we went back to the Patricia TH. The hike starts UP right away but the path is nice and wide. In a quarter mile we reached the cow pond. From there we pretty much never saw the hardier of our group so it was just Stacy, Wendy and me to make our way to the top  .
For just a little bit here you're out in the open so you can look back toward the hills behind you and down to where Cal Poly is located. It was their graduation today. (I didn't know another cousin and her graduating son (with a masters) were in town until I saw it on Facebook.) Eventually you make your way back into the trees which is kind of fun. You start heading east and wrapping your way around to the other side of the mountain. Slowly the trail climbs the southern slope of Bishop Peak through orangish colored boulders surrounded by brush and some flora, like buckwheat. Once you've done that it's up you go: 650 feet in a mile of switchbacks. The grade is sweet and very enjoyable as you have lots of views.
Two benches are at the top with a sign indicating the end of Bishop Peak Trail. From here Wendy and I scrambled higher up the rocks to the east for the most impressive views  . The youngest, Dane guided us and his father Jesse gave us a helping hand to reach the summit. From here you have a vista overlooking Cal Poly, downtown San Luis Obispo, Cerro San Luis, Laguna Lake, the Santa Lucia Mountains, and everything in between. You can also get a glimpse of the ocean to the north.
We hung out here a very short bit before heading down to the saddle where we gathered for some family photos after 3 others came back from the other part of the peak. We even found a selfie stick (another person)  to take the group shot of the 8 of us.
Of course on the way down, it was still Wendy, Stacy and me as the others were apparently in a race. There were quite a few hikers and furry friends coming and going so it's definitely a busy trail. The sun just started to break through as we rounded our way around the mountain and into the trees. We checked out the sign about the Preserve before completing our mission.
The boys told me they were so glad I came because they got to go hiking  . The deal was Stacy wanted me to come back for a visit after I was in Lompoc for her grandpa's service (my uncle) in 2012 and so she bribed me with a promise to take me hiking. Stacy is not into that type of physical activity and I don't recall her making another offer for hiking in the future  . All I know is I LOVE cousins hikes.
We finished the afternoon at Gus's downtown where you get to design your own sandwich. Beware the whole sandwich is like two sandwiches; fortunately I only ordered 1/2 avocado BLT and it was yummy! Jesse bot us lunch and I got to drink a big beer: BarrelHouse Brewing's SunnyDaze - Citrus Blonde Ale. It was so good! We got back to their house only to hear about the tragic Orlando shooting  ; kind of put a damper on the day.
Yes, there will be video but I have only just started going thru the pics last nite 6-15-2016.
6-29-2016 here are the videos:
Part 1 https://youtu.be/BS ... pSEw
Part 2 https://youtu.be/w6 ... gLEc
Part 3 https://youtu.be/Ce ... vUhw
Part 4 https://youtu.be/Uo ... R7Cw includes the Peak
Part 5 https://youtu.be/zu ... 2iMI |
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Wildflowers Observation Moderate
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For me, sometimes it's just as much about the journey as the destination.
Oh, and once in awhile, don't forget to look back at the trail you've traveled. |
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