Happy Birthday to Me!I rented a car this morning and headed off to Monterey blasting New Wave and Alternative music playing on one of the local radio stations. The weather was perfect, I was feeling much better, and there was not a bit of traffic. Driving on 101 South the valleys eventually rid themselves of houses and civilization and I could smell cypress and pine from my rolled down window. Freedom and celebration for me!
Nearing the Pacific, I saw the dreaded sea mist / fog start to creep in. At first I thought it was smoke from a forest fire with the strange brownish tint but after much asking around I eventually learned this was par for the course. Since I made very good time, I decided to drive past Monterey to Carmel and beyond to Big Sur. At about that time the radio station receptions completely died except for one channel that had this strange british voices talking about Abba and getting sick on mussels. Completely bizarre but I had no other options. I zoomed through Highway 1 as there was really nothing to SEE due to the very thick fog. Highway 1 I learned is not the place to drive fast and I almost scared myself a few sharp turns.
I drove on past Garrappata State Park, past seemingly beautiful views. I was on a mission to see two sites I remember from my childhood that caused my insane fascination with Big Sur. First stop was the Henry Miller Museum in the Big Sur Park. Surrounded my tall trees, this little cabin store had a few new features, including a gigantic stage and some art work in the back. I bought a commemorative book for my father, who introduced me to this when I was little, explored around out back, and finally relaxed and listened to a local guitarist play acoustic Beatles songs. I think Henry Miller would have been proud of this place.
(Photo One: Henry Miller Museum, Photo Two: Me playing among the art in the back, Photo Three: Clovers in the back area!, Photo Four: The Bathroom)
The second place of interest is this wonderful little restaurant overlooking the coast called Nepenthe. Parking was brutal as was the wait. Apparently I was not the only one who was a fan of this place. I ordered myself a Bloody Mary and sat out on some cushions and stairs and soaked in a bit of the sun shining through the fog. I met a man named Noel who asked so very politely to borrow my phone to make a call, to which I agreed and the person on the other line eventually wished me a very Happy Birthday. Worth the risk of helping out a stranger right there! While talking to this lady friend of his, he joked, "If I die young, tell my mother I was gay!" Not sure what that meant but it was humoring.
(The patio at Nepethe / Bloody Mary Time!)
I stopped along the way back to Monterey at a few 'vantage' points just so I knew there was a damned ocean out there through the fog. I don't know what attracts me so much to this area. Perhaps it's the violent beauty of the ocean battling the coastline... of the forest inching it's way to the very edge of the sea. The California fauna that stays vibrant all year long is so very different from that of Texas that a patch of wild grass I could investigate for quite some time. Next stop is the infamous Jabberwock Bed & Breakfast.
(a good peak I had of the Big Sur bay through the fog)
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