California Highway 1 Daytrip

After a very early departure, my godfather and I drove south along the famed Highway 1, passing Teslas and Smart Cars, rolling green hills and glaringly-yellow-Acacias in full bloom.  Blue sky overhead and bright sunshine guided our way and our mood, the smell of the sea never ceasing to waft in from the sunroof of the car as we sped south from San Francisco on Highway 1.

The goal: take in Monterey, Pebble Beach, Carmel and Big Sur on Highway 1 all in one day.  We accomplished all except the full Big Sur experience…though we did make it to the lighthouse just outside Big Sur. We compared it to a a less exotic version of Mont Saint-Michel.

We had a private tour of the wine cellar at Casanovas in Carmel (amazing atmosphere, highly recommend), we marveled at the work of our favorite architects on the coast just outside Carmel (Frank Lloyd Wright of course), we gazed with wonder at the Lone Cypress which has stood for soo many years along the Pacific between Pebble Beach and Carmel. We were amazed at the crashing waves and the spindrift up and down the rugged coast.  Blue skies cheered us even as we ran into stretches of Highway 1 that were closed to us by recent storms.

The magic of California seemed to bless us in big and small ways no matter what diversion we chose. From the smallest creatures hiding in rocky shoreline to the largest of the trees and the magnitude of the beauty of each complete scene. We were in awe. Two transplants to California, calling it home for only a while, enchanted…

All smiles, we headed home, a night out in San Francisco waiting.  A day of adventure behind us.  A day of savoring creation and man’s invention accomplished.  California did not disappoint!