Horse Riding before Half Moon Bay 4th of July Parade
I started my 4th of July morning with a Early Bird Special horse ride from the Sea Horse Ranch. This 2 hour trip followed the bluffs above Half Moon Bay State Beach, and then we have an hour on Poplar Beach. I’ve always wanted to ride a horse on the sand, and to do it on a foggy California morning was fabulous.
It was a little worrisome that they mounted me on top of “Grumpy”. But he turned out to be anything but.
There was a strict “no phone and no camera” policy, so I didn’t get to take any picture during the ride, just before and after.
Breakfast at The Main Street Grill Half Moon Bay
By the time I got to Main Street they’d already shut the street off to cars in preparation for the Half Moon Bay 4th of July Parade. I had a couple of hours to wait so I headed to the Main Street Grill to a local diner that looked like it had been here for a few years.
You’ve got to love a restaurant that has a sketch of the owner/chef on the front, with a cigarette hanging out of his mouth. The guy was actually still working the grill … although he looked a couple of decades older than the sketch. The place was packed, and although the coffee wasn’t fabulous .. the french toast was delicious.
Main Street Stroll before the Half Moon Bay 4th of July Parade
I paid a visit the neighbouring Oddyssea shop and garden area, which is “designed to provide experiences around the themes of exploration, creation, and discovery.” 
The remains of the “Oceane”, a shipwreck from the 1850’s, has “mysteriously reappeared” and adds a touch of ambiance to the parties that are hosted here. 
The Oddyssea garden area is really intriguing and they had all sorts of interactive activities for kids. There was a couple of grubby boys panning for gold, and girls filling bottles with layers of coloured sand. and a group of adults making sea shell wind chimes, but my favourite was the “Message in a Bottle” table. 
Oddyssea provides all the makings to create your very own Message in a Bottle. Including an old Underwood typewriter to type out your message. 
In case you’re wondering, yes I did manage to restrain myself and not make my own Message in a Bottle … but I loved the idea! 
I know this place is designed for kids and to host kids parties, but it would also be a brilliant place to host a theme or a cocktail party. 
See Here for my Photos of the 4th of July Half Moon Parade
Walking the Dogs in Quarry Park
After the parade, I headed back “home” to take the pups out for a long walk in Quarry Park in El Granda .. just at the northern point of Half Moon Bay. 
I got them to pose for a 4th of July photo to send to their owners … and then we went for a long walk to use up their energy. Whilst I was doing this, I remembered that this time last year I was house sitting in Redondo Beach, just south of Los Angeles. I’d taken photos of Baxter with a 4th of July flag too. (And by coincidence … there’s a Redondo Beach here in Half Moon Bay, just south of the State Beach.) 
The three of us walked along the Vista Point Trail and took a detour to Vista Point for a view of Pillar Point Harbour. 
The fog kept rolling in and out all day. The weather was bright and sunny during the Half Moon Bay 4th of July Parade just a couple of hours earlier, but by the time I went hiking in Quarry Park… we were back in gloom again when you looked towards the ocean, but blue sky in the park. 
We continued along Middle Ridge Trail, and although none of these trails were any great distance, there was a few big hills involved. 
During my ten days here pet siting in Half Moon Bay, Quarry Park was one of my favourite spots to visit….. the dogs loved it too. I wrapped up our busy 4th of July by grabbing a late lunch at Gherkins Sandwich Shop in Montara, then headed back to the house for a rest. 
Guess who was tired….. 
We all watched back-to-back episode of House Hunters International … and I had to make do with the only chair that didn’t have a canine stretching out on it!
