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.
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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.
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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.
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I can't tell you how delighted I was to wake up and say hello to the alpaca herd...
![](https://hosting.photobucket.com/images/l93/pandisoo/20211002_091858lo.jpg)
...the rescue llama...
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...and the bleating goats...
![](https://hosting.photobucket.com/images/l93/pandisoo/20211002_092137lo.jpg)
...who stole my freaking heart.
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The next night, I rushed back to the ranch as soon as I could...
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...to have a little more of the waning daylight with the resident animals...
![](https://hosting.photobucket.com/images/l93/pandisoo/20211002_181240cropLO.jpg)
...who were so incredibly friendly and curious about me.
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The ranch's owner, Daphne Capaldi, opens up her property to the public for occasional tours (by appointment only)...
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...but it's so different to be able to actually stay the night there...
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...and settle in with the animals as your temporary neighbors...
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...even for just a night or two.
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Each animal had its own way of saying hello upon my return up the dirt road...
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...and on that second night, even the longhorn cattle came up to say hi (before being chased away by some mischievous ranch dogs).
![](https://hosting.photobucket.com/images/l93/pandisoo/20211003_085619cropLO.jpg)
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.
![](https://hosting.photobucket.com/images/l93/pandisoo/20211003_092624lo.jpg)
That meant it was time to get up and say goodbye to the alpacas.
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I was especially sad to bid farewell to the girls...
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...who were more standoffish at first...
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...but seemed to have just started to warm up to me.
![](https://hosting.photobucket.com/images/l93/pandisoo/20211003_093022lo.jpg)
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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