“California Road Trip” #3

(Big Sur to Santa Barbara) Continued

It’s a sunny day in October 2016 and I’m in my rented Black Mustang convertible with the top down. I’ve been driving south along the coast in the epic Pacific Highway, and to my right I see the vast Pacific ocean. The cool wind is blowing on my face and messing my hair. I feel so happy I could scream.

Big Sur is so beautiful that I keep stopping to take photos every few minutes. At this rate, I’m never getting wherever I’m going! It’s just that one spot is more beautiful than the other. Yes, I’m an incurable romantic and photo fanatic. This place brings out the poet in me.

Wildflowers grow scattered along the coast and they add purple and yellow splashes of color to the green grassy hills. Cool rock formations that the powerful surf has created, contrast with the deep blue of the water and foamy white crest of the waves that crash against them. I feel the power of this ocean. I feel the strength of the cold wind. I also see black clouds in the distance.

Up ahead I see the Bixby Bridge. I don’t like crossing bridges. I have this irrational fear that I will lose control of the car and fall to my death.

It happens on expressway bypasses too. However, just like any other fear, I work through it. All fears are only in our heads anyways.

I stopped at the overlook just before the Bixby bridge to take a photo, and that’s when my tripod decides to break. I look around and see people. I ask a man near me to please take a photo of me with the bridge behind me. He turns and says “Sure Tuki, no problem”… funny surprise! he and his wife are an old friends from high school years in Miami! They are traveling north to San Francisco while I’m heading south. What are the odds? It was nice to see them there since I never run into them when in town. Life is funny. Aylin stays in touch with me for the rest of my journey… just checking up on me. She is sweet and is worried that I am all alone. She doesn’t know that I’m really never alone. I’m surrounded by angels and she is one of them.

Surviving the crossing of the Bixby I go into the mountains of Big Sur. I’m heading south so the cliffs are on my right side. My irrational phobia of driving off a cliff is at full throttle mode, and as luck may have it, the dark clouds I had spotted before roll in bringing thick fog and rain with them. I am forced to go about ten miles per hour. I don’t care… let the cars pass me! It must say it was hairy and a bit stressful! I get to the other side near Cambria and I stop at the Hearst Castle up in the mountain. It turned out to be a beautiful place with an amazing but foggy view that day.

Deciding I had driven enough, I book a place in Cambria. This is the home of the Moonstone Beach (moonstones come from here…not the moon) and also Giant Elephant Seals! The whole town is the epitome of charming!

I eventually continue south to San Luis Obispo and Pismo Beach. California is probably the best of all the states. There is so much to do and see!

Pismo Beach is home to the incredible sand dunes. I decide to rent a Sun Buggy and explore the sands dunes I had heard about. I had no idea what I was getting myself into! It’s no wonder that the guy at the rental place was concerned that I was by myself. He advises me to stay close to the number markers along the way… he said “So that we can find you if you were to need help”… I think he is exaggerating at the time. Really? How difficult could it be? Well… I was not expecting it to be so expansive… and very soon understood why he said that.

The dunes are at least 1800 acres in scope! It’s like desert on the beach and with sand dunes as high as 100 feet and also drops and craters that deep! One really loses all sense of direction. Also, because everything is the same sand color, you can’t judge what’s on the other side of a hill… so it’s easy to fall into a hole that you can’t get out from. Which, of course I did! I had to climb about 75 feet up slippery sand to be able to get one bar of cell reception to text the guy my location. Frankly, I don’t know how it went through… but in the meantime, a German family I had befriended before found me, and waited with me until I was rescued. Again, my angels at work!

That day I arrive at Santa Barbara. I love this place! I decided to spend some time there.

I love the boardwalk, the beach, the town, the feel of it. I treat myself to the hairdresser and she turns out to be a super cool person. She invites me to join her and her friends at a interactive theater play the following night. Very much fun! There is an area in Santa Barbara called the Funk Zone. The Funk is consists of converted warehouses into supercool culinary spots. I was sitting at the bar in one if these restaurants one night and I start conversing with the man sitting next to me. He is English and adorable looking. I thought, “Yes!”… but he tells me he is and attorney in London and that he is gay. Of well… so be it. He is nursing a broken heart and traveling north on a rented red Mustang convertible. Together we explore the Santa Rita wine region and visit Solvang. Solvang is a town that was created by three danish men. It’s beautiful and charming with its windmills, danish architecture, and bakeries. It’s nice to have someone to share it with. Picture perfect!

One day it occurs to me that going horseback riding in the mountains would be great. I book a ride for the next morning at a horse ranch nearby. That night I was writing in my journal and began talking to my angel. I have a very close relationship with my angels. I know it may sound crazy, but I have no doubts he is with me. He communicates at this moment in time, in a very particular way. I have named him Rick because his messages are sent through people named Rick. It’s a long story. I have another blog post that tells it.

I ask him to please let me know that he is with me. I tell him that I haven’t needed to call on him, but nevertheless I would love it if he just gives me a sign that he is with me. I then go to sleep.

The next morning I get to the horse ranch early and just sit there to watch the horses and cowboys. It’s a beautiful sight, kind of romantic. Suddenly, I hone in one particular cowboy… and for some reason, I think “That’s Rick”. I don’t understand why that crazy thought comes to me. I then go to check in for my ride. The man in charge says to us “We are just waiting for your guide to come”. The door swings open and the cowboy that I had been looking at walks in. He then goes straight to me and says “Hi, I’m Rick. I will be your guide”. I wasn’t surprised because somehow I already knew it. However, I was glad to have received the message. I was thankful for the awareness too. These things happen to me often. That is why I go without fear.

Where to next?…