Monday -   As I drive down the coast from Half Moon Bay towards Santa Cruz the rain varies from downpour to sprinkling to nothing to sprinkling to… It’s not too bad actually and I get some very good views of the shore along here as I drive. It is ruggedly beautiful. There aren’t very many people living along here so the area is relatively unsullied and the countryside is quite impressive. All along the beaches, especially where a creek enters and/or lagoon exists, there are huge amounts of gnarled and twisted driftwood. I see surfers, even in today’s inclement weather, beachcombers, tourists, a lot of people on bike trips just chugging along. It’s really very nice and I enjoy the drive immensely.

Gas up in Santa Cruz and get some lunch: MacDonald’s French fries, Oberto teriyaki beef jerky and a Super Big Gulp. Ummm, ummm good! It starts pouring again as I head out of town towards Monterey, but it soon stops, then drizzles, then stops, then pours… I’m not sure about getting any pictures today. Maybe I should just cut over to 101. Well, we’ll see.

By the time I get to Monterey the sky has cleared up a bit, i.e. it’s not as gray and it’s not raining, so I decide to head down the coast. It’s always a nice drive and maybe the weather will be more cooperative. Leaving the Monterey area the traffic thins to nothing which is a relief because I’ve been stuck behind many a turtle-paced RV going down this road before. Perhaps the weather is a good thing – it’s keeping the fair-weather drivers at home (or in their motel rooms at least).

I soon arrive back at the coast and the serpentine course begins. I can’t help but marvel at all the homes, most of them large if not huge, perched, precariously it invariably seems, on the cliffs above and below the road. I can’t help but think how fortunate those dwellers are to live in such surroundings. Can you imagine? Waking up to the roar of the surf way down below, looking out from your bedroom window upon an endless expanse of mighty sea punctuated by the occasional sea stack, fowl and pinnipeds cavorting all about above and below. Might be considered paradise, I don’t know.

Once I get a little ways the weather clears up a bit; I can sometimes see the sun through a veil of thinning clouds. The view up and down the coast, as well as out to sea, opens up some and I stop to take some pictures (what else). I am always mesmerized by how beautiful the scenery along here is. I am similarly captivated today, even with the less than perfect weather conditions. The sea is foaming with activity as it crashes onto the shore and splashes up and around the various rocks and stacks jutting out of the frothiness. At places the color of the water is a wonderful green-blue where, I suppose, the depth is less. Great mats of kelp undulate slowly on top of the swells arriving in from who knows how far away. Birds of various types fly to and fro above the sea and the land. I drive by a hawk hanging seemingly motionless in the air, the brisk breezes blowing onshore keeping it in place as it searches diligently for whatever prey may happen to poke it’s head out of the abundant ground cover, moving ever so slightly to the right or left with just a casual dip or twist of its outstretched wings.

The road straightens and heads inland towards Pfeiffer-Big Sur State Park. It’s even more verdant here than along the coast and, nicely, I am alone on the road so I take my time passing through. Every so often I see a miniature waterfall just off of road in the forest; due to the rain I suppose (so it’s a good thing). The weather is holding up though not sunny by any means, but at least it’s not raining and not too gloomy.

Soon I’m back on the coastline, driving along, enjoying the view and the uncrowded conditions. As I drive I debate on whether or not to turn inland just past Lucia, cutting across to the 101 via the Naciemento-Ferguson Road. It’s the only road across the Santa Lucia Mtns. here and I’ve never been on it. The whether is starting to deteriorate looking south, and well, I’ve been along that section so many times before, but who knows how things are up on that road, but then again I do like to explore… “Oh, oh. Here comes the turnoff.” “I’d better decide quickly…”

I take the turnoff (You all knew I would, huh?) and it just shoots up the side of the cliff that the road is cut into. It’s paved though so it’s easy enough going. Soon, very soon, I am over 900 feet above the ocean below and the view is perhaps the most expansive along the coast route. At this elevation, today, I am amongst the clouds which drape even lower a bit so that all you can see today is a small blue jewel of water sparkling in the faint sunshine poking through out a ways from the shore. To the north the scene is similarly framed but here the water is a lovely aquamarine with a few sea stacks poking up through the churning surface. Wonderful! The road turns inland now, still rising, and soon I am enveloped in a misty shroud that stills the land upon which I am slowly, very slowly picking my way. For the road is very narrow and twists and turns at every opportunity so that you have no idea which direction you’re actually headed, except ever upwards. The cliff side on the right is totally obscured from view, which perhaps is a good thing as I am sure it drops precipitously down, down, down. Down.

And then, out of the gloom, looms a small grove of redwoods scattered around a small creek with a very tiny cascade in the middle. I stop to take some pictures and admire the quiet dimness. The forest fades from view as it stretches up the hill here. I fully expect to see a troll or gnome come strolling down the creek-side so I don’t linger too long, though I’m drawn somehow to stay just a bit. Back on the road, still going uphill I notice there are turnouts as if for stopping to admire the view, but there is no view to admire today; no sweeping, long view anyway. Visibility is 50 feet at best, sometimes no better than 20 feet. “Where’s the road? Where’s the road!?!” I almost lose the track a few times, the clouds are so thick and obscuring.

“What’s that? Oh. It’s a tree.” What’s that?! Oh. It’s a boulder.” What’s that!?! Oh. It’s the edge of the cliff.” “Better slow it down a bit more dude!”

I continue picking my way very slowly up the mountain. The side of the mountain is bedecked with a plentitude of ferns and mosses I notice as I drive along. Finally, I reach the crest and here the cloud cover has lifted a bit so driving is not quite so hazardous. Whew! What an adventure. There’s a ranger station up here but I decide not to visit as there’s really no reason to and I don’t want to risk having to pay that “Adventure Pass” fee thing. So I head on eastward, slowly at first as the road switchbacks down, but eventually it straightens out once I’ve dropped down a bit. It’s much lighter on this side of the mountains and I’m driving through an oak, sycamore and such forest, not as dense as on the other side, but lush and pretty. The road comes up alongside a creek and follows its course as it continues down. I stop briefly to finish my 3rd roll of film for the trip, then back to it.

Leaving the national Forest behind the road takes me onto the Hunter Military Reservation. Here I’m driving along amidst classic California live oak chaparral countryside, ringed by mountains on 3 sides, and it is truly beautiful; especially since the sun has now broken out and the air is clean and clear, the sky a deep, fresh blue. Driving through the reservation I pass the occasional Bradley vehicle, M80 tank, and other armament for this is obviously an army training ground for the “new” cavalry. Cool! Soon I pass onto public/private land again and continue on my towards 101. I pass along the north shore of Lake San Antonio, past some vineyards with their vines burdened with huge clusters of grapes waiting to be harvested, as well as some fields of pumpkins lending a bright contrast to the muted straw-colored look of the landscape.

And then I reach the 101 freeway and a bit wearily embark on my last leg for home. I must say that I highly recommend the drive I just took, especially if you’ve done the coast route before. It was nice, and easy, and very scenic, and hey, it was something new! I’m very, very glad that my sense of “adventure” prevailed. It was possibly the highlight of my weekend jaunt. Very nice. Of course I’ll have to travel this way again, when the vistas along the road are not obscured by a low cloud layer. I’ll bet they’re awesome.

Well, I hope you’ve enjoyed my little “journal” of my latest trip. It was fun sharing with everyone and I hope encourages some of you to just get out there and EXPLORE!

Take care,
Chris