The main highways we're on are 101 and 1. We stay on 1 for quite awhile because it goes along the coast. It's VERY curvy and I can barely get up to 35mph before the next drastic turn comes up. Northern Cali has A LOT of forests. For awhile I feel like we're in the rainforest: narrow winding road, hardly any other vehicles, and lots of trees, fog and rain.
Every once in awhile we'd get a glimpse of the coast line and seaside cliffs and the tall, bronze, sun-bleached beach grass but then we'd quickly be engulfed in another cove of trees. We pass A LOT of vineyards...gorgeous rolling land, hills of fruit and flowers and other exotic Californian shrubbery.
As we get closer to San Francisco the traffic picks up DRASTICALLY. We go across the Golden Gate Bridge! (Which is more orangey-red rather than golden...but in all fairness, it was also EXTREMELY foggy). Going through San Francisco, we see the classic houses on the hills: all cookie-cutter with garages and standard entry ways, but all different colors. I keep thinking of the opening to Full House.
It was a really long day of driving (and through a lot of fog) but finally we get to Pigeon Point Lighthouse in Pescadero where there’s a hostel to stay at. I’m in love. Gorgeous cliffs full of flowers, shrubbery and moss. Seagulls perched. Waves crashing and receding and crashing some more…. The lighthouse is stunning. It’s old and the Parks Dept recently fully acquired it from the coast guard and are trying to collect money to repair it. It used to be well enough for tours but now they have it fenced in because they have wires holding up crucial parts of the tower. One bad storm or earthquake could take it away. I really hope they fix it. http://www.parks.ca.gov/?page_id=533 This is the only site I found besides the hostel site, but I recommend calling the parks department to see what kind of donations they’re taking. It would be great for them to keep this majestic landmark. I wandered the grounds a lot and got frizzy hair from all the fog and mist. Marveled at the lighthouse (which still emits light at night and through fog) and the ocean. It’s so strange looking that far…to a line where blue meets blue. The sights, the scents…I can’t get enough.
Finally it’s too dark and the grounds are starting to close and they’ll be locking the main entrance to the hostel so we go in. We sit in the common area for a while and listen to a couple speak…German (I think) to each other. There’s a large fish tank with a huge ship on top. Lots of ocean and boat and lighthouse pictures (and a lighthouse nightlight in our bathroom). Sam and I got bunks (I claimed top) in the girl’s dormitory of the Pelican House. We’re the only ones in the room even though there are 3 sets of bunks. I feel like we’re at camp. Light’s out at 11pm. I read F. Scott Fitzgerald’s The Beautiful and Damned. I curiously stare at my Little Mermaid pin from Denmark, and listen to the waves outside grow. I’m suddenly taken by thoughts of seaside mermaids, and lost sea-men looking for the lighthouse on the coast. I think about how we are all light houses and our souls light the way and guide us…
The waves lull me to sleep…
Love Always & Forever,
Stephanie
Song of the Day: Save Me San Francisco by Train
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