Monday, August 1, 2011

Roadrip - Day 1

I've been thinking of the words to say here all day long. I'd be in the middle of a new experience, grappling with a new obstacle, breathless at a new vista, or awestruck by beauty and think "I need to write about this!" And yet, here I am, finally in bed at a couple minutes to 10pm, and I'm so exhausted my words emerge garbled.

Today was incredible. The kind of incredible where you remember it hour by hour, sometimes minute by minute, the wonder happened so fast. I saw more new things in one short day than I have in a long time and my mind is full of beautiful moments I'm working hard to tuck into my longterm memory. I never want to forget this bewitching day.

Mark and I left Sacramento this morning and began our CA-1 roadtrip with glee. We've been counting down the days to this trip for months and finally it was here! So of our favorite memories so far:

* Dropping out of San Francisco and almost immediately being greeted by rugged cliffs, vibrant wildflowers, and the pounding of powerful waves.
* Pulling over on the side of the road to take pictures and touch the iceplant.
* Walking around the harbor at Half Moon Bay. We touched the names of the 15 sailors who have died in those waters since 1928.
* Locking the keys in the car and being forced to hang out at the beach while we waited for the tow-truck to come save us.
* Exploring the tide pools below Pigeon Point Lighthouse and finding a massive seal who snorted at us.
* Hiking through knee-high cliff grass and rugged wildflowers to a rocky cliff overlooking a solitary, untouched cove.
* Eating bagels and cream-cheese on the most comfortable wooden chairs imaginable, and watching a flaming sun dip below the vast expanse of ocean.
* Soaking in a bubbling hot-tub, separated from the pounding Pacific by only a wire fence, and watching the stars come out one by one. It must be the most incredible hot tub in the world. All you can see is ocean; ocean on every side.

Tomorrow is going to be equally amazing as well, I'm sure, but in a completely different way. I really can't wait.

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