The sixty-hour weekend clock had begun, the van was packed, we were eager, but understood it wasn’t enough time. It’s never enough time. Headed north from Pismo Beach, we took the PCH to the iconic, rugged coastline of Northern California, Big Sur. Leading up to us cranking the tunes and rolling down the windows to let in the ocean breeze, Big Sur had a mystical feel told to us by those who had visited. Our friends shared their tales of Bixby Bridge, sea lions blanketing the beach, ocean cliffs that drop a hundred feet, waterfalls that spilled onto the sand, and secret beaches that nobody wandered through. Needless to say, we had expectations. However, we did not have an itinerary. We wanted to take in this beauty as unprepared as possible. Allowing our gut to say, “STOP! This looks gorgeous, go explore!”
As the dashboard clock ticked away and the sun hung low on the horizon, we closed in on Morro Rock. Rolling into an empty parking lot, I grab my camera and headed out to snap some images as the light faded. Hailey walked up, intertwined our arms, and laid her head on my shoulder. Rarely, do we have the opportunity to watch the sun sizzle away into the ocean together. My camera went into my bag and we sat on the beach, taking in every last ray of light.
The night sky was blocked by a collection of clouds, but that was okay. Our bellies were growling and it was time to make some food. Pasta with veggies and red-sauce was on the menu.
We only had forty-eight hours left and we were crawling out of bed. Coffee was made, some sunrise images were snapped, and we headed north, through Cayucas, into the southern part of Big Sur. A quick stop at a mansion, but it didn’t grab us, so we kept driving until we found some sea lions. The puppy-dog-like sea creatures scattered the beaches. To our surprise, these were the females. Cuddling and talking with each other, they seemed to be enjoying the sunshine. Meanwhile, a sneaky male bellyflopped onto the beach. He was intruding. With cautious eyes, the visitor wormed his way close to a group of females. Their barking of disapproval woke the dominant male who slept just out of sight. Poking his head up, the two males locked eyes. The visitor knew he was outmatched, turned, and wormed his way back into the ocean. In a way, I was a little disappointed because I had read a sign that gave me the idea that we would witness a bloody duel like those in the coliseum during the Roman Empire. Looking back, I am glad the visitor decided to turn back.
Leaving behind the sea lions, we wound around the cliffs which fell into the ocean. We had our eye out for a beach, but our gut shouted, “HERE, pull over and go explore!” Usually, I over-plan each trip so that I know what my options are, but that wasn’t the case. Grabbing my camera and backpack, we headed up a trail and away from the beach. As the sun was overhead, and our bodies thanked us for the consistent movement, we came to a Y. To the right, a steep uphill. To the left, a sign reading “waterfall.” So, we went left. As the heat began getting to us, we could hear the roar of the waterfall. Not shortly after that, Hailey was looking at me, at the edge of the water, “How cold do you think it is?”
Shaking my head, I could only muster up a single word, “Cold.”
Looking over her shoulder with a look in her eyes, she presents the challenge, “Let’s find out!” Stripping down to her birthday suit, she stumbles over the rocks and begins squealing out. Not looking to be left behind, I follow her lead and begin chasing after her. We both squeal from the shock of the cold water. Nobody is around, we have this place to ourselves. Splashing each other and tripping over rocks goes on for what felt like an hour, but I would guess the cold sped time up. Voices began to echo up the creek, so we found our clothes and headed back to the van. Our bellies were growling and we still wanted to find a beach.
Filling our bellies with hummus and veggies, we continued north, past the famous bridge. The sun was getting low on the horizon, so we didn’t stop. Weaving through the herds of pedestrians, our hearts were set on the beach. Unfortunately, we did not find one that we could access. No saltwater shower for us tonight.
Less than 24 hours left, we woke up to a cloudy morning. I went for a walk, Hailey made the bed, coffee, and took some time to journal. The morning was quiet and I was alone with my thoughts. Standing on a cliff at the beach, I took a seat to watch the waves ebb and flow into shore. A seagull questioned my presence as it perched atop a rock. Closing my eyes, filling my lungs with the salty air, my feet pressed into the earth. I could feel the waves pounding onto the shore below. I can see why people return from this place with mystical stories.
Returning to the van, Hailey had opened the back doors and was staring out at the ocean with her coffee, journal, and book on the bed. “Not a bad place to wake up huh?”
“Not at all,” she said giving me a kiss.
Knowing the clock was ticking away, we both wanted to explore more, but we also knew that our busy lives prevent us from sharing moments like this with each other. So, we just sat, staring at the ocean from the bed in the van. I would be lying if I said that I wanted to go somewhere because the only thing I wanted was to spend time with her. This weekend wasn’t enough time to explore Big Sur. Unfortunately, a workweek is long and the weekend is short. I’m fortunate we make the most of the time we do have together.