Big Sur Vacation- June 17-22

The week after school got out was a week C and I had been looking forward to for a long time. We both were excited for the opportunity to rest and relax for an entire week! Our travel plans weren't really plans at all because neither one of us really had time to plan a vacation! Eventually we decided we would maybe travel up the coast and stay somewhere along the beach for the week, but just about that time one of my parents offered for us to stay at their home in Big Sur. Little did she know she was our saving grace. We were both elated! Neither of us had ever spent any time in Big Sur, just driven through, and we were so excited to have the opportunity. We spent a couple days in Huntington Beach with family, a night with Grandma Gail in Camarillo, and then headed up the coast to Big Sur. The drive was breathtaking as we zig-zagged up the 101 and then HWY 1 closer to the ocean. We stopped for lunch at the quaint little town of San Luis Obispo and continued on until we reached Big Sur. The place we stayed was a darling guest house just down the road from the main house. It sat right at the edge of a cliff and looked out over the ocean. It was a slice of heaven. Each day was spent lounging around on the deck reading and studying. C was able to work on some projects he had been meaning to get to for quite a while. We ate our meals at the local bakery and restaurants and became acquainted with several members of the community. We hiked around the property, gathered fresh fruit from the garden, toured the new guest house that was being built, climbed down the side of the cliff to the private beach, collected seashells, and relaxed, relaxed, relaxed. Our vacation was unforgettable! The unfortunate part of our trip happened on Saturday when lightening hit the mountain near-by. We saw the lightening strike and soon after, the smoke began to rise. As we walked along the beach that afternoon we watched the helicopters moving in and out of the smoke and sucking up water from nearby ponds and the ocean. Soon neighbors began to arrive and together we stood and watched the smoke come closer and closer. That evening we ate at Nepenthe, a restaurant just a few miles south of us and while we ate watched helicopters filling up right in front of us. We tried to drive further south but a road block was already set, just five miles south of us. The next morning we headed down the mountain from the house to get some breakfast only to find the restaurants had been evacuated and the road block had been moved closer. We drove back up to the house to have breakfast there and begrudgingly began to pack and clean for our departure. When the time came for us to head out we found the road block had been moved once again to just south of our road. The billow of smoke was getting bigger and closer. It was sad to leave and we, of course, were worried for the community there. We were happy to hear that the fire was finally out after burning for over four weeks and thousands of acres. The home we stayed in was left unharmed, thankfully the fire never jumped to the west side of HWY 1.