Day 14: San Clemente >> Big Sur

Before leaving San Clemente, we got coffee at Zebra with our friend who happens to be Sarah’s neighbor but is also in our nursing program. Then we got on the 1, heading north. (The 1 and at times, the 101, goes all along California’s coast. It’s the slower, more scenic way.) We walked down Abbot Kinney Boulevard in Venice Beach. Shop after shop was the coolest. I can’t think of any equivalent in Boston. Everyone was so beautiful, thin, and well-dressed. We got bagel sandwiches at Gjelina and a slice of salad pizza at Abbot Kinney Pizza Company. We visited one of Sarah’s friends at her flower shop Fleur in Santa Monica, and continued our way up through Malibu and Santa Barbara where we stopped for ice cream at McConnell’s: boysenberry rose milk jam, olive oil and salted almonds, Eureka lemon and marionberries, are you kidding me? (Our road trip was basically a food tour. As it should be.)

Next stop was in San Luis Obispo to the Madonna Inn to gawk at the fairy tale cottage-like interior and take a huge slice of pink champagne cake to go. We stopped for lunch at Kreuzberg before continuing north. We drove through Morro Bay and Cambria and stopped to see the elephant seals in San Simeon. They were huge, fat, and ugly lying on the beach and made a funny noise. 

Today’s destination was Big Sur, the gorgeous mountainous coast that is cliffs with blue waters below. It was getting dark and we didn’t know where exactly we were camping. Sarah had camped in this area before, just parking and sleeping in sleeping bags between the road and the cliff’s edge, but we hadn’t see any area that allowed that and we didn’t want to set up camp in pitch blackness so we couldn’t drive for too much longer. I found a spot on freecampsites.net that wasn’t right on the water but was just off the 1 on the other side of the road. (Just an open area on the side of a dirt road.) It wasn’t bad. We pitched the tent and ate our cake. Falling asleep to the sound of elephant seals is a very unique experience. 

Elephant seals

Day 13: San Clemente, CA

My day of romping around SoCal was pretty ideal. I hadn’t planned a thing for California, leaving everything to Sarah, knowing I was in good hands. We took a walk around San Clemente, down T Street along the beach, down El Camino Real and Del Mar while Sarah pointed out the town bars, old jobs, letting me make the link between stories told and real life. We met out a few of her friends, again letting me make the link by finally putting faces to the names I’ve heard about for so long. We ate at The Cellar on Del Mar and got delicious breakfast and caramel lavender lattes.

How else to continue a SoCal day than by picking up Pedro’s fish tacos for later and cruising around in a yellow ’67 Volkswagen convertible Bug with some blonde babes? It was perfect. We went to the popular surf beach San Onofre where you have to wait in a long line to park, but who cares when you have a spiked Orange Bang and the sun is shining? Henley had so much fun in the water...I think. When I was in with him he kept swimming up to me, putting his paws on my shoulders, and letting me hold him like a baby. See picture below. You kind of have to look at it hard. It’s hilarious. I have no idea why or what he was thinking. Then a wave would come and he’d push off me to swim away which pushed me under nearly drowning me. This cycle continued several times. I looked mangled after with scratches and bruises. 

We didn’t last too long at the beach as there was a Henley versus beachgoer’s sandwich incident and “Ahhh I’m so happy!” quickly turned into “We have to leave. Right now.” It was fine, though, because it started to rain shortly after. 

Even the rain was perfect. Sarah, (our) friend Micah, Henley, and I continued to cruise with the top down until it wasn’t fun anymore. We went to San Juan and ran from the car into Hidden House for hot coffee and a croissant. We looked like hot messes, barefoot, sandy and wet, rolled in Henley’s fur. Back at Sarah’s we warmed up from the rain in the jacuzzi before dinner with the family. For the second night we discussed going out but opted for staying in. Netflix: perfect ending to a perfect day.  :)

Day 12: AZ >> CA

I drove from Phoenix to San Clemente, California the more southern route because it was about the same time and distance as the northern option but went by San Diego so I thought I’d stop there. The drive was just desert and some mountain views in Arizona and again nearing San Diego. I drove along the Mexico border and went through a checkpoint. Rachael had told me this route would be cool because I got to drive through sand dunes near the Arizona/California border. They would have been cool had it not been so windy. I could feel the lid of my cargo box bouncing around. I happened to look in my rearview mirror as a little towel that was not secured in a bag flew out from the cargo box and into the windshield of the car behind me. I couldn’t believe the lid was bouncing so much and opened enough for the wind to steal something. I drove white knuckled through the rest of the wind waiting for the entire lid to blow off. But I made it through without losing any more belongings.

The mountains near San Diego were odd. They looked like huge piles of pebbles and I was an ant. It was a relief to get out of no where and start seeing pretty California homes. When I got out of the car in San Diego, my hair blew up and I was quickly missing the dessert weather. Apparently this isn’t typical, though, and I’m just bringing horrible weather with me everywhere I go. I didn’t know where to go and didn’t really care. I just wanted to be at the coast immediately so I had to stop. I parked at Mission Beach so we could walk a bit. I guess it wasn’t the best choice --   it was Atlantic City style -- and then I couldn’t go on the beach with Henley anyway, but there it was, the Pacific. I could happily get back in the car.  


We drove a quick one hour up to San Clemente, California where I was staying with my friend Sarah. Sarah is from San Clemente. She moved out to Boston all on her own for nursing school. I met her at the transfer student orientation two years ago. I quickly and easily became obsessed. She is what people are talking about when they say a person can light up a room. She is a fun, gorgeous, glowing light brightening every room she walks into. I was so excited to see her and this place she is always raving about. 
 


Well it’s worth every good thing she ever said about it. I haven’t even seen much yet but I already believe it. Sarah’s old play house, which looks pretty close to a tiny house I’d build, is still in the yard. I’m trying to talk her parents into letting me live in it. We took a walk on the beach, had dinner with her parents and friend, and drank wine in the hot tub under the palm tree.  


<3

My happiness after touching the Pacific for the first time

Day 11: Phoenix & 'burbs

I awoke to Henley inches from my face telling me he wanted to play with the other dogs. We had a slow, relaxing morning at Rach’s, drinking coffee and writing, while she was at work. I did laundry, hung with hubby Greg, and got the car vacuumed. It was right after I came out here in January when I realized and started thinking about the possibility of moving in the future. So when I was in Phoenix, I didn’t explore it with that in mind. I had stayed at an Airbnb one night downtown and really liked the area, but that’s the only area I saw. Also, the rent is insanely reasonable compared to Boston. So this time around, I wanted to see more with the possibility of living there in mind. 

Because of the difficulty I mentioned before regarding researching neighborhoods, I couldn’t figure out how to go about this exploration or where to go. Although the whole idea was to see and do new things I hadn’t seen or done last time I was there, I made my first stop Green, a vegetarian restaurant. I went in January and I couldn’t pass up the chance to go again. They also have a sister restaurant next door, a vegan bakery and ice cream joint. Herbivore, omnivore, carnivore, I’m telling you, do not miss an opportunity to try both places if you’re out here. Even meat eaters will like it, I swear. 

Still not having a plan, I just started driving. I was gnawing away at my nails (gross, I know) and decided to get a manicure to keep me away from them. By the time that was done, Rachael would be getting home from work soon and I’d rather spend time with her than anything else. We took the pups to the dog park, made salad, and relaxed.

It is so aggressively hot there. My fabric car seats were too hot to sit on. You feel like you’re baking...but in a good way. I kind of like it. You just have to plan your day so you get up at five a.m. to do anything you need to do outside. No big deal! It’s still on the list of places to apply for jobs. You can thank me when you visit during New England’s winter.

xoxo

Day 10: UT >> AZ

I watched the sun rise over the red rocks. I sadly dropped Henley off at Doggy Dude Ranch. He’s never gone to a place like that. They make me nervous. I don’t know if they’re really taking him to play in the river or if he’ll die of heat exhaustion or worse, be forced into puppy porn. 

I planned on hiking Angels Landing after seeing pictures from the top. Looking in the guide, they describe this trail as strenuous with drop off cliffs, not for people with balance, cardiac, or pulmonary issues, and not recommended if you have a fear of heights. On the shuttle to the trailhead, the automatic recording warns riders of this trail saying that people have died on it. I was getting more and more nervous. I do have a slight fear of heights that I forget about until I’m at a great height. I tried Googling how often people die up there but I didn’t have enough service. I went for it anyway. 

It was definitely strenuous. The first half or so is an easy paved path but very steep. It drops off the side but it was wide enough that I didn’t feel like I was going to trip on nothing and fall off the mountain. I was nervous the whole time for later when it was supposed to be narrow with drop offs on both sides. I thought I shouldn’t be carrying my water bottle because I wouldn’t be balanced. I checked that my boot laces were tied. Is weight evenly distributed in my pack? What if sweat drips into my eye at the wrong moment? Or I sneeze. Or there’s a slight breeze. I thought the disaster most likely to occur is that I would psych myself out and just thinking so hard about not falling I would fall. Then I got to the scary part. It was challenging and there were drop off cliffs, but there was a chain to use like a railing. No problem! Had it not been there, I would have fallen and died for sure. But if it hadn’t been there, this trail wouldn’t be open to the public. With something to hold on to, it eliminates the possibility of falling and my fear. The top was gorgeous and worth any anxiety I put myself through.

I picked up Henley and he had no tattoos, piercings, leftover make up on or injuries. He wouldn’t tell me if everything was okay or not, but he did seem tired so I guess I have to take that as he was busy. Doing what, I’ll never know. I stopped for a sandwich at River Rock Roasting Company in La Verkin. A great option when going to or coming from Zion when you want to miss all the touristy places in Springdale. 

I continued driving south through the desert -- nothing but sand and red rocks. This is the one place on my trip that I have been to before. This past January I flew into Santa Fe and drove around New Mexico and Arizona. Again, I was staying in Gilbert outside of Phoenix at my friend Rachael’s. Rachael is one of my very oldest friends. We go back to kindergarten or so. We played house with chickens, flew around on four wheelers and snow mobiles, took the bunnies on said four wheelers and snow mobiles, called Delilah and told her fake sob stories to get a good song played for us, listened to the AOL dial up tone and asked a/s/l in chatrooms, and hit up the Worcester under-eighteen clubs. (Come to think of it, why were we allowed to do ANY of those things?) She’s one of those forever-friends where even if we don’t talk for a while, when we do we pick right up where we left off and don’t miss a beat. We sipped icy white wine and chatted while watching the dogs play. What more do you need?

<3

See those people? See where you have to hike up? Ya. 

Angels Landing

Angels Landing

Day 9: CO >> UT

I took as many photos as I could before leaving Crested Butte, not wanting to ever forget its beauty. Being in the mountains, it was in the thirties as we slept and some clouds floated below the peaks. On our way out we stopped in the adorable downtown. There wasn’t one chain establishment, but the little downtown was filled with restaurants, shops, and everything else you could want. The tennis courts were filled on a weekday morning and I saw signs for upcoming festivals for music, film, and wildflowers. What at wonderful place to live. I got a coffee and breakfast sandwich from recommended Izzy’s: egg, cheese, lettuce, tomato, onion, mayo, and mustard on an everything bagel. One of the best breakfast sandwiches ever.

We headed to Zion National Park in southern Utah. The drive was insane. The red rock mountains with their flat tops stand tall and strong and stretch across the horizon on all sides of you. There was a consistent awe, but then many many times I would go around a bend and enter an even higher level of awe -- jaw dropping awe. A few times I put my hands up like What? Are you kidding? I had to pull over to change as I was as bundled as much as I could be and I watched the temperature climb to the nineties. 

Being a national park, Zion does not allow pets besides in frontcountry campgrounds and main roads. Zion has one walking path Henley was allowed so we just had plans for doing that, as it was late in the day anyway. Luckily, it was later seeing as it was still about a hundred degrees. The trail went through one of the campgrounds and it looked fun. Everyone was on top of each other, it wasn’t like the camping we had just done, but each site had a picnic table and fire pit and they had the luxury of staying right in the park. I asked someone how you go about getting a site and they explained you have to get there early in the morning and just claim an empty one. I was about twelve hours late for that. I was disappointed and wished I had planned to splurge on the sixteen dollar fee. Finding a site the night before was a pain as this kind of camping isn’t advertised and showing you where to go. Again, I had no idea where to go near Zion except I knew the park was surrounded by BLM (Bureau of Land Management) land, meaning public, meaning I could camp there. I found a map distinguishing national park land from BLM land and drove down a road. I actually found a few campers quickly and pulled into a large space off the road. I was immediately grateful that the campground was full and that I put in the time and effort again to camp this way. 

I made dinner, watched shooting stars, and spent the rest of the night with Henley panting on me under the Milky Way.

camping spot outside of Zion

Day 8: Denver >> Crested Butte, CO

I planned this trip with a lot of balance: I wanted to give myself enough time in each place, but I also had to make it back to Mass at some point. I knew I’d get tired of living on the road, but also didn’t want to move along too quickly and make each stop too short and thus, pointless. The journey is as important as the destination yadda yadda yadda, but I had to be careful planning how much driving I was going to have to do each day. So far, I think I’ve done a good job with the planning. There were times I’ve wanted to be someplace longer, but I’m also looking forward to places coming up, and ultimately being home. The fact that I feel both ways means I planned my time well.

The drive through the Midwest was really just my route to get out to the good stuff. No offense Midwest, I’m sure your kindness makes up for the tornados, but I just had other destinations I was looking forward to. When I got to the Denver, it was the first time I wish I had more time. At the same time, I couldn’t wait for the drive and to get to the next place: Crested Butte, Colorado. Which, I just learned, is pronounced bute, not butt, like I’ve been saying for months. Now this would be the second time I wish I had more time someplace. 

I left the Denver Airbnb early. I had a few things to do before getting on the road. The most imperative stop was Beet Box, a vegan bakery. I took a coffee and one maple walnut donut and one double chocolate donut for the road. I couldn’t choose just one, so sue me. We then drove to RiNo, the River North neighborhood. I was told this was one of the more affordable neighborhoods so I checked it out like I did the others. Well I would hope it’s affordable -- it’s a craphole. I was’t sure where exactly to go so I just parked and started walking. That was my first mistake. I should have just driven and gotten an accurate-enough representation from the safety of my car. There weren’t even sidewalks. I walked by repair shops, dispensaries, I don’t know what else, just a lot of businesses that were not trying to attract business by their outward appearance. I felt like I wasn’t even supposed to be there, like I had wandered in an area not open to the public. The Platte River flows through the middle of the neighborhood so one would think they would try to capitalize on that and make it accessible and throw in some benches. Nope. I finally gave up trying to see the good here and made the walk back to the car, this whole time still carrying my brown paper bag of untouched donuts, waiting for a good spot to delve in. 

The neighborhood was trying, though. Or at least, some people were trying to make it a worthy neighborhood. Or it was probably the only neighborhood they could afford to open a business. There were good looking shops and restaurants scattered throughout, but they were so sparse that instead of making RiNo look better, they just looked odd amongst the surrounding crap. I’m sure the neighborhood will get there, though, as the rest of Denver gets bought out and completely unaffordable, RiNo will come up and be the next place to live. So actually, I should have paid better attention because it is probably where I’d end up if I moved there. RiNo has close proximity to downtown so with a little makeover it wouldn’t be all that bad. Once back to the car, I drove around the rest of the small neighborhood that I hadn’t already walked. The top corner was all residential, and though still not great, at least it had sidewalks. 

I couldn’t wait any longer. I pulled over at a gas station before getting on the highway to eat my donuts. While not gazing out at the mountains but instead at a broken down fence and a Camel Lights sign, I ceremoniously tore into the maple walnut donut. It was like breakfast at an apple orchard and the double chocolate was my dessert. I could be a full-time vegan if I had someone baking for me. I was well behaved and only ate half of each. 

I hit the road for Pikes Peak in the Rockies, with an elevation of 14,115 feet above sea level. Pikes Peak Highway is a nineteen and a half mile road taking you to the summit. Driving this road was perhaps one of the scariest things I have ever done. There is no barrier between your car and your death! There are occasionally, and I mean real occasional, guard rails. The lanes are a normal width, but one side of the road was always a complete drop off. It was terrifying. I kept regretting going, but I knew it was stupid to turn around. How many thousands drive it and don’t fall off? I’m sure the views were breathtaking, but I sure as hell wasn’t looking over to see. We did make it to the top and it was beautiful. It was forty two degrees with snow on the ground, a welcome change from the city heat. I was so scared to get caught in the rain that kept taunting me so we snapped some photos and got back in the car. Just a long, deathly drive back down then heading east. But first, I deserved the rest of my donuts.

A traveler I follow on Instagram had posted the most beautiful pictures of a place full of mountains and wild flowers. I had to go there so I contacted her about where she camped. She travels in a Volkswagen Westfalia and does the dispersed camping a lot off forest roads so she was a valuable resource, as I had no idea how to do it before talking with her. I drove to Crested Butte, Colorado, but didn’t really know where to go from there. It is in Gunnison National Forest and being a national forest, allows public use of its land, but there is still a lot of private property within the forest. I drove and drove, after driving all day, and couldn’t find a place to camp. I finally went back to downtown and asked someone. I phrased my question like I was the only person to camp like this before. The girl told me which road to go down and to “just keep going” until I find it. I thought maybe she didn’t know exactly what I was looking for. But it was all I had to go on so I found the road and just kept driving. I was on a rough dirt road and drove past signs that said I was on private land for the next number of miles then I came to a sign that said Gunnison National Forest, telling me I was on public land again. And right away I realized that the girl I asked did know what I was looking for and that I was not the only person with this crazy idea. In the most beautiful place I may have ever been were spotted with Volkswagen vans, tents, and campers. They were few and far between but still enough campers to make me laugh at myself thinking I had such an original idea to come here.

I thought for a moment I must have driven off of Pikes Peak and died and gone to heaven. It’s really the best way to describe it: heavenly.  Unfortunately it was past seven p.m. before I found a place to camp and I was leaving the next morning for southern Utah. I really could have used another whole day here to just hike around and sit and relax and admire its beauty. 

I cooked up some rice and freeze-dried fire roasted veggies. I added a packet of hot sauce and cracked open a beer. Henley made friends with a Blue Heeler camping nearby. They romped around in muddy puddles -- the perfect way to end a day before sleeping in a car next to me. I ate an uncooked s’mores (because everything was too wet to make a fire) and read, all under the Milky Way.

<3

This is what I mean. Inches from death.

Pikes Peak summit 

Pikes Peak summit

Crested Butte downtown

Crested Butte camping spot 

See my little car down there?