Big Sur Weekend

While living in an area we like to do the quintessential thing for that region. In South Dakota we hiked Custer State Park and checked out Mount Rushmore, in Indiana we explored Indianapolis, and in New York we did Winterfests at Lake George. While on the central coast of California we just had to do the Big Sur coastal drive on route 1.

Chrysa and I wanted to do this drive ever since we got a taste of the views at Ragged Point. It was my beautiful and adventurous wife who decided to make a vacation weekend of it. Chrysa really planned this trip out at the right possible time. We were just getting ready to end her assignment, and this trip would put a nice cap on the California experience.

We started the trip by driving to Morro Bay and spending the night at the Embarcadero Inn. Driving to Morro Bay cut down on the drive the following day, so we could get right into the good stuff. Plus, we got to spend an evening at one of our favorite hotels in a very picturesque town, just in time for a beautiful sunset.

Our trip started in earnest the following day when we departed to do the coastal drive. Usually we take the Jeep and I drive when we do a longer trip. Chrysa wanted to mix it up this time. She drove and we took the FRS. Chrysa couldn’t resist the idea of taking her performance vehicle on a famous drive full of spectacular views and wicked corners. Now, I don’t think Chrysa was driving fast, in fact I would describe our trip to Big Sur as leisurely, but people were sure getting out of her way.  I think Chrysa was really loving the sensation of being an elite driver on a world famous route.

Like I said, we took the drive at a leisurely pace. We stopped multiple times to take in the stunning vistas, and view the iconic bridges. We even took a short walk into a little cove.

By mid-day we were hungry. Chrysa spotted the perfect lunch spot perched on a hillside overlooking the coast. The restaurant was called Nepenthe and it was everything we could have wanted. The views were breathtaking, the food was wonderful, and they even had a little gift shop. Chrysa and I spent some time eating our sandwich lunch while taking the place in. Afterwards we explored the grounds. Chrysa obviously picked the right place to eat.

While researching the area, Chrysa discovered that there were some great parks for hiking. We decided to burn off our meal while waiting for our accommodation’s to be ready. We got a bit of a surprise while I was changing in the parking lot of the park. Chrysa received a call from a recruiter for a new position. The call turned into a couple interviews. I can’t speak for Chrysa, but it had to be a bit weird interviewing for a new job in the parking lot of a state park. The interview was for a position in Spokane WA. Initially Chrysa wasn’t sure about the job. We really wanted to move a bit more east, and she wasn’t sure they would wait for her start date. We decided to continue with the day’s hike to clear our heads.

The hike was wonderful. We walked through cool weather lowland areas and higher altitude warm weather areas. This park is apparently one of the few places in the world where redwood trees and cacti grow in the same place. Our hike ultimately took us inland and high up the side of a mountain. We got to see a beautiful, cascading waterfall, and a valley with condors gliding on the thermals.

By the time we finished our hike, the sun was starting to lower, and a chill was in the air. It was time to make our way to our lodging for the night. Chrysa decided to try something new for our stay in Big Sur. She booked us a little one room luxury cabin for the night.

Staying in this cabin was hardly roughing it. It had everything, a comfy bed, wine in the mini bar, heated floors in the bathroom. We can now say we have been “glamping.” The best part of the cabin was the location. It was set among a small redwood grove and adjacent to a river. Prior to finding a dinner spot, we walked the grounds to take it all in, very romantic.

Dinner was at a local pub right down 1 from our cabin. We were there for taco night! Neither of realized how hungry we were so we really pounded down a lot of tacos, but hey, it’s vacation. Since we were in Big Sur off season, the pub was mostly full of locals. I bet this place is jammin during the summer. We relaxed and took in the atmosphere while enjoying our brews. It was a great way to end day number two.

Day 3 was our final day of our mini vacation. We bid adieu to our little cabin in the woods and got on the road to Monterey. Again, Chrysa had done the research and planned a very nice afternoon. We started our day at the Monterey Aquarium. The aquarium is located on Cannery Row and the building is designed to reflect its surroundings. It has a very industrial feel and wonderful exhibits. We got to see all sorts of marine life but the playful sea otters, hypnotic jellyfish, and funny penguins really stole the show.

It was at the aquarium where Chrysa got a call back concerning her next assignment. Somewhere near the sea otter habitat Chrysa got the call. Spokane was willing to wait for her start date! After weighing our options Chrysa decided to accept the position. I have to admit, it felt really great to know where we would be going to next.

Jubilantly, we finished up our time at the aquarium and decided to see what else the town had to offer. We found a walking path that went along the bay in the direction of the old fisherman’s wharf. Along the way we snapped pics of the bay and all it had to offer, including harbor seals. Having recently seen the elephant seals in San Simeon we were able to make a direct comparison. My verdict…although both species are disgusting, the harbor seals are far more pleasant.

While touring the wharf we decided that we better book our hotel for the night. On our walk we spotted a real nice place that had its own parking lot. We decided to spend a few extra bucks and got a room with a nice view.

The room ended up being perfect. We were well rested for our trip back to Lompoc. Both Chrysa and I had to work directly after our car ride back home. Knowing that Chrysa had a new job lined up changed our whole perspective upon our arrival. The pressure was on to get us ready for our time in the Pacific Northwest.

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