I almost didn't go to the Central Coast Railroad Festival this year.
My trip had been bumped by one year because of pandemic cancellations—and I wasn't sure whether the COVID-era festival would be worth attending, or if I should wait.
But it was my birthday weekend, and I thought at least my overnight accommodations would be worth the trip.
Upon my arrival that first night, a Friday night, when I made it just in time to say goodnight to the alpacas before the sun set, I knew I'd made the right decision.
I was staying in a pretty deluxe RV with a pretty sweet view—and even better, a darling kitty named "Gray" (or "Grey"?) who kept me company till I was ready to turn in at night and greeted me on the deck first thing in the morning.
I can't tell you how delighted I was to wake up and say hello to the alpaca herd...
...the rescue llama...
...and the bleating goats...
...who stole my freaking heart.
The next night, I rushed back to the ranch as soon as I could...
...to have a little more of the waning daylight with the resident animals...
...who were so incredibly friendly and curious about me.
The ranch's owner, Daphne Capaldi, opens up her property to the public for occasional tours (by appointment only)...
...but it's so different to be able to actually stay the night there...
...and settle in with the animals as your temporary neighbors...
...even for just a night or two.
Each animal had its own way of saying hello upon my return up the dirt road...
...and on that second night, even the longhorn cattle came up to say hi (before being chased away by some mischievous ranch dogs).
Overnight, the dogs are barking to chase the coyotes away—but on my second morning on Capaldi Ranch, I awoke to the sound of a horse whinnying.
That meant it was time to get up and say goodbye to the alpacas.
I was especially sad to bid farewell to the girls...
...who were more standoffish at first...
...but seemed to have just started to warm up to me.
When I left for the day that final time, it was as though they didn't know I wasn't coming back. And that broke my heart just a little bit.
I also couldn't find the gray cat who'd kept me company for both those nights and that first morning, letting me pet him a little and rubbing up against my legs as I sat at the picnic table.
But it was time for me to squeeze in a few more train-related adventures before making the drive home to my own cat, who was waiting for me, alone in our apartment, surely wondering where I'd been.
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