I don’t go out much any more. I just get discouraged when I do. Instead, I choose to spend my time in solitude on a mountain top where I an watch Mother Nature host the greatest show on earth — the sunrise, the sunset, the trees dancing to the breezes that catch her leaves, all the while playing the symphony of our universe.
Sometimes, I have to. What used to be a peaceful drive down to the highway has become a challenge. I expect those on the weekend, but on a Tuesday morning? I don’t expect that, yet there it was.
I saw a smaller or lesser version of what I had seen on Muster Saturday. Cars, tents, campers set up all off the road, damaging the fields, the plants, the flowers…again….not to mention driving onto dry grass, risking staring a fire.
Further on down the road I encountered my first traffic jam. One of those cheap new Land Rovers came fact-to-face with me on a narrow part of the road, and there was a while Tacoma behind me. I am stuck in the middle and at the mercy of whoever blinks first. It was the Rover. He backed up. I have learned a lot about a driver by how he or she backs up on this narrow, steep, windy road. This one wasn’t bad. He or she had to back up a considerable distance to let me and the otherTacoma by.
I stayed in front. The Tacoma didn’t crowd me, which was good. I came upon a doe leading her two fawns down the road. I gave her plenty of space, as I did not want to spook any of them, causing the doe and her fawns to be separated. The Tacoma had no choice but to slow to the crawl pace I set as I watched the family make its way down the road. I watched them until all three of them, together as a unit, left the road. Then, and only then. did I stop crawling. The traffic jam was over and I could proceed at a more normal pace. A doe and her twins were admired and honored. We are all only guests here.
just makes me want to cry
why after all the promises of fine and tickets is there no law enforcement personnel?
I am with both Kate and Jean. Nature needs our tears, solitude, and our love . . . and , of course, our good deeds. Some real darkness is playing out during this crucial time. I join hands and heart with you both.
Try accessing home off the Old Coast Road…blocked…no one willing to move over or “obey the signs” that say No Parking / No Stopping. People looking at me like I am interfering with their vacation by asking to get by and go down the road. Toilet paper strewn along the road. Again – almost can’t blame them. Where are the bathrooms like they have north of Santa Cruz at all the beaches. But it makes us tighten up our gates, our security and attitudes.
Actually, we face the same things. Yesterday when my son was going to work, twwo cars pulled up driver to driver )(one from out out of state) and sat and chatted for 10 minutes. Finally, B pulled out his bull horn and asked them to move so he could get to work. One of them flipped him off. As to tp? That is true everywhere in Big Sur.
On a narrow road, one is supposed to yield to uphill traffic. One should never back downhill. That’s tradition, and it makes sense. Common courtesy.
There is actually no bathrooms at any of the beaches north of Santa Cruz , or enforcement of any kind. It is a similar free for all that continually has exponentially more people.
Big Sur is under attack, and the proposed Big Sur Land Use Plan changes would legalize it. Are you following the County effort to neuter the BSLUP and the meetings (August 11th!) on that? This is a BIG DEAL for Big Sur. It will establish the ground rules to turn Big Sur into La Jolla.
I confess, I would call 911 and report them.
This really makes me very sad. When I lived there people were more considerate of others. This was many moons ago and it is heartbreaking to read. I can’t imagine someone cutting down the posts to access private land! Insane!! We used to have a sign on our gate… Trespassers will be Shot! If caught, there was a time the were shot at, for sure. Rumors spread fast not to trespass beyond our gate, for sure! As for backing up the person driving down the hill is supposed to back up and let other uphill drivers pass. Too dangerous to back downhill!
I am baffled by those that ignore signs/rules/suggestions/laws. Perhaps this is because I am the oldest sibling of 4 and I am a rule follower. I think it is more because my parents instilled in me a love of wilderness/of place and leave no trace. I do not understand thebwntitlement/I special mentality!
I will never understand people like this. Not only disrespectful to others but to nature? Isn’t that what drew them to Big Sur in the first place? smh
I guess these are the same folks who make trouble on planes– clueless, rude idiots. Call the sheriff out and make them do their job for a change.
Sorry to be the dissenter here… but please hear me out. Much of big Sur is government owned land. Some is private. Private land owners, go ahead and buy the government land and then you have the right to complain about who drives or camps on it! Oh… you can’t afford all that? The other alternative is the government wanting to own the whole swath of coast of big Sur and abolish private property here. Which extreme do you prefer?
Accept that people will want to visit big Sur. They, as taxpayers have the right to use the “public” lands. And I’d add… you’d like all those visitors on your side when the government tries to remove private property owners from big Sur and will not allow “public” use. (Ps: I’m not talking about the cutting of fences and trespassing on private property, that is bs, and the owners need to enforce no-trespassing).