A Last Minute Drive to San Carpoforo
There are very few reasons to say no to the spontaneity of adventure. I like to think I could be ready for anything with a 15 minute notice— less if it’s just a hike, walk, run, sunset outing or something of that sort. And sometimes the best trips are the last minute ones, the “I have friends going skiing, camping, [insert outdoorsy, adventurous activity], do you want to join?” ones.
When I was asked if I wanted to camp on the beach near Big Sur, I was in. My adventure buddy and I drove north, stopping through Solvang, an adult theme-park-esque town (drinks included), Morro Bay, and trusty Trader Joe’s before our arrival at San Carpoforo Creek. The tents and fires on the beach were so picturesque it was exciting to think I’d be down amidst it all. With just minutes of dusk to spare, and no service, we located UCSB’s Scuba Club in a little pocket of the college-kid littered beach. The next few hours were spent staring into the bonfire and letting its warm flames lick at my toes.
We laid our sleeping bags in a patch of sand circled by succulents, and slept under a blanket of thick clouds. I tried to snuggle as far into my sleeping bag as I could while still breathing— resulting in toasty toes and an ice cube of a nose.
The next day was gorgeous blue skies and waterfalls pooling into miniature mermaid lagoons that felt like Neverland. We took a little path down to a crystalline cove with the mermaid falls and tide pools with barnacles and orange-y starfish. After wandering by the shore, I practically rock-climbed my way from waterfall pool to pool, discarding my backpack, belongings, and shoes in the rocks by the beach and disappearing into watery alcoves.
Nature like this feels like magic and I will always be inclined to soak it in and lean into the beauty of it. Sitting in a shallow pool, the sound of the steady rush of water surrounding me, is something that immediately brings this amazed, intrinsic smile to my face. A smile I can feel in my body and being.
In the same way a little mess can become a fixture in your room, I grew accustomed to seeing the mountains and the ocean every day while attending UCSB. It takes presence of mind to acknowledge the beauty of California. I took the scenery for granted before I started going on excursions and refreshing my perspective, grounding myself in my appreciation and respect for the Earth.
