Dinosaur Point

West of Los Banos, CA, State Route 152 hugs the northern rim of the San Luis Reservoir. North of the road, the land scrunches up into small hills covered with what appears to be the fur of a golden retriever. To the south, views of the reservoir open and close between more furry hills. Glimpses of the reservoir's banks reveal tightly striated layers of gray and white sediment punctuated by fertile emerald veins.

We wanted to find a place to pull off and reach the shores, but the signs for the recreation areas all came up too suddenly, and it seemed like we'd missed all our chances. But when a sign ahead said "Dinosaur Point," we bit. I was kind of expecting some sort of archaeological dig or educational center, maybe a reproduction of a partially unearthed beast in the dirt. But that side road led to what I think was the quietest place I've ever been. Far across the reservoir the cars glimmered on the road, but everything else stood still.