A Southwestern Soul (Hiking San Luis Obispo)

Prickly Pear Fantasia
Click on the illustration above for an in-depth view

Up where I live, San Francisco way, we don't see much in the way of prickly pear cactus, unless it's been planted (though it will often thrive for generations once it's been introduced). When we see these needles growing on their own, we think southwest. As I said when I first wrote about this hike on my weekend trip to San Luis Obispo ( SLO Field Trip: Madonna Mountain), there's both a southern and a northern CA feel to San Luis Obispo.