Big Sur

So, where were we?

Oh yeah - we left San Francisco (an eternity ago) on February 8th. We poked our way down the Pacific Coast Highway for a couple of days in a rental convertible (wah hoo!) and stopped for the night about one third of the way to LA in Monterey. Had we known then what we know now, we probably would have spent more time there than we did in SF. The Monterey area is absolutely stunning. Not to mention that just south of there is Carmel by the Sea, which is home to an old Catholic mission and also, oddly enough, the place where Clint Eastwood was mayor for a time. No joke.

Here's a picture of our convertible parked on a cliff near Big Sur.



Big Sur is an area along the CA coast that has some of the most georgeous scenery I've ever seen. And, thankfully, a National Park. We loved it. It was one twisty turney, hair-raising hairpin turn after another. (Which Karen with her vertigo issues just loved...)

I found this next area by accident. We were driving by one more amazing vista, when I noticed this huge rock sticking up out of the ocean. I stopped the car, got out and started picking my way down the cliff to the sand below. I'm so glad that I did. This first picture is pretty much my vantage point from the road I think:



Here's one of that Big Rock from sea level:



This is more or less what the whole coast is like. I don't want to sound jaded, because it's fantastic...it's just that you get a little overwhelmed by it after a while. I musta said "wow" more times than a valley girl from the 80s during this part of the trip...



There was this one time (this ranks as one of the coolest things that happened on our trip) while we were driving along that we saw (what we believe to be) a red-tailed hawk coasting along a thermal right over our heads. He was so close that we might have missed him altogether had we not had the convertible top down. Since I was driving, I did not get any still photos, but thankfully Karen was able to get some digital video of this amazing creature. It followed us (or we followed it) about 15 feet above our heads for probably 10 or 15 minutes of driving. We almost crashed about 10 or 15 times because I was more interested in the hawk than the road...c'est la vie.

This bridge is famous for some reason we read about in our guide book. I cannot remember why at the moment...



So, we're driving along, and we come upon a bay with some sacked out seals. We stopped to have a look because we didn't know that we would find a "seal refuge" a little bit further on. So, I'm wrestling with my long lens, and I can't get anything to look right. Pouting, we drive on a little ways, and then we see signs for a scenic area of some description. Getting out of the car, this little guy greets us, almost like...may I park your car for you? Oh, no, wait, that was LA. Actually what he was after was a handout I think:



Right in front of our car, there were a couple of these great big slickly furry shapes lying prostrate in the sand. None of them were moving, and Karen and I thought for sure that meant they were dead. Made us very sad for a moment, but then we kept on a little further. Turns out these guys were just sunning themselves, and just pretty much...look dead when they are sleeping. This next scene is pretty rough to take if you think that the sleeping are actually dead:



Turns out they are Elephant Seals. And while they are cute "in their own way" (especially the babies), they sure are funny looking:



I think this is a little further back up the PCH, but check out this sunset!



And, finally, I thought this was a cool shot too:



Next stop, LA!