If you have not yet read Part 1, please find it here. :)
Big Sur, if you didn't know, is a fairly special place to a number of Californians and has (until the bridge collapsed and roads slid into the ocean this season) been a fantastic destination for vacationers from all around the world for years. The stretch of coastline south of Carmel on Highway 1 can be absolutely stunning and is definitely worth making a trip for should you ever be in the area (and the roads are re-opened).
Day two of our central coast adventure started from Morro Bay, CA on highway 1, heading north to Big Sur. Our goal wasn't necessarily to go too far up the coast, but we wanted to be sure we at least made a dent at the very least. Armed with our trusty Jeep, Michelle and I set out to tackle the 6 hour round trip adventure. If you look closely, you can see our pup Orion waiting patiently in the back seat. :)
The effects of mother nature rapidly become obvious in the face of a persistent and relentless tide, seen here incessantly assaulting the coastline. The sight of highway 1 fighting feverishly and fruitlessly against the tide made it clear that it wouldn't be much longer before this stretch of road was gone forever.
A little further up the road, as you approach Ragged Point, you can find this amazing view looking south. Despite my history at this particular spot, it's hard not to appreciate it for what it is. It's certainly an amazing place.
As per usual, we let Orion get his walk in for the morning. Ragged Point is a pretty decent place to stop with amenities, bathrooms, and a moderately decent coffee shop... If you've had nothing, it's worth stopping for... just don't go out of your way for it. :)
As you head north, the road winds all over the place but mainly stays near the coast providing fantastic views of pristine coastline pretty much the entire way.
Little coves like this one are around every single corner it seems, but don't take any of that for granted, they're each amazing in their own way.
As we continued up the highway, we started noticing a significant number of hiking trails had been closed. Upon closer inspection, we noticed that it wasn't just one, or two, it was all trails.... Big Sur was closed.
This closure wasn't just limited to the state park itself, but if you take a closer look at the map, you'll see that it's the entire region. I've literally, in my entire life, never heard of a state or national park this large closing, but that's just what they did.
Our original plan was to get up on some trails and see the views from above but the closure had made that part a bit more difficult. Regardless, we took a detour up Nacimiento Road and got a bit of our forest fill in that way. It's not quite the same but it's still worthwhile to some degree.
The view from the top is amazing. Big Sur is simply incredible.
After taking a bit of time to relax at the top, we ventured back down the hill taking note of the Pampas Grass which apparently has begun taking over the region after the fires. Despite being an invasive species, I think they are still rather gorgeous in the right light... with that said, they really are quite invasive and damaging to the region.
One final view of the highway, looking south. :)
One thing that's amazing about Big Sur is how much it changes in the light... so many different views to soak up at all times of the day. Morning light is beautiful, but sometimes afternoon light can hit just right.
That's all for now, I truly hope you appreciated out little adventure. Feel free to follow for more adventures in the future. :)