My family and I went to Montaña de Oro a couple of weeks back. It had been quite awhile since I drove through Los Osos. I used to think of it as a cool, hip little town. Sort of funky; paved streets that turned to dirt roads; artists living in small shacks by the bay; good coffee and Mexican food (as well as Thai) … Whoo boy has it changed. Some sort of new business complex that can’t decide whether it is based on a Picasso painting or tin shed welcomed us to town. God awful! In front of the old schoolhouse is a giant pit. I also saw about 10 billion signs about the sewer.
I think from now on I’ll close my eyes on the way to Montaña de Oro.
Jamie Smoltz
This article appears in Jul 14-21, 2005.