9.6.13 : lighthouses and coastline.

On my way out of San Francisco, I took a detour that pointed me towards Point Reyes Lighthouse. Following the winding road ended up costing me about two hours of my time, but seeing it fog free (a rarity) made the trip well worth the loss. Passing only a few people on my way down the long staircase, I had the place to myself. A deafening foghorn sounded every few minutes, which rendered my hearing useless for a few seconds afterward each time it went off. It was a beautiful place that really did feel like it was at the ends of the earth. I can only imagine what a lonely existence living out there might have been at times.

The coastline varied greatly across the 200+ miles I drove that day, but it was as beautiful as ever. I arrived at Point Arena Lighthouse after it'd already closed, but as luck would have it, that granted me the ability to explore without any other people around. The coastline at that particular viewpoint would have been incredible to watch the sunset from, but alas, I needed to make camp before sundown and my destination for the night was another hour away.

8.29/30.13 : morrow bay & big sur.

After the sunrise in Malibu, I swiftly made my way up to the Big Sur area after stopping for a beachside breakfast in Santa Barbara.

The California coast is something to be seen in person, but I tried my darndest to somehow capture with my camera. This post covers Morrow Bay up to just below the Monterey Bay/Santa Cruz area and spans my first and second day.

My first night camping was nearly a disaster. Armed with only a hammock and hoping against hope to find a place to hang it the night before Labor Day weekend, I lucked upon a packed campground with only three spots left and was able to rig it up using one decent tree and my car. It wasn't ideal, but being my first night camping alone, I wasn't too bothered by the fact that I was surrounded by fellow campers in their much more sophisticated setup. I had the place to myself in the morning when I woke up with the sun (one of the many joys of hammock camping) and was able to make and enjoy my breakfast and coffee before the other folks even began to stir.

The coastal drive that morning was beautiful and the landscape varied incredibly from one curve to the next. Each stop seemed to be better than the last and I wondered how I'd ever make it to my planned destination. My last stop in the Big Sur area was a pull-off that was absolutely packed with cars. I saw the direction everyone was walking in and went the other way, up a hill to a path that was a bit less trodden. Following the path towards the ocean, I didn't come across a single person as I ventured further from the road. Eventually, I was led to a tiny hidden cove and beach with not a soul in sight. Cliche as it may sound, taking the road less travelled really did prove fruitful.

8.29.13 : sunrise in malibu.

As some of you know, I recently drove up the entirety of the West Coast, starting in San Diego. Spurred by a wedding I was shooting on September 1st in Santa Cruz, I left August 29th and had planned to take a week to travel up to San Francisco and back. Somewhere along the way, a spark was ignited within me, and I made the decision to keep going. By the morning of September 8th, I'd crossed over into Oregon. Conveniently, I had family in the area, so after making it up to Coos Bay, I headed inland to my aunt and uncle's house in Roseburg, OR to do some much needed laundry and consider my next move. I made my way over to Crater Lake on September 11th, but had started to feel the nagging of responsibilities calling me back to San Diego.

Before I left Roseburg, it was suggested that I simply go back to pack my stuff (and sell what wouldn't fit), then come back up with the intentions of finishing the coast.  So I did.

On October 2nd, I moved to Roseburg. My poor little Honda Civic was packed to the gills with everything I owned, including my dear cat Loulou. Once here, I took a few days to settle in before hitting the road again on October 9th. 

Making my way back to Coos Bay to pick up where I left off, I drove the remainder of the coast all the way up to Vancouver, BC, where I spent a long weekend during their Thanksgiving holiday. I had some detours inland in Washington to see some friends, but headed back to the coast to complete what I hadn't gotten to on the way back. 

By the morning of October 18th, I'd successfully finished the coast. 

So now, I am faithfully parked on the couch in my temporary home in Roseburg, editing through the thousands of photos I managed to snap on this great adventure of mine. My goal is to post a blog every single day representing the entire trip. I'm certain that will be easier said than done, but I plan to stick to that resolve as diligently as possible.

So, today, you get to see day one…my very first stop to watch the sunrise in Malibu, CA.