Jun 29 2009

We're back!

It was a glorious trip up Pacific Coast Highway and camping in Big Sur. As it was the first time I had traveled that route I had no idea what I was in store for, an amazing area with one scene more beautiful than the other. Alas, it wasn't without it's annoyances as well...this could have been the most frustrating photo trip I've taken. It seemed like whenever we wanted a condition with sun/clouds...it was fogged in...we went to locations where we wanted fog/overcoast...and it was sunny as could be. Maybe it's the weather in the area, maybe it was just poor planning on our part. This photo of Bixby bridge is one of the few moments where the weather seemed to be cooperating and I almost skipped it, but turned the car around and drove back up the hillside and was happy I did. Special thanks to Kris, Alia, and Andree for putting up with me!

Day 1
But outside of the weather it was a marvelous trip. We left on Monday driving straight up to Big Sur, only stopping in Santa Maria so Andree could buy some outdoor lights to hang on the EZE UP. We arrived at the Riverside Campgrounds and set up camp. The campsites are pretty packed in, but overall the location was great. We spent the first evening at Julia Pfeiffer State Beach and did actually have sun! Unfortunately it set behind the cliffs to the north. The wind was vicious, but I could see how in the right conditions how photogenic the location could be. We returned to the campground, grilled sausages, and were able to maintain our cool and calm when the skunk made his first of many visits to the campfire.

Day 2
Woke up early to photograph the Point Sur Lighthouse. Pretty much fogged in, but I think we captured some interesting images. We spent the rest of the morning driving up the coast to Rocky Point, and then headed down to McWay falls. If you haven't seen images of McWay falls, I suggest you do...a waterfall falling in to the cove. Also spent some time photographing a condor, which was pretty cool. We raced back to the campground to meet Kris and Alia. I ditched everyone else and drove up to Garrapata State Beach for sunset while they prepped dinner.

Day 3
Decided to sleep in due to the fog and we left early in the morning to drive up the coast to Monterey. Along the drive is when I captured the image in this post. Lunch in Monterey and then a leisurely drive along the 17 Mile Road to see how the better half life in Pebble Beach. I so wanted to ask the postman...did he have to pay 10 bucks everytime he needed to deliver the mail? On the return trip to the camp we took Old Coast Road. 12 miles of harrowing dirt roads through the foothills/mountains along the coast line. Redwood Forests to some amazing vistas of the coastline. Glad we ignored the road closed sign and kept pushing on (though I'm sure Andree wasn't too happy it was her car we were driving!). We returned to camp for a dinner of Abalone and Shrimp purchased on the Monterey Wharf...delicious! And another visit from a baby skunk who decided he liked the dog food. Ballsy creature...even took a minute to stop eating to walk over and get a drink from the water bowl.

Day 4
Kris and Alia departed and it was time to pick up the camera again. A daytime walk to Pfeiffer Falls that would have been fantastic in the fog...alas it was bright and sunny. We then went up to Point Lobos south of Monterey. When prepping for this trip I read an article that stated it would take 4 to 5 days to fully photograph the point...I kind of raised my eye, didn't look like a huge location on the map. I now understand. It's like a little ecological disneyland. Coves, wildlife, trees, forests, ocean, birds...every step of the way is a different view/location. Unfortunately we didn't have 4 to 5 days but we made the best of it sampling each location and hoping for the right light to break through (it didn't). After avoiding the poison oak and giving up on the weather we headed up to Carmel for dinner and then drove back to the campground for our final night.

Day 5
Up early...fog...that's it...time to go home! So we did.

June 2009