Day 1 on PCH

I was now heading out of San Fran and driving towards my new life. I went to the dealership and picked up my new car, set up the Ipod and GPS and we headed out of the city to Half Moon Bay for lunch at the Mirada. We pretty much stayed on highway 1. The fog was in and out, but I began to see the beauty of living out here and having this in fairly close proximity. The Mirada had an awesome view and great start to the trip down the coast. The fog was in and out throughout our drive, but it cleared up while we ate lunch. We had their signature chowder and bloody mary. My brother decided to continue the drive with me as I headed to Monterey. On the way down, it was taken a little longer so we stopped off in Santa Cruz and my brother headed back to Pat B’s place and went south down the 1.

Now it was just me, my Saab, the coast and my Ipod. The fog continued and would clear up occasionally. The first side trip was in an area called 17 Mile Drive. This is a road that costs you $9 to ride on, but it offers awesome views through Pebble Beach and Carmel along the coast and various golf courses. It was definitely worth the money.

After 17 Mile Drive, the 1 provides Cliffside views of the pacific ocean along a windy road. You have to be wide awake while you drive. After heading out of there, the plan was to go to Pfeffier State Park to check out Pfeffier Falls, but by the time I arrived in Big Sur it was 6:30 and I didn’t know how long it was going to take me once I was in the park to walk there. I needed to make a decision. I was feeling hungry, so I had a location picked out, Nepenthe, but the GPS was providing with a location that was not a road on the map! I was getting frustrated. I headed in the Maiden Bar in central Big Sur read Fodor’s to decide what I was going to do. I decided that I did want to go to Pfeffier Falls, but now where was I going to stay? I had one bar on my phone so I couldn’t get through to any motels/hotels. There didn’t seem to be many nearby, but alas, on the other side of the parking lot there was a motel. I walked over there, no vacancy…I headed out on highway 1 remembering that I saw a few places, I stopped at the first place Glen Oaks and went to front office. They had one location, so I took it!

I finally found out where Nepenthe and I picked the most ideal time to head there, right before sunset. I had to wait to eat, so they have a viewing area. I’ll let the pictures show it, but it is the most amazing landscape that I have ever seen. I could have stared out at it forever. I headed near the bar and as I was reading my Fodor’s California, a lady at the bar asked me what I was reading, so I started talking to her. Her name was Elizabeth from Denver. I ended up having dinner with her. Very eccentric woman. She’s lived a very interesting life to say the least.

We headed over to the viewing point to check out the full moon and the fog lighten/thicken. I couldn’t stop thinking about how everyone is put on this earth and sent in different situations and placed in different places for some reason whether you are the key player or not, you play a role. I’m not sure what part I was this time, so I continued to soak in the view because no picture to match what was embedded in my mind for the remainder of my life hopefully!