Bixby Bridge on a Saturday shown without a CHP presence visible and with a visible presence. Apparently, it does make a difference.
Photos by Martha Diehl
Bixby Bridge on a Saturday
Bixby Bridge on a Saturday shown without a CHP presence visible and with a visible presence. Apparently, it does make a difference.
Photos by Martha Diehl
Imagine if the Bixby Inn and gas station were still there? Actually in the 1930s and 40s only about 6 to 8 cars could park thete due to the Inn. After a fire and subsequent abandonment, the State purchased the spot for sightseeing and bulldozed the gas station and Inn over the cliff. See Pat M. Hathaway photo collection for a peek into the past at “Rainbow Bridge” on the “Roosevelt Highway”.
I am familiar with the Rainbow Lodge (from photos and stories only) also known as the Crocodile Tail/Tale. Rosalind Sharpe Wall’s family lived there. It was from here that her father discovered that sea otters were not extinct, per her book Wild Coast and Lonely.
Unfortunately, people are going to do what they want. Most don’t realize the aftermath of their inpact after they’ve gone on to another place. It is a beautiful area but I can’t imagine living there with constant/nonstop tourists. Peace & quiet may be a thing of the past.
It was relatively quiet at 2:40pm with CHP directing traffic and pedestrians – line of cars going south only went around 2 bends. Lots of cars parked illegally, but I’d rather have the CHP keeping traffic going (the illegally parked cars weren’t blocking traffic) than ticket everyone doing something wrong.
Thanks for the report, Tim.
I had to drive up and down the coast yesterday and in the evening. Every weekend just seems to get worse. I just shake my head and can’t believe what I’m seeing and how our Big Sur home is just getting thrashed. I could go on with stories of the things I saw just yesterday but those of us that live down here and see it everyday know what I’m talking about. In order to protect and save Big Sur’s community and wild character drastic measures need to be taken. Trying to turn everyone into “ecotourists” is not going to work. It’s a volume issue. To many people for this highway and infrastructure to handle!!!
Saturday was ridiculous, what’s scary is ridiculous is becoming the daily norm.. It’s like a broken record and the musics really really bad. And there’s no volume button its stuck on 10. God help us. I pray.
As an outsider, sometimes commenter here and former frequent visitor to Big Sur (last time was back in the mid-90s; emphasis on Last Time), I, along with others, have noted the need to impose a toll system for non-resident users of Hwy 1 through Big Sur as at least a partial solution to the dilemma you-all live with(in). Now, I fully understand how difficult-to-impossible this may seem to implement, but I also think that if you push hard enough on your local and state politicos it can be accomplished in some form. Or, in the alternative, I suppose you-all could buy the Bixby bridge and charge admission to get in to see it – with ticket booths in Carmel and down by Hearst castle, let’s say….
I know a solution is needed, but is making access available to only those who can afford it an equitable one?
I know of no one who is proposing that, but we have to get to manageable numbers of people some how, and we need people to behave appropriately. This is not a theme park. People live here.
I read that the entire broadly spread out state of Hawaii, all the islands combined received about 10.5 million visitors last year. I have also read that Big Sur had almost 6 million cars drive through last year, so figure at least 1 – 2 people per car and we have MORE people driving through on this tiny thread of a highway with very little infrastructure ( bathrooms, anyone ?) than visit Hawaii….
wait, wtf ? that’s crazy… ! is that possible ?
I think the 6 million is just a guess at this point. We need to collect the actual data, which is critical to decide how to deal with the problems.
@Sarah –
I empathize with what you’re saying, but in my opinion Big Sur has long since priced itself out of the realm of affordabilty for a good many people – including myself – which is one reason (traffic being another) that I quit visiting. So I’m not sure your point is entirely valid. And yes, I’m well aware that the area has been spendy for a long time – on my first visit in 1958, I could barely ‘afford’ an ambrosia burger at Nepenthe, but I spent the $$ anyway, just for the experience, which is what Big Sur is really all about to the visitor.