Big Sur. When I first heard the name it was far too close to "Big Surf" to not get my brain thinking about surfing. From all the contests, photos, videos, and stories I've heard and read about surfing, I've always known I wanted a go. As I grew older I became to learn the word "surf" as a noun. The English vernacular is funny like that. I couldn't tell you when I first heard of Big Sur, it eludes my memory. But what I can tell you is that the photos always intrigued me. If there's one advantage of the Internet Age is that we can find an area virtually anywhere in the world and in a blink of any eye have a ton of photos and information about that place. Big Sur always gave me these vivid, crashing oceans any time I would look it up. It also gave me the biggest visual I had to see on my first trip to Northern California.
Bixby Bridge.
I mean, just look at that thing! When I first saw photos of this I knew I would have to see it sooner than later. I have always had a fascination with bridges since I was a child building my own Lego worlds or testing wooden bridges in wood shop in MS or tech classes in HS. I nerd out super hard on even small bridges here downtown (which are much easier to scale btw). The beauty of this one is that it is obviously older and is without the pretty lights modern bridges are teeming with. That, and it's built into a huge rock over the ocean! Most of the photos I had seen of this were taken on super sunny, summer-looking days. We were very fortunate to have watched the fog roll in and out and completely remove time from existence. It's a great feeling to travel across the country and see things in person you've only seen on a screen or in a book. This is why I love travelling so much--moments like this cannot be replicated in any other form other than physically touching the structure. Touching the earth beneath it. It truly is a marvel.
Ozzy attempts to descend for a closer look at the water crashing beneath the bridge.
Beneath the structure of Bixby Bridge is the Pacific Ocean in all it's crashing glory.
What I truly respect about the guys I traveled with is that nothing is off limits and all boundaries are to be pushed. Not many would walk along the edge for this but people like us aren't many (although our numbers are growing).
Cory and Ozzy walk the fine line between safety and "Holy Crap!--don't look down!"
But of course, we always look down.
What's life without getting your heart pumping from no physical exertion other than stepping up onto the edge?
A busy road will have it's quiet moment where you are able to get this shot.
That bench in the back is where I stood to capture the last photo.
I could've easily spent my entire day here just soaking it all in. This spot alone is pure magic and can be felt with all the crisp, ocean air caressing your face. It's very rewarding to be in such a place, to know that your intention got you here. As much as I wanted to stay, the open road was calling us further into Big Sur.
Go play in traffic.
Pull up--SKRR! Out the ride and onto the jagged rocks. As if Bixby Bridge wasn't enough to blow my mind, we find this place right down the road. Some of the most breathtaking views of the Pacific Ocean for me have taken place in Santa Monica. But this spot surely gave it a run for it's money. While it hardly looked safe to be along the coastline here, it was a joy to catch these waves as they smashed relentlessly on the rocks.
The sun was getting low but the waves stay high.
Again, always look down.
We spent a couple of hours here. As Ozzy and Cory made their way closer to shore, I stayed high with Ollie and just watched the ocean. Crash, recede, crash recede. A beautiful melody and harmony of nature. This is really one of those things that can bring a Texas man to tears--the Gulf just isn't like this. At this point I was so ripped that we had seen so much and hadn't even made it to San Francisco yet. But honestly, if the trip had ended at this point for some reason, I would've been perfectly content.
The colors, the fog...totally speechless.
Fortunately, it didn't end here.
Keep Pushin' Forward,
BLUE731.
BLUE731.
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