It was a turn out I used a lot in the 90s…

…when I was going to Cal Poly to add a teacher’s credential to my repertoire. I went to it again in my time of need. Even though it had a “No camping, $200 fine” sign, it was a cold, dark, and stormy night…so I figured the chances were that no cops would be checking. If they did, I had the perfect defense….Necessity. Yes, it is a real defense, and I had it in spades. It was getting dark, the storm was already here. It was crazy to drive further with the rain and wind in a BIG box, so I stopped.

At 4:30 am, I woke, not because of the storm, but because I had to pee. Shortly after I woke, the storm hit full force – I mean full force. The rain was pulmetting the van – a metal box can cause the rain to amplify – and the wind was rocking it, literally. I was in a pull-out immediately adjacent to the ocean. The rain and wind were so strong that I thought the van was going to be flipped. Missy, my dog, and I were completely freaked out. At one point, I crawled into the driver’s seat to turn on the headlights to see what was going on because – this is hard to believe – I was questioning whether this was the storm, or whether I was being hit by monster waves. Yes, that’s how bad it was.

Once I found out it was just a monster storm, Missy and I settled in, awake, to wait for daybreak. We slept no more. We cuddled.

At daybreak, this is what I saw;

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And so, I traveled onward and southward. (To be continued…)

19 thoughts on “It was a turn out I used a lot in the 90s…”

  1. When I was in my VW bus, I would park it toward the wind when ever possible, for fear of being rolled over.

  3. What an adventure. A classic Big Sur survival story, and you lived to tell the tale. A little more proof that you are a pioneer woman!

  4. OMG I forgot about the metal!! 😲It must of sounded like you were front row at a 70’s rock concert!
    My sunroom has a metal roof, I leave the slider open so I can enjoy the sound of the rain… sitting in The Chair 😉by the fire… in room with a tile roof. A little different wouldn’t cha say? LOL
    So I’m guessing soft music and a bedtime story for Missy wasn’t really a viable option….😏😅

  5. least amount of surface towards winds… makes sense. Live and learn. All part of the learning curve… but I think you bypassed the “gentle learning curve”… I think you just flipped a bitch and went for it! 🤣🤣🤣
    no – you did good….

  8. well – the suggestion made ME feel better! LOL Actually it was more for you😉 … and maybe me! 😄
    She feels ya and dogs have great hearing.. you know that. Kinda trying to create a bit of calm amongst the storm (boy – that phrase has a fresh new reality!)
    Of course – this is coming from a person that talks TO just about everything, so feel free to grab a big grain of salt!
    (maybe I shouldn’t put that out there….. 🤪? 🤣🤣🤣

  9. Similarly..though risky law enforcement wise, i had a similar restless night along Asilomar directly opposite the golf course pond-overnighting in my 56 vw bus…setup for youthful nonsense..unlike you i slept like a beached driftwood..nothing except maybe an ocean liner could stir this done’in youth- funny said yet once the fog rolled in my sleep was interrupted by the mighty roar of the nearby old fog horn…the dound of which worked its way deep into my subconscious- bringing me images of having been washed out to sea & and approaching sure sinking& drowning as the freighter collided with my little habitat– all this imagery caused me to shout myself out of my ‘wet dream’ and into a fleeing mode to a safer distant turnoff of which there was then and remain so to this stormy day…though then no signs to note illegal overnight parking as they do now…that was circa ’74🏕 – Canyon

  10. What a hilarious & impressive set of comments above! My NYC native street cred (sadly eroded by 2 decades in Santa Cruz) woud’ve bought me nada under such circumstances. I was lucky: branches in the street, flickering lights at home, & a power outage at work that caused computer trouble the next day are the worst I’ve sustained so far. Crazy weather isn’t yet over, of course. We’ve had hail, sunshine, icy rain , & blustery gusts so far today. Stay safe, dry, & warm, all! And let’s thank our furred (& otherwise) companions for their inestimable contributions.

  11. Yes, cloudripper. My sweet fur kid has had a lot of resting to catch up on, after our 6 day adventure, and she is, as am I … safe, dry, and warm with a fire going in the wood stove, a cup of hot cocoa (I declared today a holiday and splashed a bit of brandy in it) and we listen to the wind and watch the clouds and sunshine each take turns this afternoon.

    https://bigsurkate.blog Do not forward, please

  12. about time you got to the brandy!
    I’ve been full suggestions lately haven’t I? 🙄😁Finally – one that I know will work! Enjoy!

  13. btw today IS a holiday. It’s “Create a Vacuum Day”… okay.. but Theory #3 actually is perfect!
    Theory#3: Someone desperately in need of a simpler life, conceived this day. They wanted to create a vacuum that would suck all of the daily work, chores and clutter out of their life. If only for one day, they would be freed to enjoy the simple life of leisure. Now, here’s a theory that really makes sense for today!

    Who know! Thanks again BSK, for the learning curve! LOL

  16. A mystery here….what happened to chapter two? I get that “maybe you were looking for something you weren’t supposed to find” welcome message when I click through. Don’t leave us in suspense!

  18. Photos appear to be south of Piedras Blancas Light House, perhaps between Elephant Seals and Arroyo Laguna, JNO of Old San Simeon/San Simeon Pier & Hearst Castle?

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