Big Sur and Beyond

This is a picture of the little concrete area, but the mini-ramp
is not pictured.

We were anxious to get to Big Sur, but Kyle wanted to stop at a small town called Cayucos, because he'd been there before and there was an awesome mini-ramp. Coming from San Diego and Los Angeles, I was glad to be in this quaint seaside town. It was so quiet, it almost seemed abandoned. We had the mini-ramp all to ourselves for the two days we stayed there and skated. The mini-ramp is in prime location, right near the beach and the Cayucos pier, which unfortunately was under construction so we couldn't walk on it. They are probably gearing up for the Sea Glass Festival that is coming up soon. We only missed it by like two weeks. I love sea glass, that would have been neat to check out. At night we slept on San Jancinto Street, which turned out to be a super chill street to sleep on because you aren't parked in front of someone's house, instead you are positioned at the side of peoples' houses next to a fence. Since this street is on the beach, there are also public bathrooms not far away. In the mornings, we'd cook breakfast in the parking lot next to the mini-ramp and do the dishes in the bathrooms near the pier. We went and browsed the antique shops and got some cookies at a gourmet cookie shop called Brown Butter Cookie Company (you can order there cookies online here). We watched the sunset at Morro Rock, which is a pretty cool spot in the adjacent town of Morro Bay. It's a GIANT rock on the shore of the beach. It's a pretty popular surf spot too. The day that we left we took care of some laundry and got my guitar restrung at a shop called Central Coast Music in Morro Bay. Kyle didn't know how to do it because it's a classical guitar and strung differently. After we had all of that out of the way, we got back on U.S. 1 en route to Big Sur!!

These are seals not rocks!

There is tons to see on this stretch of road heading north. We stopped at a beach called Moonstone Beach, where apparently you can find moonstones. We looked for a bit and collected some stones that could possibly be some but I don't know enough about rocks to be sure. We passed an estate called Hearst Castle, which is now a state historical monument. It's on 250,000 acres and has 165 rooms!! It's probably similar to the Biltmore in Asheville. We didn't stop because I don't think they were giving tours at this point in the afternoon and I'm not sure we really cared to pay, but it did look rather magnificent up there on the hills overlooking the California coast. The next thing to stop and see along this road is the elephant seals! There is a great viewing area right off the highway, you can't miss it because they'll be like 30 tourists gawking over the edge of a cliff. Definitely go be one of those tourists... it's like seeing seals at a zoo but they are in their natural habitat. There are soooo many, laying like fatties on the beach. The sun was going down when we got to Big Sur (too many distractions along the way) so we stopped at a picnic area and beach called Sand Dollar Beach to collect wood for the night. Our plan was to camp at this site Avery and Liv told us about, but in the dark we had trouble finding it. Instead, we stumbled upon a road called Nacimiento-Fergusson, which suited us just fine for the night except we couldn't have a fire. This road is super easy to find and also right off U.S. 1. It winds up the mountains and there are plenty of places to pull off and park. Nobody messed with us and we saw a couple vans and RVs doing the same thing. We ended up being right next to the entrance of a trail called the Mill Creek Trail, so we decided to hike it in the morning. This hike made me realize just how special Big Sur is. The coastline is spectacular and all, with it's rocky cliffs, but it doesn't have anything on the lush forest that lies only a few miles from the ocean's edge. It's crazy how quickly the environment changes: from the dry exposed cliffs where scrubby bushes grow to the forests where giant redwoods stand tall surrounded by patches of three leaf clovers and crystal clear brooks. It literally looked like a place where fairies and leprechauns should live. We had lunch on a tree that had fallen in the stream's path where eventually a waterfall had formed by water cutting through the log. It was so beautiful and perfect and serene it almost looked fake. By the time we walked back, it was low enough tide to go hunt for jade at Jade Beach. We found the pull-off, which is right off U.S. 1, but we must have never found the right path. We went down this SUPER steep trail that led to a rocky cove. After reading this article, which says that it is a "simple, flat path," I know we weren't in the right place. With no jade in our pockets, we decided to head towards the campground we were planning to stay at tonight, which is near the trailhead we wanted to get on early the next morning.

You can just baaaarely see the McWay Waterfall in this picture.

On the way there, we stopped to check out the McWay Waterfall Trail. Kyle's mom, Gussie, had given us a tip to stop and check this out. She's visiting soon for her birthday, so she's been researching spots. This trail is easy to find, it's right off U.S. 1 and across the street from a state park called Julia Pfeiffer Burns State Park. You can't miss it because there will be tons of cars parked along the highway. This is the shortest trail in Big Sur, but it leads to a rewarding view of the McWay Waterfall, which falls right over the edge of the land to the beach beneath and into the ocean. Apparently, the waterfall used to fall directly into the ocean, but after highway construction and other land-altering circumstances produced enough sediment to form a beach. The beach is small and there is no way to get on the beach/you aren't allowed. The state park we were heading to to camp at is called Pfeiffer Big Sur State Park, so it can be confusing since there are two parks with the name Pfieffer. This park was kind of pricey, $35/night or $50/night for waterfront. The Big Sur River runs right through the park. The main reason we wanted to camp here was to shower, because it had been awhile and we wanted to start out on our backpacking trip tomorrow fresh. You have to get shower tokens and the machine only took dollars and we had none, so paying to camp here turned out to be completely fruitless. Kyle said last time he was in Big Sur, they rolled into this campground late and left early so they didn't have to pay. Definitely what we should have done...

This picture doesn't even slightly capture how magical the hikes in Big Sur were!

B-A-N-A-N-A Slug!

We got up in the morning early so we could cook a hearty breakfast before our 10 mile hike today along the Pine Ridge Trail, which leads to the hot springs at Syke's Camp. The trailhead is located at the Big Sur Station, where you can pay $5/night for parking. We donned our gear, which I must point out was not very high tech. I was carrying a JanSport backpack and Kyle had a NorthFace backpack with our GIANT 2-person sleeping bag bungee corded to the top. I also had on running shoes that turned out to be a bad idea for this rugged 10-miler. The hike was challenging, very steep with lots of switchbacks. The scenery was constantly changing. The sides of the mountain that were exposed to the sun were arid, with rocky trails. The air smelled like herbs. Before we got too deep into the mountains, there were spectacular views of the ocean. The sides of the mountain that were shaded were lush and green. The trail became moist and slightly muddy in some areas without the sun beating down on it. We saw a giant banana slug, which are very common here. We didn't know what it was until we saw someone later wearing a University of California mascot shirt--- the banana slugs. The trees that grow along this part of the trail are HUGE--- sequoias, redwoods, or both. I tried Googling what the differences were in the two or which were in Big Sur, but I never found a clear answer. The two trees look similar. There are a few campgrounds before you get to Skye's Camp. There is one at the 5-mile point surrounding a river, which is a perfect time to stop for lunch. It was good to get our amateur backpacks off and let our shoulders relax. My feet started cramping about 7 miles into the hike and I was so relieved when we finally got there. The other campgrounds along the trail are clearly marked but Syke's is a little tricky. You'll come to a river and see a sign on the other side that says China Camp is so and so more miles down the trail. Don't go any farther!! There are some campsites immediately along the river, but if you go to the left and hug the shore of the river there are even better spots closer to the springs. I have to say we got the best spot there! Each site is a little different: logs arranged for sitting, fire rings, and a few even had grills! Our spot had a couple logs to sit on, one had mancala carved into it, but we couldn't remember how to play. It was riverfront and complete with a fire ring, a grill, and a clothesline for hanging our bathing suits after we took dips in the springs. The best part is it was the closest campsite to the springs. The water comes naturally from underground, but the pools themselves have been manmade in order to contain the water. There are 3 springs and I named them. There's the Party Pool, which is the largest and holds 5-6 people. There's the Friend Spring, which is the medium one and holds 3-4 people. Then there's the Lover's Tub, which holds one person comfortable or two if they are snuggling. That's why I call it the Lover's Tub. Kyle and I liked this one the best. We think it was the hottest because it was so small.

Lover's Tub!!

On the first night, we drank a bottle wine (yes, we did carry a bottle of wine 10 miles into the forrest) and rested our aching bodies in the Lover's Tub. We were dozing off in the hot sulfur water under the starry night sky. It was lovely. It was soooo hard to tear ourselves out of the tub and run through the chilly air back to the safety of our tent and sleeping bag, but this became the routine every time we went to the springs. We were tired from the hike so we spent the next day reading, collecting wood, and taking multiple dips in the springs. We had to rest our bodies for the trek back in the morning. Before we hiked back, we took one more trip to the Lover's Tub. My feet hurt every step back. It was so weird... I wasn't winded, my calves weren't tired, my back didn't hurt, but my freaking feet!! I think it was from the tennis shoes not being supportive enough, definitely investing in a solid pair of hiking boots before my next long hike. We were both relieved when we got back to the parking lot. Poor Kyle's backpack rig was so ghetto and I know it couldn't have been easy to carry and my feet hurt for days, haha. We decided to treat ourselves to a hotel room that night in a random town called Salinas. It was a pretty shitty Motel 6, but I guess I should have looked at the 2-star review it got on Trip Advisor. The motel had been recently renovated, so it wasn't too sketchy. We didn't care anyways, because we had a BED and a SHOWER, which we certainly needed. What luxuries!

I spy GodWeenSatan and Maggot Brain!

We spent the next night in Santa Cruz. We got there in the afternoon and checked out the surf at Steamer Lane... there weren't any waves really but of course there were still people out in the water at this famous surf spot. There's this tiny rocky island not far off the shore with like 100 seals on it. It just looks so weird because they are all crammed up there. We walked to the downtown area, which I really liked. There was an awesome mix of stores from local joints to more corporate stores, lots of different cuisine, some movie theaters, cool bars/venues... so much to do! We got some socks from a store called Sockshop and Shoe Company. The socks are made locally in Santa Cruz. Mine were tall watermelon socks and Kyle got sloths wearing bling--- yes, there were very creative design options. We wandering into a record shop called Streetlight Records, that made my face melt! First off, they had two of my favorite records in their window display (GodWeenSatan: The Oneness, by Ween and Maggot Brain, by Funkadelic). Secondly, I was so sad that I couldn't buy some of the records I found. They had a Moistboyz record (a Dean Ween project) on sale for like $10. I buy used records for like $10!! It was brand new! They also had a Blowfly record: he's this old rapper that is super vulgar. He was playing at this bar in St. Augustine called Nobby's the night me and Kyle fell in love. :) But atlas... we left empty-handed. We just happened to be in Santa Cruz on the 2nd Sunday when an antique market is held on Lincoln Street. They block off the street for browsing. We got lost in the shelves at a bookstore called Logos, that also sold records. They had new and used books, so something in everyone's price range. We had a lot of laundry to do after the hike, so we camped out in a laundromat for what felt like forever. I was asleep by the time we got to the street we slept on, because I rode in the back in the bed so I can't remember what it was called. In the morning, we went to this small skatepark called Derby. The entrance to the skatepark is a little weird, it's kind of a gravel path to a park in a neighborhood. Definitely a random place for a skatepark, but it was like a smooth ditch that led to a small bowl. Then off to the city!!

Derby Skatepark

Half Moon Bay Mini-Ramp featuring a Hot Sauce Sandwich sticker on the left-hand side.

We stopped at Half Moon Bay before we got to San Francisco to skate a mini-ramp that is right off U.S. 1. On the way, we went to this town called Castroville. We didn't even stop, but I thought this little town was funny because it is the "artichoke capital of the world." Literally, whizzing by your windows are just 1,000s and 1,000s of artichokes. If you want to see it yourself they even have an Artichoke Festival. Kyle's friend, John, who we are staying with in San Francisco, came to meet us at the mini-ramp. It turns out that Liv, the girl we stayed with in San Diego, was in San Francisco because her friends from back East flew into visit her, so she met up with us too on her way back south. There was a Hot Sauce Sandwich sticker on the mini-ramp, which is our friends' band from Ocean City... yet, the sticker ended up all the way out here on U.S. 1. We grabbed some food at Half Moon Bay Brewing Company, which turned out to be a pretty cool place. They had a super sick Grateful Dead mosaic in the dining area, but we ate outside because it was such a nice day! We were lucky that John met up with us because Kyle's shift connector broke right there in the parking lot of the restaurant. We rode back to SF with him and got the car towed to Half Moon Bay Auto Repair, who fixed our car in a couple days and were really nice.

San Francisco is an incredibly steep city. The houses are built side by side in a staircase fashion--- the only way to build them on all these hills! You know what hills are good for? Bombing, especially according to Kyle. I learned to skate in Florida where there are no hills so this is a whole new element for me. Most of the hills here are way too big for me, but I'm starting small. You know what hills aren't good for? Walking up... it's a freaking workout to go any where around here. The good news is is that there is an awesome transit system here. Kyle has spent time in San Francisco in the past, so he knows his way around on the MUNI, which is the public transportation. We've gone everywhere on that thing: to Market Street, to a skatepark, to the Haight-Ashbury district, to Chinatown, and back again. I had a mission to get new glasses when I came to San Francisco, because my favorite glasses company, SEE Eyewear, has a store here. I discovered SEE when I was vacationing in Charleston. Since then, I have gotten my glasses from that store ever since because I go to Charleston every now and then, but it's been too long since my last trip to Charleston and I need a new prescription. My first order of business was to get my eyes checked. I found a place that took my insurance and that I could walk to and got that over with. Then Kyle and I took the bus to Market Street, where SEE is. We had so much fun trying on all the glasses and sunglasses. Sometimes I wish SEE would sell their glasses online, but that would take away the whole experience. You don't get to try them on and see what you look like in them. I probably wouldn't have even considered the pair I got if I hadn't gotten to try them on! Kyle left the shop with a pair of funky new sunglasses, but I had to wait for my lenses to be made.

I had dropped some film off at a camera shop called Photoworks, so we were going to pick it up on the way home. To my dismay, the film didn't catch and my whole roll was blank. I was super bummed because it was a ton of pictures from the last few weeks, but the guy at the camera store showed me how to load the film so it won't happen again at least. This was a cool shop though and I highly recommend supporting shops like this because they are a dying breed. It's hard to find somewhere to get pictures developed these days and especially buy specialty film (black and white, polaroid, different speeds). They had framing options and tons of paper choices (glossy, matte, canvas, etc.). Another day was spent on Haight Street, perusing the psychedelic shops. We went into a super sick record store called Amoeba. The outside looks kind of like a 50s diner. They had some stuff I've been looking for like Tom Tom Club, but once again we couldn't get anything 'cause we on the road and a car is not a good place for a record and mailing them would be sketchy. The other stores were pretty much all head shops or vintage clothing stores. I impulsively got a new bowl that is a clear water filled pipe that has pink glitter swirling around inside of it, it's like a snow globe. I've seen them online before and considered ordering one. I'm super glad I didn't because finding one on Haight Street is pretty cool. I would tell you the name of the shop so you can get one too, but there are so many head shops that I don't know what the name of it is. We got some ice cream at the Ben and Jerry's shop and walked up to see the Grateful Dead's house on Ashbury Street. The Grateful Dead... some of the pioneers of the whole scene. I remember reading about the "Haight-Ashbury District" and thinking it sounded so magical. We heard some old spun bums on the bus talking about how it was back in the day "Seeing Hendrix in this joint, Jagger in the next--- all free." They'd shut the street down to let the Dead play. It's not exactly like that anymore. All the old heads who were there are now old bums and there are tons of spun out kids who have flocked there in hopes of finding what once was. Now it's mostly just a bunch of heady shops. It's cool, but not exactly what I expected. We did Chinatown too for a little bit, but we didn't stay long... just a bunch of Asians trying to get you to buy cats with swinging arms and chopsticks, although Kyle got a new jade monkey necklace ('cause he loses necklaces right and left). We spent (mostly Kyle) a lot of time skating: bombing hills when we could (walking down the killers), at a skate spot by the beach, at a park called Balboa. There are so many fun hills right around John's house.

I love mosaics so much. 

One leads to these intricate mosaic stairs that I saw on Pinterest awhile ago and put on my "Before I Die" board. I showed Kyle them and told him I wanted to find them and turned out he'd already been! There's 163 stairs and the bottom of the stairs is the bottom of the sea, then it goes up from there into a landscape, then the sun and moon at the top. From the base of the stairs, you get the full picture, perfectly fitting together like a puzzle--- a work of art. Then at the top, you get an amazing view of San Francisco. The cool thing about this spot is the stairs was a community project/idea: the neighborhood sponsored it, a local artist did the mosaics, and a tiling company helped. All because they wanted to make something beautiful. :) The skate spot was down by the beach where Lincoln Street ends at the ocean. Kyle and I skated there from the house once. We tried to do Quintara Street, which is a famous hill to bomb, but some of it was too intense (even for Kyle). We skated what we could and were at the skate spot and the beach in no time because it's downhill the whole time. The skate spot was a bank up to a curb that someone made with concrete. Kyle met a guy there who makes skateboards and he just happened to break his board at that very spot so he got one off the guy for $20.

Balboa Skatepark

We spontaneously stopped at Balboa Skatepark when we were on the MUNI with our boards, but I didn't skate much because I didn't have my helmet and I'm just not sure about that yet. Kyle said he was in San Francisco when the park first opened and already there's a bunch of wear-and-tear. The park is pretty cool in the aspect that the whole thing is covered with skatelite. They had a small bowl that looked fun. One day, we took a walk at this park called Land's End, which is actually a national recreation area. It was a beautiful spot to walk, literally at "land's end." There were some awesome views of the Golden Gate from the path. John took us down to Fisherman's Wharf, to see the touristy side of San Francisco. There were the classic t-shirt shops, selling magnets and mugs. There were street performers: a creepily good Michael Jackson and a one man band we watched for a bit called The Lone Sound Ranger. The Lone Sound Ranger was pretty cool--- he literally had a full band all by himself (no looping), but using rigs and all sorts of gizmos. We ate at a famous bread company called Boudin Bakery. They bake their bread fresh and the whole street smelled delicious. Bread bowls and soup it was! The time we weren't out and about was spent at John's giant mansion, where he has a jam set up. I played bass for the first time and I am so stoked on it. I want to take lessons now and get good!! Oh, the jam sessions that await...

SLAPPIN' DA BASS. 

Since we spent so much time in San Francisco, it's going to work out that we'll see Kyle's mom, Gussie, and his step-dad, Tommy!! She is coming to explore California (great minds think alike) for her birthday, so we are meeting up with her in Yosemite. First, we're spending a few days in Tahoe visiting friends and scoping out a potential spot to live in the fall. I can't believe it's already April! We've still got to go up the rest of the California coast and into Oregon to hopefully meet up with our friend Dom from St. Augustine. Then hit it to Colorado, I believe. Cut through most of the midwest and end up with our friends and family again in Ocean City. Down the east coast and home safely in St. Augustine by April 20th-ish... lots to do!! More than 3,000 miles to go and we've already put at least that on the odometer.