(Want to know something funny? I drove probably the shortest distance in one day so far on this trip – about 100 miles – and took a record-breaking 922 pictures! Don’t worry, I deleted down to the 160 featured in the slide show above. Yes, I am the queen of delete.)
I woke up in Monterey and needed to see the ocean. Immediately. And it was beautiful. I could’ve sat there all day, but it did occur to me that there’s more to the California coast than the beach, and I should probably see some of it while here. I looked in my handy Road Trip USA book (best road trip book ever in my opinion) and found that the San Carlos Cathedral was right down the street. It’s California’s oldest continuously functioning church and its first stone building. I took a moment inside – a wonderful place for prayer (obviously) – and felt ready for the day ahead.
I drove through Carmel and on down Highway 1, stopping every few minutes unable to believe the views. I was heading toward Hearst Castle, thinking maybe I’d be able to make their last tour at 3:30. Ha! At the rate I was going I’d be lucky to be there this week!
I quickly realized that Highway 1 is extremely remote from civilization – you drive miles (mainly at under 30 mph so it takes awhile) with no food, no gas and no cell service (apologies to everyone I was supposed to call back) in sight. Luckily I had gas and water, so I was fine.
I love California for the many, many, many viewing points all along Highway 1. You don’t have to worry if you miss one because you know there’ll be another one within a couple of minutes. Of course, then you get up close and personal with the cliffs and see exactly how close the side of the road is and how straight down of a drop it is – often with no guard rails. There was no way I was going to try to take pictures while driving around there, or answer the phone (not a problem since there was no cell service) or even change the radio station. (I actually listened to a local station for a while, but then got so sick of the political ads that I went back to satellite.) And the bridges. Let’s just say sometimes it’s better not to know what’s under you (or not under you in some cases) when you drive over one. Check out the pictures and you’ll know what I mean. Highway 1 is at the same time the most beautiful and the scariest road I’ve driven so far.
Speaking of taking pictures, I wish I had a dime for every picture I’ve taken for couples along the road. They see my camera, assume I know what I’m doing and ask – or if I’m in a good mood I’ll actually offer. But it gets kind of old, too, because I get sick of seeing couple, after couple, after couple – am I the only one doing a road trip alone???
I very much wished I’d downloaded all my new iTunes store purchases to my iPod. I was a bit melancholy the night before so went on a bit of a music buying spree to cheer myself up. There’s so much good new music out there: Darius Rucker’s Charleston, SC 1966; Toby Keith’s Bullets in the Gun, the Country Strong soundtrack, Taylor Swift’s Speak Now, Sugarland’s The Incredible Machine, Trace Adkin’s The Cowboy’s Back in Town (every song on this is great), Kenny Chesney’s Hemingway’s Whiskey (featuring my new favorite song Somewhere With You) – I could go on and on.
I drove through Point Lobos State Reserve and Andrew Molera State Park before arriving at my longest stop of the day: Pfeiffer-Big Sur State Park. This was a stop worth paying for. I needed a good hike and this had multiple trails and promised Redwoods and a waterfall: perfect. I wasn’t 10 minutes into the hike when I ran into a couple coming down the trail. “I can save you a lot of trouble and show you my pictures,” said the gentleman. “It’s a long, straight up climb,” chimed in his wife, “Just when you think you’re there, you have to go down again and then up and down to reach the waterfall.” “Thanks,” I responded, “but I need the exercise.”
The encounter with the couple made me think. Don’t ever let anyone tell you that you can’t do something. Not that they were telling me that, but it almost felt that way. You can do pretty much anything you set your mind to. (Other than making someone love you. That will never work. And I would never try because who wants someone they need to convince to love them? They’re clearly not worth your effort.) So many people think I’m crazy for taking this road trip alone, for hiking alone, even for going to the movies or dinner alone! It was just like when I was 16 and pregnant and people told me that you can’t have a baby or be a good mom, being single and so young. Of course, I wasn’t completely alone – Cris may not have been ‘ready to be a dad’ (like I was ready to be a mom – ha!) but I did have the most supportive family in the world. And I think all that’s turned out pretty darn good, if I do say so myself!
I was snapped out of my thoughts by the sound of the waterfall, which you could hear long before you could see it. It was small, but pretty and peaceful. I paused for a few pictures (of course) before heading back. On the way, I talked to my little cousin Hannah who is having minor surgery on Friday (good luck, my dear!). I can’t believe she, like Allegra, is 13 – where is all the time going?!
I found my way out of the woods and back to the road, passing by Ventana (a landmark red farmhouse) and Nepenthe, a restaurant/shop named after the ‘drug of forgetfulness’ which is supposed to make you forget your sorrows. I considered stopping, but decided I’m fine. Besides, I was running out of daylight and had one more stop: Julia Pfeiffer Burns State Park, which features a waterfall that drops into the ocean, a small old abandoned mill and the remains of the Waterfall House. I was lucky enough to be there as the sun went down and got some pretty cool pictures.
As the day went on, the wind got worse (at one point the car door almost blew off the hinges – do you think Volvo would cover that?) and I was slightly afraid I’d blow off a cliff if I didn’t accidentally drive off one first. I had no desire to pull a Thelma and Louise, and just kept praying my brakes would keep working – even more than I did in San Francisco! It was rather scary, especially when it got dark (sorry Dad – I had no choice but to drive in the dark until I found somewhere to stay!), there were no lights, mountain on one side, cliffs dropping into the ocean on the other, and people were tailgating you even though the roads were narrow and windy and the speed limit was 20 mph. This (and when I, who is slightly afraid of heights, was standing at the edge of a cliff taking pictures of the drop) was when I was thinking how it’s good I’m doing this. I need to face my fears. It reminded me of the new Karate Kid, which we watched at Jason’s in Oklahoma. There’s a part when he’s hurt and everyone tells him he doesn’t have to get back in the ring, but he says he has to because he’s still scared. He needs to show himself he can do it so he’s not scared any more. It is so true. There is no better way to get over something than by facing it straight on.
Even with the tinge of fear, I loved the ride. Have I mentioned how good California smells? Better than any other state – it’s like a never-ending Yankee Candle! And the scenery is constantly changing. From the ocean (and the biggest seaweed ever), to the mountains, through Redwoods and farm land, it never gets boring.
I eventually came to civilisation (and regained cell service) around 8 pm in San Simeon, near Hearst Castle. (See, I knew I wouldn’t be there by 3:30!) I found a motel, and collapsed with my not so healthy dinner of microwave popcorn and diet coke. I had more than 900 pictures to go through and didn’t want to waste time in a restaurant. I also had people to catch up with, such as Mike and Jen to tell them that at the rate I’m going, I’m not sure exactly when I’ll reach LA…
Amy's America 