Back Roads from Bixby Bridge to Big Sur - Old Coast Road

The Pacific Coast Highway (also known as Highway 1) is famous for its breathtaking coastal views. The segment in the Central Coast that runs from Carmel to Big Sur is, in my experience and opinion, the most scenic stretch. What most tourists and travelers don't know is that if you take a left (when heading south, of course!) at the Bixby Bridge onto the Old Coast Road, the views on that road provide an entirely different perspective.

I hadn't driven this back road route in quite some time, and in my two hour journey today, I captured 95 images...below are the top dozen to show a bit of what this alternate route looks like. As you'll see, I was in my Subaru Outback...AWD or 4 WD is highly recommended. (Don't say I didn't warn you!)

The captions under the images tell the story...

Bixby Bridge from the Old Coast Road

Bixby Bridge - Lovely in Black and White
You can see the road/entrance on the right.

The Little Sur River

I set out with my dogs and Canon the day after our first
big storm of 2012. As you can see, trees were down,
but you can't stop a Subaru with a few sticks in the road.

After clearing the road, I came upon this
scenic view of Redwood trees about
a tenth of a mile later. Definitely
worth picking up a few sticks for.

Right about midway, at the peak, the clearing
provides stunning panoramic views, and this
"Rock Pasture" in the midst.

More of the "Rock Pasture" (my name for it!)

Though it's definitely not the Bixby Bridge, it was
certainly worth stopping and capturing, especially
in black and white!

Also at the peak, I can rarely resist image capturing a fence.

While photographing the fence and other views,
I looked down to see where we were heading...Seriously?
Glad to be in my Subaru!

As the road starts to come down the other
side into Big Sur, the views of the Pacific Ocean
and Highway 1 open up again.

One last peak before descent.

If you're already in Big Sur, you can take Old Coast Road north and just go up a few miles and see these last few views shown. From the Bixby Bridge end, it's quite a drive - about 14 miles of rough roads - through the redwoods and mountains. The experience is very unique compared to what most visitors do, but be sure you have the right kind of car and be ready to be jostled. The captivating views and poetic beauty is worth the trip.

© Heather Hummel
Copyright statement -All photographs are the copyright ownership of Heather H

Publish Post

ummel. Any use beyond viewing them on this blog - that includes printing, distributing, selling, or any other use - is prohibited without written consent from Heather Hummel.

Got Peace? PRACTICING THE PRESENCE OF PEACE is FREE on Kindle for 2 days

"A 300 Year Old Spiritual Classic Gives 

Birth to a Contemporary Masterpiece!"

"This gem of a book leaves you thinking 

differently about how you look 

at and live life. No matter one's faith 

or ideology, there is something 

for everybody in this book."

On Sunday 1/22 and Monday 1/23 
Bear Jack Gebhart's 
Practicing the Presence of Peace 
is FREE on Kindle. 

Can we experience the presence of peace every day, all day, while washing the dishes, feeding the cat, or riding the bus on the way to work? Can we experience this presence when the kids are fighting, the boss is frustrated and the stock market is in tatters? Bear Jack Gebhardt's book,  Practicing the Presence of Peace, says absolutely yes, and shows us how!

In the late 1600's a small book appeared, The Practice of the Presence of God, describing the daily spiritual practices of a humble monk named Brother Lawrence. That book, never out of print, evolved into a beloved classic and textbook for "contemplative spirituality." Now Practicing the Presence of Peace updates that beloved classic and shows how the simple practice of peace inevitably leads to:

Better health and physical healing
Happier family relationships
Profitable vocational advancement
The end of the agonizing search for "more."

Help Spread PEACE: Download your copy to Kindle on 1/22 or 1/23 and experience a whole new level of peace.

Know a smoker who has tried and tried to quit? Did they, or you, make a New Year's Resolution to quit and already it didn't work? Download Bear Jack Gebhardts' book How to Help Your Smoker Quit for free, too! Your Smoker (Secretly) Wants Your Help! This book teaches a simple, radically peaceful and non-threatening approach to helping your smoker quit. This book shows you what kind of help your smoker wants from you and, more importantly, what you need for yourself in order to better love your smoker better and inspire and support your smoker's quit attempts! Is this book a magic bullet or miracle cure for smoking? Sorry, no. (Nobody yet has such a cure.) But does this gentle approach actually work to help your smoker quit, much, much better than nagging, complaining, threatening or ignoring? Absolutely yes!
Gently bringing this same peace and freedom to your smoker, Bear Jack Gebhardt is known for his great success with helping people succeed in the "stop smoking game"! He is the author of four books, including the international classic, "The Enlightened Smokers Guide to Quitting" and most recently, "Practicing the Presence of Peace." He presented his cutting edge research at both the World Conference and the National Conference on Tobacco or Health.
"Bear is funny and bright and absolutely spot on. THIS BOOK COULD SAVE NOT ONLY YOUR SMOKER'S LIFE, BUT YOURS AND OTHERS! IF YOUR SMOKER SMOKED TODAY, BUY THIS BOOK TODAY!"

Jen Tucker Keeps You on the Seat of Your Panties: Review

REVIEW:
The Day I Wore My Panties Inside Out 

by Jen Tucker

Ride alongside Jen Tucker in her car. Pull up to her kitchen table for a chocolate chip cookie. Get ringside seats to her dogs' escapades. Experience her labor pains - emotional and physical. No matter the chapter, Jen Tucker delivers (no pun intended) a two day dose of reality as a mom, wife and career woman in this memoir of moments. Her use of humor and great sense of humility makes her an engaging author.

Even if you're not married or not a parent, Tucker's story will keep you reading and hoping her husband comes home from his trip overseas...and SOON! I look forward to reading anything Jen Tucker writes...for now I'll settle for her Tweets until her next book comes out.






Heather Hummel
Author, Write from the Heart and Whispers from the Heart

Valentine's Day Contest: Soul Mates and a $50 Amazon Gift Card

Valentine’s Day means
Romance is in the air!
How would you spend $50 at Amazon?
Flowers? Chocolates? Romance Novels?

Share your soul mate story for
your chance to win!

 

Tell us about The One you can’t live without, and YOU could win a $50 Amazon Gift Card and a “Kate and Leopold” DVD (Meg Ryan and Hugh Jackman)!

Want a second chance entry? Tell us about romance! Share where you and your honey went on your honeymoon or your most romantic trip.

This contest is presented by 
best selling authors
Heather Hummel & Van Heerling.
Happy Valentine's Day! 
 

Post your comment(s) here (Heather Hummel’s blog) before midnight February 13^th and on Valentine’s Day a random winner will be picked to win a $50 Amazon Gift Card and a “Kate and Leopold” DVD starring Meg Ryan and Hugh Jackman! Be sure to include your e-mail address in your comment.

Still want extra chances to win?
Like Heather's Facebook Fan Page www.Facebook.com/HeatherHummelFanPage
Like Van's Facebook Fan Page: www.facebook.com/VanHeerling
Follow us on Twitter @HeatherHummel @VanHeerling

ReTweet this post for additional entries and include @HeatherHummel or @VanHeerling (please abide by Twitters anti-spam rules and regulations).

Heather Hummel is the award winning, best selling author of the Journals from the Heart series, Whispers from the Heart and Write from the Heart as well as her nonfiction best seller GO BIKE & Other Signs from the Universe.

Van Heerling is the author of the best selling Malaika.

Visit Heather's website: www.HeatherHummel.net
Visit Van's website: www.VanHeerlingBooks.com

Must be 18 or older to win. No purchase necessary.  Void where prohibited.  Chances of winning may vary based on the number of entries received.  Winner must respond within 48 hours or a new winner will be chosen.  All rules and regulations are subject to change at any time without reason or notification. Entering this contest is an agreement to abide by all rules and regulations. Prizes are as stated. No substitutions or exchanges. All entrant information is strictly confidential and will not be sold or shared.  The contest ends at midnight on February 13^th, 2012 PST, and the winner will be chosen by a random drawing on February 14th. Winner will be notified at that time.One Winner will receive a $50 USD Amazon GiftCard and a Kate and Leopold DVD. Mailing of the DVD is to US addresses only. Amazon Gift Card is in USD.

The Elusive Green Ray: A Magical Beginning to 2012

2012 is intended by many to be a magical year. So, it may be no coincidence that this image was captured on New Year's Day as it represents a number of themes, including endings, new beginnings, true love, and most of all, magical moments

When I saw the results of my capture, it instantly became my all-time favorite. What I didn't know, however, was about the elusive Green Ray seen in the sunset. Apparently what I have inadvertently captured with my Canon T3i is a rare phenomenon that many have set out to experience. I had no idea of this rare experience until people began responding to my photograph, staring this morning with a Flickr friend who posted this comment:

Atmospheric, romantic shot. You have captured the Green Ray! According to [author] Jules Verne, when one sees Le Rayon Vert at sunset - our own thoughts and those of others are revealed as if by magic.

Then another friend responded with:

The quote mentioning Jules Verne caught my attention. He wrote a book called “the Green Ray” which was actually a sappy romantic novel, but he was making an analogy between the rarity of true love and  what we call the green flash.  It is my favorite atmospheric phenomenon.



The Green Ray novel's summary:

The heroes are trying to observe the green ray in Scotland. After numerous unsuccessful tries caused by clouds or distant boat sails hiding the sun, the phenomenon is eventually visible, but the heroes, finding love in each other's eyes, don't pay attention to the horizon.

Response and an Artist's Impression:

The response to this photo has been overwhelming. I'm amazed at the number of people who have heard of the Green Ray (also known as Green Flash). I had a few people comment on the leaning horizon, saying that it should be flat. However, when I showed the picture to my cousin, world renowned artist Dick Crispo, he said:

1. The Green Ray is incredibly rare - he has painted it before, but has come up against many naysayers who claim it doesn't exist. He couldn't believe I happened to catch it in an image.

2. I asked him why all of my photos' horizons tend to lean left. He laughed and told me how he tells all of his students that the horizon leans left...go with it. (They often paint the ocean in his art classes here in Carmel.)

This magical image has made the beginning of 2012 a most remarkable one for me, and it's my New Years wish to everyone that 2012 is the most magical year yet! 

Ultimate Irony
The ultimate irony of this image, is that I was only able to capture one more after this one before the battery on my Canon died.

To view the image on Flickr click here.

***** 

Besides immersing herself in photography, Heather Hummel is a celebrity ghostwriter and an award-winning, best-selling author. Her published works include:
Journals from the Heart Series:
Whispers from the Heart (2011)
Write from the Heart (2011)
Nonfiction:
GO BIKE & Other Signs from the Universe (2011)
Gracefully: Looking and Being Your Best at Any Age (McGraw-Hill, 2008),
Essays:
Messages of Hope and Healing ( Sunpiper Media, 2006)
Blue Ridge Anthology (Cedar Creek, 2007) with David Baldacci and Rita Mae Brown
Awards:
2009 Mature Media Awards, Merit Award
2009 New York Book Festival, Honorable Mention