The final two weeks of my trip didn’t lose its excitement and
allure. Although I had traveled to San
Francisco, Grand Canyon and Sausalito before, I had not visited in the
springtime. This made a world of
difference. The weather is awesome this
time of the year, the flowers are blooming, and the tourist season is not peaking
yet. It was the first time I experienced
the Grand Canyon at sunset which was captivating (for lack of a better word). The landscape comes alive with vivid color,
great shadows and vaulting light. In the blink of an eye, the topography changes from orange to pink to purple as the falling sun casts color and shade across
the valleys, peaks and crevasses. It is a panorama that remains etched into your mind forever.
My last days in my beloved Big Sur were bittersweet. So grateful and elated to have had this
extensive time here, but heavy-hearted knowing that I will likely never get to
experience an epic retreat of this magnitude in my lifetime again. Although Big Sur is just five hours' drive from
Los Angeles and three from San Francisco, it's a world away from both. Its notably modest population is comprised of self-proclaimed artists, struggling musicians,
free spirited bohemians and affluent urbanites looking to disengage and reflect
more deeply in the beauty and enchantment of the landscape. Her coast is wild
and rugged, and lined with granite cliffs stretching for miles and miles. I did all that I could to immerse my self in the landscape and the lifestyles of its people.
During
my time here, I often would gaze in awe at the peregrine falcons and seagulls disappearing in and out
of banks of intruding sea fog. I climbed through ceaseless groves of majestic laurel, tanoak and
redwoods to find little nooks by a creek where I could sit and read a book. I panted and puffed (and died a few times) my
way through Andrew Molera, Point Lobos and Garrapata parks so I could peek in on Sea Otters and Elephant Seals with their newborn pups in the secret coves off the jagged coast. On occasion I sat on my deck at sunset scanning the
horizon for humpback whales and dolphins under the deep saffron sky. And I spent many evenings with new friends and locals sharing life experiences over cold beer and cocktails.
To me, there is no place like Big Sur. But the time has come
for me to (re)plug and return home. Although the remote location, the beauty and
the stillness are all part of the captivation of this enchanted place, I MISS my
family. Not to mention that I was absent for the birth of my newest grandchild. Which means that I have lots of sweet kisses and rocking
to catch up on. So, I will take this newly acquired rejuvenation and vivacity and dispense it on the ones I love most back home. But one thing is for certain, I will forever keep “El País Grande Del Sur” close to my heart and safely guarded in the core of
my soul .
Richardson Bay House Boats~ Sausalito
*The San Francisco earthquake of and fire of 1906 spurred on the popularity of these floating homes, which became a solution for families who had lost their landlocked homes. Eventually, the floating homes in Sausalito became a choice rather than a necessity, drawing in artists, writers, musicians, beatniks, and hippies in search of an alternative lifestyle, . One of these inspired individuals was singer-songwriter Otis Redding, who was sitting on Waldo Point Harbor in Sausalito when he wrote the classic song “(Sittin’ on) the Dock of the Bay”.
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Muir Woods is known for its towering old-growth redwood trees. Trails wind among the trees to Cathedral Grove and Bohemian Grove, and along Redwood Creek.
San Francisco
Lombard Street in San Francisco is often called the most crooked street in the world.
Chinatown SF: The oldest Chinatown in North America and one of the
largest Chinese enclaves outside Asia. Chinatown is an enclave that has
retained its own customs, languages, places of worship, social clubs, and
identity. There are two hospitals, several parks and squares, numerous
churches, a post office, and other infrastructure.
Golden Gate Bridge in the morning.
Golden Gate Bridge in the eveningBay Bridge during the dayBay Bridge at night
*The Haight-Ashbury district is noted for its role as one of the main center of the hippie movement. The Summer of Love(1967) and much of the counterculture of the 60'shave been synonymous with San Francisco and the Haight-Ashbury neighborhood ever since.
The Summer of Love was a social phenomenon that occurred during the summer of 1967, when as many as 100,000 people, mostly young people sporting hippie fashions of dress and behavior, converged in San Francisco's neighborhood of Haight-Ashbury. More broadly, the Summer of Love encompassed the hippie music, hallucinogenic drugs, anti-war, and free-love scene throughout the West Coast of the U. S.
Summer of Love Park in 1967 Summer of Love Park today
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*Alcatraz "The Rock," in San Francisco Bay. It served as a federal prison for some of the most
dangerous civilian prisoners. Among its famous inmates were Al Capone, George (“Machine Gun”) Kelly, and Robert Stroud, the “Birdman of Alcatraz”
A boat sank near Alcatraz Island earlier in the dayThe small window with a view of freedom.
The Grand Canyon
*The Grand Canyon was created by the incision of the Colorado
River and its tributaries after the Colorado Plateau was uplifted, causing the
Colorado River system to develop along its present path.
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Snow on Mountains in Arizona
Hills and vineyards of Paso Robles
*Lava rocks of Pisgah Crater, or Pisgah Volcano, is a young volcanic cinder cone rising above a lava plain in the Mojave Desert, between Barstow and Needles, California in San Bernardino County, California.
*“Standing on the corner Winslow Arizona” immediately calls to mind the Classic Rock song Take it Take It Easy made famous by the group Eagles. The town of Winslow has embraced the song and created a park commemorating the song.
Arizona
Fouquieria Splendens (Ocotillo) in Arizona desert
New Mexico Train in New Mexico
West Texas sunset in the review mirror
More flowers/plants of Big Sur
Last Day in Big Sur
Baby deer feeding in Point Lobos park Monterey Bay
Seaside Dune hang gliders
Surfers at Asilomar Beach
*The name for "The Hoist" came about because during
the turn of the century sleds (nicknamed "GoDevils") or wagon-loads
of tanbark and lumber were lowered by block and tackle down a very steep portion of the Palo Colorado Road, An old pulley is still chained to a long
wooden beam that supports mailboxes that is labeled "The Hoist. The
entrance to the Palo Colorado Road is at the former settlement at Notley's
Landing and its intersection with the Big Sur Coast Highway.
Selfie taken from the deck of the house.
The view from Notley's Landing
Horse barn at Molera State Park
Cannery Row Harbor seals and their new pups at Whaler's Cove
Peregrine Falcon
Northern view from backyard deck of the house
Southern view from the backyard deck of the house
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I'm going to miss these rocking chairs but I am going to miss the view they provided even more.
This view will forever be engrained in my mind.
The house was called La Puesta which means "the setting" in Spanish. How appropriate.💓💓
Stay tuned for my next travel blog which will feature my Top 10 excursions during my stay, trip moments and things I learned about myself, places and people. Stacey✌💓😊
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