#17 on the Life To Do List is complete!
I headed back down to SoCal a couple of days ago after another stay in my parents’ guest room in the San Francisco Bay Area. Don’t you just love how Mom and Pop are always game for some couch-surfing? Considering I am lucky enough to still have a subletter, I have been enjoying the most nomadic period of my life. Ohio, D.C., New York, in only a couple of weeks, all for free! Thanks to all the fiscal sponsors who helped make this journey possible, my friends back in SoCal have lost all track of my location. Until the day they invent a human GPS, they will instead have to continue resorting to calling and asking me “Where on Earth ARE you?”
Because of my fortuitous freedom to travel, I decided to do a little solo 450 mile road-trip down to Los Angeles to visit the besties (Mom-that translates to “best friends”). This also gave me a chance to take advantage of the fancy new camera I bought myself. Now, I’ve driven up and down the state of California multiple times, so I decided to take the road less traveled for this particular jaunt. Instead of taking the 5-hour option (the 5 Freeway), or the 6.5 hour option (the 101 Freeway)… I decided to take the 14 hour option. I drove down the COAST of the state of CA on the 1 Freeway, also known as the Pacific Coast Highway (PCH). It. Was. Magical.
Leaving early in the morning was quite the treat. Getting out of bed isn’t so hard when you know adventures await! My folks haven’t seen me up that early since I used to take zero-period calculus at 6:30am in high school. But alas, the iPod serenaded me, the sun rose over the East Bay mountains and I was gone!
One of my first stops was the Monterey Bay Aquarium. I haven’t been there since I was about 8 years old, so I enjoyed seeing all the new exhibits I have been hearing about. Per the recommendations on their gorgeous website (http://www.montereybayaquarium.org), I dressed in layers as the temperature averages 57°F year-round. Unfortunately, I didn’t buy tickets ahead of time which I highly recommend so that you don’t have to wait in line. The aquarium is a place full of ridiculously tiny people (children, they call them) all of whom loved watching me as I filmed different sequences with the jellyfish, wave machine, and tide pool. I took some amazing pictures and video there- and definitely also pet a bat ray.
I had quite a long way to drive ahead of me, so I headed out after about an hour and a half. For future reference, you could easily spend an entire day or half-day there. The best part, tickets are only $30 for entry, no matter how long you stay. And if you are a student (make sure to bring your high school or collegiate ID), you get an additional $2 off! The best exhibit by far is the jellyfish. Make. Time. For. The. Jellyfish.
Off I went to the next stretch of highway. I must say, having the freedom to stop whenever I wanted to was very satisfying. For instance, there was one stretch near Hearst Castle (http://www.hearstcastle.org) where there were grazing cows on the beaches. You read correctly. Cows. On. Beaches. If you’ve ever seen those ads for California Cheese, you’ll literally be facing the inspiration for their gimmick. Gracefully grazing with timid waves lapping against the shore… I mean, really? Luckiest cows on earth! One of these regal cows happened to be very close to the fence that bordered the highway. I slowly pulled to the shoulder and tip toed towards the Moo-Cow (as I called them in my younger years). He began to chew his cud slower and might even have raised an eyebrow at me. He seemed very interested in my camera and what I was doing there on his beach. However, when I raised the lens to capture his beauty, I swear the cow started posing for me. I graciously bowed to him after a few shots, he nodded respectfully and I went on my merry way.
The particular stretch of highway beyond the Cow Beaches was gorgeous. The road literally borders the Pacific for over 100 miles. My timing could not have been more perfect as it was just a few hours before sunset. The reflections off the water and waves were a bit intoxicating, so much so that at times you could see drivers swerving after getting a bit entranced and drifting out of their lanes. California is aware of it’s wonderful real estate and has set up a series of “Vista Points” along the PCH where you can pull over, take a rest, or a couple of photos. Each stop has a bit of info about where you are and tidbits about the local flora and fauna. One stop even has elephant seals. Did you hear me? Elephant Seals! Check out the attached video for a view of these lazy beasts:
My favorite part of the journey was that it was a cloudy day. This meant that most of the drive included a delicate marine layer that tickled the coast line and at various points allowed a choice few rays of sunshine sparkle through onto the water’s surface. There was a small rock slide at one point on the route and because the traffic was only one lane in each direction, I turned off my car and took my camera out. The fog was so thick at this juncture that the cliff to my right appeared as if you’d fall into a cloud. It was really just breathtaking.
One of my last stops was at Pea Soup Andersen’s in Buellton. I have been there before as a child, but have never actually tried the pea soup. It looked like vomit. It smelled weird. And who happily eats peas before they turn 18? I was feeling adventurous on this particular day, so I thought I’d give it a try. The green goop looked as unappetizing as I expected it would, but was not enough to deter me. And after confirming that there was no ham stock involved (it’s a Vegan recipe at Andersen’s!), I sampled. And it tasted like peas. In soup form. Which didn’t taste anywhere near as bad as it sounded. In fact, I have since purchased a can of Andersen’s very same soup at a SoCal grocery store. I didn’t even realize you could purchase it!
After conquering the pea soup, I emerged from the restaurant in darkness and still 150 miles North of my destination. The iPod and a couple of rest stops allowed me to stay awake and thus 14 hours after leaving the bay, I rolled into my Los Angeles apartment exhausted. All of the batteries in my camera, backup camera, and video camera were also exhausted. Even my cell phone was dead. This journey was significant for me because I demanded the time and energy to enjoy it. I literally took the road less traveled and allowed myself the freedom to experience the landscape, sites, sounds and smells of the state I grew up in without a time limit. It’s amazing what beautiful landscapes and nooks I drove right by when I chose to take the easy, more direct road. I couldn’t have asked for a more perfect opportunity to learn the cliche life lesson of focusing less on the destination and more on the road that got you there.
One ticket for Monterey Bay Aquarium= $30 USD
One memorable interaction with a regal cow= $0 USD
Two tanks of unleaded gas =$42
A chance to appreciate the state that you’ve called home for 25 years= Priceless.
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Janelle K. Eagle is infamous for always having her hands tied up in multiple projects simultaneously. She's directed a lot of theater, worked on some films, and raised lots of money for non-profits. She travels all the time and loves to share her videos, photography and writing via this blog. 
