Riding ATVs on the Beach

One of the most exhilirating experiences I've had is riding ATVs on the beach. There is only one place on the California coast to do just that, and that is Oceano Beach. There are only two entrances where you can drive your car onto the beach and they're both in Pismo. When we first decided to go to Pismo, ATV riding on the beach was one of my major motivations. Growing up in Santa Cruz County, and visiting Pismo as well as driving past often, hearing about people taking their 4x4s to the beach or ATV riding on the beach was a regular occurrence, but one I hadn't yet experienced.

We had a vehicle just begging to be driven on the sand, so instead of riding with the ATV rental truck, we took our vehicle onto the sand behind it. Driving onto that sand next to the ocean was such a surreal feeling. I've been 4x4ing before and that was fun, but it's just dirt. This is sand. Next to the ocean. That we were driving on. Amazing.

After my usual extensive research we decided to go with BJ's ATV Rentals, and it was a great decision. They were quick, professional, courteous, thorough, and squelched my nervousness.

 Although there were sand dunes which is the main motivation behind ATVing at this particular spot, and which Brando was excited to go on, I could've cared less and could've driven next to that water for the entire afternoon.

 But the view from the sand dunes was incredible, so I didn't mind following him up there.

 Or watching him take off.

 It was possibly at this time that he went to jump a dune, his ATV didn't have the power to follow through, and he jumped off just before hitting the jump and started sliding back down the dune with his ATV. It happened in slow motion as I was videoing it, and after I realized I could possibly be capturing his demise on video, I turned it off - ironically, just as he was able to recover.

 Possibly one of my favorite pictures of my sexy man.

 Of course I set up a photo of him with the ocean in the background.

 Do you see the heart made out of ATV tracks? This was our heart for the trip. Normally I'd write the years of our anniversary, but that would've been a little too much with my ATV.

 I took it slow on the dunes as my back was still giving me issues, but it was a blast any way.

 These next photos are on the same beach, but the next day on a sunrise beach drive we took with cinnamon rolls from Old West Bakery

 at 6am in the morning, all snuggled comfy in our bedhead state before we headed back home to get ready for the day.

As a side note to yesterday's post, I am overwhelmed by the gratefulness of the bloggers for mentioning them. It makes me incredibly grateful to be involved in, as Ashley puts it, "this amazing blogosphere" and be afforded the opportunity to meet such incredible people as each one of you.