My wife, Ali, and I went on vacation a month or so ago. It was a combination business trip and vacation. The big goal was to get to Big Sur – a place we’d dreamed of going. Along the way we spent some time in San Francisco, mostly because I had some business there, as well as Muir Woods and Sonoma. Despite getting a very nasty head cold during our trip we managed to have an awesome time. Regretfully I wasn’t able to have as much fun in Sonoma as I would have liked. Having a head cold in 106 degree weather is no fun!

San Fransisco is always a good time. It’s just a great city, one of my favorites in the US. Being a northeast boy though, it just doesn’t hold a candle to Boston and New York. But that’s just my east coast arrogance!

I brought my camera along with me and was able to take some shots when inspiration struck me. I’m not big on touristy photos and landscapes, although I do find myself inspired at times. The picture on the right is from Alamo Square a few houses down from the overrated Painted Sisters. There happened to be a blimp flying over the financial district at the time I took this photo, so I thought it’d make a nice shot. We had a nice time in the park there, where we enjoyed a light picnic and some people watching. The weather was fantastic that day and we took full advantage of it. Lots of dogs hang out at Alamo Square and it really made us miss our puppy, Elmer.

Sonoma was pretty cool, despite the 106 degree weather! We stayed in sleepy Glen Ellen, a very small and quiet town a few miles from downtown Sonoma. We went to Moon Mountain Vineyards and had a private winery tour. This was our first winery tour outside of New England, and we were very impressed! Awesome history at Moon Mountain Vineyards, spectacular views, amazing wines, and my personal favorite – volcanic caves where they store their wine barrels.

The evening drives around Sonoma provided some really beautiful scenery. As the heat of the day began to wane, and the sun fell behind the mountains surrounding the valley, the golden hour had new meaning to me as the sun’s rays blanketed the vineyards. The shot on the right was from our drive from Glen Ellen to downtown Sonoma. We pulled over and despite not having much room to work with, I snapped a few frames of one of the many vineyards that occupy the land.

Once we left Sonoma my cold was starting to go away and we were very eager to make our way down highway 1 to Monterey and to Big Sur. So we got an early start and stopped by Muir Woods, famous for its Redwood trees. We really wanted to avoid the crowds and try to take in the scenery in early morning light, which we did. Muir Woods really has to be experienced to get the full grasp. The silence of the woods, the variety of wildlife, and the surreal almost fantastic vibe to the place is just indescribable. The photo on the left was taken from inside a tree, one that could easily fit 10 people or so. How old this tree is is beyond me, but its old! Ali suggested I take this shot and she hit the nail on the head! I can’t include all my photos from Muir Woods, there’s just not enough room. But at the end of this blog post there’s a link to the the rest of the pictures.

As we made our way down California’s Highway 1 we were overwhelmed by the stunning variety of landscapes. From massive farms growing lettuce, artichokes, and strawberries with massive irrigation systems, to mountain ranges and sudden and dramatic views of the Pacific Ocean, the anticipation for Big Sur was only growing. Vista point after vista point, we’d stop and I’d take photographs. We probably stopped about twenty times on the way to Monterey, easily delaying our arrival by a good two hours.

Once we arrived in Monterey, we had almost no interest in doing the more touristy things, like Cannery Row and other places. We just wanted to head down to Big Sur. So the next morning, that’s what we did – we hit the road! One of our first stops was to Pfeiffer State Park for a hike. Before we even got five minutes into our hike we were greeted by three fawn, who had no fear of us at all. We just stood there in total silence while they picked berries and leaves off bushes and wandered around the woods. Ali and I are big wildlife people, and anytime we come across wild creatures, we can’t help but feel joy and compassion for them.

Further down the highway in Big Sur we were overwhelmed by the awesome and dramatic shoreline. The majestic Pacific Ocean collides with the land in such dramatic ways that Robert Louis Stevenson said, “This is the greatest meeting of land and water on earth” and he couldn’t be more right, at least as far I’ve ever seen. The Pacific Ocean really demonstrates it’s might for as far as the eye can see. There’s something so turbulent about the Pacific at Big Sur, something that I’ve never seen in the Atlantic. There seems to be a force about it, an energy that is indescribable.

Our trip to California started in the urban setting of San Francisco, and ended in the serene and majestic setting of Big Sur. Ali and I would love to return to Big Sur again, and then again and again. It’s an amazing place that we only experienced for one day – not nearly enough time to experience all that it has to offer, but enough to have made a mark on our hearts.

 

 

 

 

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Tags: Big Sur, California, Moon Mountain Vineyard, Pacific Ocean, Robert Louis Stevenson, San Francisco, Sonoma, Sonoma Vineyards, vacation