Rancho Oso

 

Today we drove up into the hills northeast from Santa Barbara to see a park named Rancho Oso that is so different from what we have been seeing, I have to share it with you.  The campground is also setup to accommodate horses, so campers can take their RV or tent and horse trailers up into the hills to enjoy a very country atmosphere just a few miles from the ocean and the city of Santa Barbara. 

I was delighted with some of their imagination for camping sites such as wagons for sleeping in a circle around a campfire or a teepee just like we used to see in Old West style movies.  They had cabins that were styled after old western town buildings and corrals for the horses.  You can go on trail rides, swim in the pool or just hang out in the campground with bunches of things for the kids to play on.  The kids however will actually have to relearn how to entertain themselves, because cell phone and Internet service do not exist here.  If I could be 14 years old again, I would think I had died and gone to Heaven staying here with my parents.

We treated ourselves to an ice cream bar at the “General Store” and took our time looking around.  A steady stream of campers were arriving for the Easter weekend while we were there.  I am sure I would not take Puff up there on the winding roads (and Jim said he certainly would not either!)  There were times when we would have to pull over to let passing cars proceed by us or us by them with mere inches to spare.  With a shear drop off down into the canyon from the road, that part was not too enticing but the views were phenomenal.  It is amazing what you see doing this job!