12 days on the PCT

Roadtrip 2018 (San Diego-Central California)

Planning for trips is like mastering your own puzzle. You know its going to end with this epic picture. The mystery lies in which pieces will stump you.

Click play for the ending picture. 

*Continue reading for the pieces

It all started with an internship Chris has been working toward at the Specialized headquarters in Morgan Hill. He mentioned making a road trip out to go see it, and the seed had been planted…

We wanted to hit Yosemite, Morgan Hill, and Big Sur, and were giving ourselves a week to do it. The goal was to map out where to sleep (and hopefully shower) and leave as much wiggle room for new adventures as possible. 

All the stars note places we had booked an Airbnb, a campsite, or planned to crash a walk-in campsite.

Day 1 

Chris was getting into San Diego at 7 AM Saturday (May 19) so we planned to crush the majority of the drive the first day without burning ourselves out. We booked an Airbnb in Clovis, just outside Fresno, and just 2.5 hours from the campsite we scouted out in Yosemite.

Our excited faces as we finally hit the road after picking Chris up from the airport. 

We ended up making pretty good time, only stopping at the outlets in Orange to snag Chris an interview shirt at the Vans store (Fun fact: They have a whole indoor skate park in their store) and a fuzzy blanket to prepare us for the 40 degree thunderstorm nights predicted to await us in Yosemite.

When we got into Clovis, we wanted to stretch our legs a bit and located a Japanese Friendship Garden worth checking out. When we got there, the street entrance was shut down and in the midst of chaos decided the conveniently located Trader Joe’s across the street was the best place to stock up on food for the next few days of camping (Also considering we needed to get up at 4 AM to have a chance for the walk-in campsite). But, since we were there, and had now snagged parking… we figured we had to check out what all the fuss across the street was about.

The Bad News: The Friendship Garden was closed

The Good News: We just so happen to stumble upon Grizzly Fest – Snoop Dog was headlining.

Some strange serene bird we found while wandering around Grizzly Fest.

We opted not to buy tickets but had some fun walking around the venue, and by the end of it, we were full on exhausted. We stocked up our groceries, headed back to the BNB, soaked in the warm weather, and enjoyed some food and beer around the outdoor fire pit. Our host entertained us by relating his story of transitioning from casino manager to Amazon employee. Turns out they just installed a new location out in Fresno and are prioritizing locals (specifically this local that spoke 4 languages) before they station the commuter train that’s going to ride all the way to San Francisco. He also shared some secrets of what it's like to work for Amazon. Without giving away too much…he did let on that robot-humans are a real thing now.

Our chill-ax night in Clovis. Our host came out to turn on the other half of the string lights shortly after.

Day 2

The next day we were packed up and on the road for Yosemite by 4:17 AM. The trip was finally really starting and we both had one thing buzzing in our half-awake minds: Did we get the lottery for Half Dome?

Going into the trip, we were disheartened to read online pre-season applications had ended in March. However, while I was checking out my tent at A-16 the previous Friday, the gal mentioned that the cables were just opened a couple weeks prior and there is a daily lottery that you can apply for within days of going up. I did my research and sure enough, there were some strange rules, but it was possible. To apply for the lottery, you have to submit between midnight and 1 PM PST, 2 days before the intended hike date ($10/person). Chris had applied for both of us before his flight on Saturday so we could have a chance for Monday. We checked the results on that early Sunday morning car ride- we were doing Half Dome!

Now, we just had to snag our campsite, and would finally be relieved of all doubts. (Well, minus the week-long forecast of thunderstorms. But we weren’t confronting that one yet…) We had done some research on the Camp 4 walk-in site which warned us there would be a line formed before the camp even re-opened at 8:30 AM. This was no exaggeration. Many people had spent the night in sleeping bags in that line. 

The line at Camp 4 at 8 AM Sunday morning.

I think we got lucky in a lot of ways.

1. We managed to slip in line around 8:10 with fresh coffee in hand, still warm thanks to our newly purchased tumblers.

*Side note: Tumblers are definitely a must-have while traveling. Not only great for preventing waste, but totally spill-proof and insulated!

Anti-climatic video of tumbler shopping at 6 AM because we forgot ours.

 2. They started passing out numbers for the spots available just 15 minutes after we got there (so we knew for sure we had a spot, and we didn’t have to wait too long for checked-ins to start) .

3. Although there were plenty of spots that morning, the ranger warned us we wouldn’t have made the cut the day before .

4. If it weren’t for that wait in line, I don't believe we would have thought to dodge the weather by starting Half Dome at midnight (the initial plan was 5 AM until comrades advised us otherwise).

So it all worked out, we set-up camp, educated ourselves on the free shuttle system (camp 4 = stop #7), put our food in our assigned food locker (which was surprisingly larger than I imagined, could easily fit 2 large coolers) and let it all sink in. Although a wise man would have probably called it a day at that, we were in no mood to sit around and rest. We decided to double-team the loop around Nevada Falls. The hike starts as a merged John-Muir/Mist trail and eventually divides around both sides of the fall until they meet again at the top. Chris claimed one side and I took the other and the plan was to race to the top. We got off the shuttle (stop #16) around 11 am and set out.

https://www.nps.gov/yose/planyourvisit/publictransportation.htm#CP_JUMP_566977

Red dots mark note-worthy bus stop locations to this story.

https://www.nps.gov/yose/planyourvisit/vernalnevadatrail.htm

John Muir/Mist loop to Nevada Falls from stop #16

What a funny game of anticipation that turned out to be. I ran to the top! Like, double the speed of the average hiker, ran. And waited at the top…. No Chris. So, I hurried to towards the bottom thinking I was lapping him. Still, no sign of Chris. I was certain our paths should have crossed by now unless he had taken a wrong turn. Starting to get worried, as I walked towards stop #16 at the bottom, I decided to call him. His phone rang but no answer. My thoughts were either
1. He gave up and was napping at camp.
2. He didn’t possess my power walk stride so he was still on the mountain lost somewhere or
3. We had simply missed each other and by some miracle he beat me back and was enjoying a rejoiceful meal at that moment.
Determined for the truth as soon as possible, I walked from stop #16 to #20 (because it was going to take at least 3 full buses to carry out all the people waiting in line in front of me and because stop #20 had the most direct route back to camp).

My attempt to cut time was futile though, as my impatience for buses landed me bus hopping for the next hour after that (I’ll spare you the boring details) but I eventually made it back to our campsite around 5 PM. First thing I did was zip open the tent expecting to find Chris and bombard him with all my questions (I guess, evidently, my money was on 1 in that moment). But STILL no Chris. I even asked the neighbors. Hopeless and fried, I sat at our picnic table for the next hour and just waited. That little weasel came strolling in to camp around 6 pm… and you can just guess what my first thought was : 

“THANK GOD YOU’RE SAFE 

(but I totally won)” 

P.S. His journey crossed over to the Mist trail from John Muir at the first overlap near Clark Point while I did the full Mist trail up and John-Muir trail down. The challenge was lost in translation, I suppose.

Chris's view from Clark Point of Vernal Falls.

The view of Nevada Falls and Half Dome from the John Muir trail.

Turns out my walking to basically every bus stop was good for something after all though. When Chris finally returned to camp, I was beyond ready for the comfort of the free hot showers and cozy locker room I had scouted out earlier. Best deal around and a total sanctuary after a rough day on the trail, we headed out to bus stop #20 (aka #14 going the direction coming from camp 4). All clean and ready to rest, we tucked ourselves into bed by 8 PM and were counting the hours until our 1 AM wake up call (we deemed that fifth hour of sleep necessary after the day we had had).

Day 3

A token of good luck crossed our path: a centipede circa 4 AM Monday morning.

At 1 AM we packed up camp and drove down to the parking lot between stop #15 and #16. We made ourselves some food (stored the rest in the local food locker), packed our bags and were headed towards the trail by 3 AM. Conveniently, and without our previous acknowledgement, the base trail for Half Dome is the same John Muir/Mist trail mash up we had experienced the day before. This was actually pretty helpful in knowing what to expect while hiking through the dark. So, we trekked through a sun shine-y morning along the John-Muir section into the Half Dome trail and were astonished at how beautiful the day was panning out to be. The warmth was especially great because our bodies were in the mood for lots of breaks along the journey. 

The sign noting where the top of Nevada Falls transitioned into the Half Dome trail

Taking a break in the tree cover before tackling the steepest part of the hike.

By the time the cables finally reached our sight though, so too did a horizon of rain clouds. We were well warned how dangerous this section would be in a storm so we hastily grabbed some gloves and got moving. We had to get up and off before we missed our chance.

 Showing of the gloves we found by the rock at the base. Many people leave their gloves behind to help future climbers prevent hand cuts due to loose wires.

The base of the cables for Half Dome.

A picture of Chris after he took the picture above.

Single file, me just ahead of Chris (only because he wanted to be the gentleman who caught me if I fell), we pulled ourselves up the cables. Section by section, using all the arm muscle I didn’t know existed, I made it to the top and just completely collapsed in the most accomplished state of exhaust. For me, this was a “just keep breathing” experience. Chris was too distracted by how epic the picture would be to even fathom fear as he breezed right past me eager for the view from the tippy TIPPY top. We had our glorious moment on top of Half Dome around 10 AM that Monday morning before quickly repeating the hold- on- to- those- cables- for- dear- life experience. 

 Can you tell how excited I am to be at the top?!

Excitement x2!

...but actually two completely delusion fools on top of a national landmark.

View from the top of Half Dome

We even found some snow at the top.

The rain clouds were coming for us.

How about that ride home?

The moment we reached descent from the cables, and our feet could finally stand solid without our arms aide to hold them in place, was the moment I felt the first raindrop hit my head. We had timed it perfectly. We had done it! And we were ready to get the heck off that mountain…

(Fun fact: We were probably the 4^th and 5^th people to summit that day)

Self -explanatory face of how we felt on the hike back down.

It was a rainy next 4 hours. The tree cover did a decent job of shading us, but by the time it came to the road split where we could pick longer, flatter, and dry (John Muir), or shorter, steeper, and wet (Mist Trail) we couldn’t care less about getting more soaked as long as we got down quicker.

After that grueling last hour down the Mist Trail and all the way back to the car, we were ready for the stop #20 shower oasis and FOOD. We got squeaky clean and met up at the car for a picnic on the beach chairs in the parking lot. There was a bright overcast glow in the air as we chowed down. Food. Such a sweet indulgence. Sitting.

And then, as luck would have it, no less than a minute after I took my last bite, it started pouring. And I mean POURING! With thunder claps and all that jazz. I mean, the timing…just surreal. We dodged to the front seats for cover.

So, just like that, we were back on the road again. We had been up for 14 hours already and it was only 3 PM. Our next stop was Merced, about a two hour drive west. I don’t believe there is really much in that town worth visiting except the fresh fruit stands lining the drive. We actually only booked that BNB for fear of Chris not finding a shower before his interview Tuesday.

Boy, are we sure thankful we did! Gloria and her adorable little BNB turned out to be one of our favorite parts of the trip. She welcomed us in her home, asked us what we wanted for breakfast (Chris had been dreaming of pancakes and waffles the whole walk down from Half Dome), provided us some essential oils to more deeply enjoy her beautiful garden spa, and even let us re-up the ice for our cooler. We slept like we hadn’t in what felt like a week, and I think both of us will remember her delicious homemade waffles and pomegranate syrup for eternity.

https://www.gardengatebedandbreakfast.com/gallery.html

Only about a quarter of Gloria's beautiful outdoor garden. This is the view from our guestroom and the spa is just barely out of view to the left.

Day 4

That Tuesday morning, we headed out to Morgan Hill for the Specialized interview, a 2 hour drive  west of Merced. While Chris was geek-ing out on wind tunnels with the boys, I got some laundry done in town because our clothes were both still soaked from those two days on the Mist trail. Morgan Hill is actually pretty cute and well-established for the middle-of-nowhere vibes neighboring it. I actually adored the flatness of the roads, plethora of bikes lanes, and infinite surrounding land of flourishing agriculture.

Another plus of stopping in Morgan Hill was they had a Trader Joe’s (which I have decided might surpass tumblers in terms of road trip value). We snagged some groceries and decided the scene was too beautiful and we were too hungry to set out on our trek up to the mountain top yurt just yet… we set up yet another parking lot picnic. I never knew snacking in a parking lot could be so dreamy; Trader Joe’s of Morgan Hill, you have changed the game.

 The view.

The seats.

The location.

but ain't it dreamy?!

Sweet serenity.

We finally made our 30 minute drive up the mountain to the yurt. This place was the pinnacle of our trip. We warmed up by the heat of the fire (even threw some clothes on it for that fresh out of the dryer feel) and cooked up a warm meal. This space had a magic about it. The misty fog of our surroundings seeped in creating an eerie glare in the room. The entire stay felt like living a hazy dream. We fell asleep to the sound of condensing water droplets falling from the redwoods onto our rooftop.

A dewey morning at the Yurt.

A reflection from the mirror above the outdoor sink. Behind that wall was an open air composting toilet and attached outdoor shower with hot water to the right. 

Interior tour of the Yurt. Listen closely for the sound of the gong.
*Not pictured: Dining table, full fridge, and kitchen space with portable burners on the right side of the room.

One last hurrah before we departed this magical space.

Day 5

The next day, we awoke to the sound of a Buddhist gong and screaming peacocks from the Monastery just below the property. We made a plan to walk down to Anjaneya’s World Café and try the ashwagandha hot chocolate .

*Side note: The hours were very odd. They were only open from 9-10 AM that Wednesday.

Map from the Yurt to the surrounding locations.

Credit to our hosts for this useful resource.

Although, it was possible to make your way straight from the garden of the yurt, through the

monastery, and all the way down to the Café. We found ourselves sopping wet, lost in the forest somewhere, and opting for the most direct route. Good thing we did because we made it to that Café at exactly 9:54 AM. Best hot chocolate I have ever!

The Yurt garden just in front of the gate leading to the Monastery. 

Depiction of the Buddha from the Kin Son Monastery sculpture garden.

More sculptures from the Monastery. 

A peak of Chris with the Monastery behind him.

We explored the nearby Hanumān Temple and were completely humbled by the sacredness of the space. We took our shoes off in the drizzle of the outdoor temple and walked barefoot on their sheltered mats and shrines. I think the misty fog of the day, and the constant echo of water droplets, made the experience all the more mystical (we were told this weather was very odd and uncommon for the area).

Water fountain just outside the Hanumān Temple. 

From there, we headed down the mountain a little way to the Mt. Madonna Stables. By some force of the universe, both of us had this ingrained vision of riding horses through the forest ever since we booked the Yurt. The stars just seemed to align when we discovered the stables were right along our path the day before. We reserved a spot without giving a thought to the conditions of our day and were blessed by a plethora of jackets, headbands, and gloves to make the voyage truly enjoyable. Needless to say, we were filled with child-like glee by the end of it. Chris couldn’t stop talking about wanting to buy a horse someday after that.

 A snap of my horse, Geo, and our trail lead. 

Chris with Max and me with Geo after a nice trail ride and back in the ring. 

Now, we were headed to our Big Sur beachside campground. But not before stopping to check out the Monterey Bay Aquarium! We got there with just barely enough time to see everything before their 4:30 closing time. Truly a fun place to roam; the spectacle of colors and displays of sea life are enchanting. We were thankful to be there for close, too, because we got a VIP view of the adorable otters as the crowd had finally cleared by the end. 

 Splash zone at the Aquarium.

 Chris being a goober in the kid's section.

 Tourist Chris.

Tourist Kathy.

The early closing time even pushed us to get to our Limekiln campsite just in time to watch the sunset. How perfect is that?

*Side note: Chris’s shoes were still unbearably soaked from our morning through the forest so we made a quick detour in town before headed to camp.  I literally ran into 2 shoes stores, while he sat the car in the red zone, looking for anything functional and affordable. By chance, I popped in the general store on the corner, and stumbled upon $25 water/hiking shoes. Chris ended up having to wear them the entire rest of the trip. Shout out to the General store of Monterey Bay! You the real MVP.

 Sunset from the beach of our campsite.

Day 6

The next day we had to rush to the nearest café to find WIFI because we were determined to snag a spot for the Esalen Institute hot springs (there is basically no service along the 1 in Big Sur). This was another odd reservation set-up. Visitors were only allowed to soak from 1-3 AM and must place their reservations online anytime after 9 AM the day before their soak. So, we found about 1 bar of sketchy WIFI at the Pheonix Café around 10 AM, and snagged the last 2/3 spots left for that night’s soak. I think I held my breath the entire minute it took to load.

http://www.bigsurcalifornia.org/map.html

Map of Big Sur with highlighted focal points. 

View of the coast from the Pheonix Cafe. 

We had to stop in town to get some batteries so opted to check out the 17-mile drive by recommendation. Seemed like every golfers dream drive; We weren't impressed. We used the opportunity to take a walk on Pebble Beach which turned into something so much better...

NO REGRETS.

That’s right! On that gloomy overcast beach day, with all the tourists walking on the sand in their cozy sweaters to take their pictures, we were the only ones to keep walking in until the waves pulled us in for a nice sloppy wet head of hair. Neither one of us expected to go swimming that day. Neither one of us regretted it. Not even that walk back to the car without a towel.

We then moved onto the Lone Cypress Tree because we figured at least one of these tourist-y spots had to have some pizzazz to it. After concluding we didn't seem to have the same awe for the attractions, we found some real fun in pretending to be fascinated tourist going snap-happy at the site.

 "How cool is that blurry tree in the background?"

"Get a picture of me getting a picture!"

On our way back to camp we made two stops. Point Lobos being the first, and the dreamiest, place I’ve ever visited. From the geology, to the colors, to the barking seal pups, I haven’t discovered a more beautiful place than it yet. Words can’t even capture it for me so you’ll just have to go check it out yourself.

 Me, loving on the scene in Point Lobos.

 Favorite rock of the trip, and best place to stand for a grand view of the tide.

The singing seals made us laugh! We had no idea just how many seals were in the choir until we zoomed in on this photo of them.

Chris, being a dreamboat, because everything is prettier in Point Lobos. 

Our second stop was at the Julia Pfeiffer Burns State Park waterfall. Once again, a total tourist hype up in my opinion. But when in Big Sur…

 The famous McWay Falls.

We got that big ol' Woop'D'Doo on our faces. See it?

BOOM. we out.

That night we had our last hot campfire meal, popped open a special bottle of red beer we had been saving, and savored our last round of s'mores.

Our last campfire...*tear*

S'more heaven.

We woke up around 12:45 PM to head for the Esalen Institute and barely made it there on time to join the group. I’m not sure if it is the dim lit journey to and through the institute, the bizarre time of the visit, or the fact that the pools are literally on an open cliff side looking out at a moonlit ocean; It is like dreaming with your eyes open. I feel like even the most reserved of people could find their body confidence in thier clothing option spa, complete with uni-gender locker and bath rooms. It's like you can sense that everyone and everything just feels so in-touch with it natural self in this place. We left perfectly perfumed by their lavender soap aroma and perfectly unprepared for the trip to start coming to a close.

*Side note: We ended up chatting in the pools with another traveler about his trek up Half Dome that Wednesday. Turns out someone had slipped and fallen to their death that same Monday we hiked it. In later research we discovered that man was the first fatality in about 10 years. 

**Side note #2: Definitely make a cold plunge! All of the pools and baths have plugs so you can re-fill them. Try filling a bath by its own pipe and another filled by the hose water. Explore the different degrees of comfort and enjoy.

Day 7

The next day we were dragging. So, we decided to hit the Whale Watcher’s Café for some fresh coffee. On our way back to camp we stopped at a viewpoint and were approached by some fellow travelers asking about the road closure. Turned out, our route home south on the 1 was blocked off.  Luckily, there was an alternative epic drive option that would set us only an hour behind. We made sure to check out the Lime kilns in the forest behind our campsite before headed out on the Naciomiento-Fergusson Rd.

The glow of the woods on the route to the Lime kilns.

Part of the creek that paralleled the path.

Sizing up the kiln.

Larger than you might expect.

 "Fire me up bebe"

Chris showing off his hip new shoes from inside one of the kilns.

The last of our view of the ocean before escaping into the mountains on the Naciomiento-Fergusson Rd. 

A quick rest in LA that night, and a long line of traffic drive back to San Diego the next day, and it was over. At least Chris got a peak of Ocean Beach before I sent him back on his plane for Colorado.

And there.

There it is.

Our epic picture.

Our epic journey.

Our epic puzzle made of little pieces uniquely our own.

Just like that.

Who’s ready for another puzzle?

Me inviting you to go adventure.

Written by: Kathleen Kelly
Photo Credit: (mostly) Chris Davidoff
Special thanks to Chris for enduring the long drives and hustled days with me.


For more information on anything from this trip please check out the following links:

Clovis airBNB- https://www.airbnb.com/rooms/23647794

Half Dome daily permit (2018 season)-  https://www.recreation.gov/permits/Cables_On_Half_Dome/r/wildernessAreaDetails.do?page=detail&contractCode=NRSO&parkId=79064

Camp 4- https://www.nps.gov/yose/planyourvisit/camp4.htm

Merced airBNB- https://www.airbnb.com/rooms/21839373

Specialized wind tunnel- http://www.morganhilltimes.com/news/community/specialized-unveils-one-of-a-kind-bicycle-wind-tunnel/article_01df30a6-beaa-11e2-9348-001a4bcf6878.html

Moutain top yurt airBNB- https://www.airbnb.com/rooms/21788128

Kim Son Monastery- https://www.yelp.com/biz/tu-vien-kim-son-monastery-watsonville

Anjaneya's World Cafe- https://www.mountmadonna.org/explore/anjaneyas-world-cafe

Hanumān Temple- https://temple.mountmadonna.org/

Mt. Madonna Stables- http://www.mtmadonnastables.com/

Monterey Bay Aquarium- http://www.montereybayaquarium.org/

Limekiln SP campsite reservations-
https://www.reservecalifornia.com/CaliforniaWebHome/

17-mile drive- https://www.pebblebeach.com/17-mile-drive/

Point Lobos- http://www.parks.ca.gov/?page_id=571

Esalen Institute hot springs- https://www.esalen.org/page/public-night-bathing

Half Dome fatalites- https://www.mercurynews.com/2018/05/30/half-dome-deaths-hikers-fell-from-cables/

Limekiln hike- http://www.hikinginbigsur.com/hikes_limekiln.html

LA airbnb- https://www.airbnb.com/rooms/20921244