Days 8 and 9: Big Sur

The Matrix is not a powerful driving machine, but when you're hundreds of feet above sheer drops into the ocean, switchbacking up and down the coast, going from 50 to 20 back to 50 you don't really feel at a loss. The drive was beautiful; uninterrupted views of the ocean as you raced downhill plunging into windswept cliffs. We caravanned with Adam's car to go camping along Big Sur and take the universally lauded drive down the coast to San Simeon. Within minutes of setting up camp we ran to the ridge where we could watch the flaming sun disappear behind silhouetted mountains. Now it was time to party. We had a good ol' campfire feast, hot dogs, corn, pork and beans and a lot of alcohol.

Adam heard good things about a place called Limekiln beach. so we headed back up for a hike. This area felt enchanted, like a fairy tale, as the hike unveiled. We came upon a crystal clear pool beneath a bubbling brook that seemed to be missing its crooning mermaid. It led us to the ruins of massive iron and stone kilns, silent and immovable. We even watched a tree fall beside our path, as if urging us to leave while we still could.

Once again we drove down the Pacific Coast racing convertible mustangs along the ocean. And when we finally found a pull off for a beach, we were finally able to touch our feet in the Pacific. We raced against tides and walked along the beach. Afterwards we ate seafood at an oceanside cafe. We played along Big Sur late and didn't get to our campground until well after dark