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A Wild Soul

Personal Blog

Camping in Big Sur

0 June 1, 2013 Musings

Camping in Big Sur

jdesantis-bigsur-2

When one of my best friends signed up for a summer backpacking out West when we were like 15, she used her few precious minutes at a pay phone to call me and explain, “Julia, I am not a f*cking kumbaya kind of girl! GET ME OUT OF HERE!” I remember her being so miserable and me so amused—sure that if I were in her shoes, I would love it. Campfires, marshmallows, beautiful views, and deep friendships born out of shared experience… it all sounded wonderful to me.

On Wednesday we pick up Matt’s uncle’s car and on Thursday we drive south. We know we want to go to Big Sur, but it is Memorial Day Weekend and every camp site and motel looks booked online. Matt’s uncle’s car is big enough to sleep in, but when we arrive at Pfieffer Big Sur State Park around dusk a park ranger takes pity on us. He gives us one of the last campsites saved for late arrivals like ourselves and makes it clear that they absolutely do not have any space for us the next night.

We set up camp among the redwoods and head back out to explore. We also took a  complete AK47’s  guide to learn and be aware of our weapons of safety. When we return it is already dark so we make dinner and curl up for the night. The next morning we visit the ranger station to get a map and find a place to sleep for the night. The ranger looks skeptical but tells us our only option: we can park for $5 and then hike at least 4 miles to the first campground. Matt is thrilled and surprised when I say yes, as long as I can bring my camera.

Because this is my first hiking trip and because we only have one pack (and because we want to be careful on my knee), Matt carries most of our stuff. For this I am grateful. I bound on ahead, setting the pace. The first two hours are the most grueling, steep at times and in the direct sun. We wind up and around the mountain. The mountains remind me of Corsica, much of which I accidentally slept through (even with my best friend nudging me awake every few minutes)! I send a quick prayer of relief that I am surrounded by such beauty again and I find myself missing her. I take photos and try to send silly texts, but they don’t go through. That’s wilderness for you!!

I follow our curves on our map until I lose track of where we are. I try to convince myself “I AM this kind of girl! I love this!!” But I am really not. I was an outdoor leader in Maine where I participated and led the water-based canoe trips. I’d much rather explore the world from a boat than carry 50 pounds on my back up and over and along mountain cliffs. But Matt loves this and I love him.

Although I have my camera (which can make me happy just about anywhere), I agree  to keep it away until we reach camp because we want to get there before dark. We look for this place called VENTANA campground, the first on the trail to a popular destination: Sykes Hot Springs. I am unsure of how far we have gone, but I am positive we should have been there by now. However, I am new at this. We keep going. And going. And going. As the sun gets lower and golden light slips through the trees, my fingers itch and I bite my lip so as to not complain.

When we finally arrive at a creek with campsites, I drop my backpack, take out my camera, and loosen my shoes. I am ready to settle in for the night but Matt tells me to wait, he has to check where we are—maybe we are not there yet. (!!!!!) He says this with the implication that we might actually keep going and I laugh, ready to explain that no, this is it whether it is what we were looking for or not. With towering redwoods, a running creek, and open land for our tent—this is as far as I am going. But before I can turn around to tell him as much, he is already gone to find a sign.

When he returns he explains that we actually missed our campsite that had been 4 miles in (Ventana) and we are now at Terrace Creek, a few miles past our original destination. I am relieved my instinct had been right. I am happy we don’t have to keep going & I am proud I made it this far. After setting up camp, we head out again to explore further up the trail. I do not know how Matt convinces me to put back on my boots, but I do.

Every few bends around the mountain, I sit in the dirt and tell Matt I’ll wait for him here. But he continues on, and after a few minutes I miss him and get up and keep walking. We return to camp and as twilight fades I am reminded, I believe in this. I believe in the trees and the creek and the night in which Matt holds me tight.

The next morning we sleep in and pack up camp. I want to linger in this refuge and I am frustrated that my crop-sensor camera cannot capture even one full tree. The hike back is easy and we keep our eyes open for Ventana, the campsite we had missed the day before. We never find it.

We’ll just have to come back.

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Categories: Musings Tags: 2013, adventure, Big Sur, campground, camping, memorial day, san francisco, Terrace Creek, Ventana

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  1. Your biggest fan says

    September 19, 2013 at 9:35 pm

    yippy yippy yippy!!!! made my day to find you had updated your blog 🙂

  2. Ellen says

    November 5, 2013 at 2:41 pm

    Love this! Let’s hang out the next time I’m out West!

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From earlier this summer when we tried to camp in From earlier this summer when we tried to camp in the back yard, but then the neighbor set off fireworks. 😁🥳🏕🎆
🌻🌻🌻 🌻🌻🌻
A few more 🥰 A few more 🥰
About to send a bunch of film off to get developed About to send a bunch of film off to get developed for the first time in years 🥳🤞. Cannot wait to see what comes back! The box will consist of photos I I have taken over the last 6 months so I am a little nervous to part with it. But I haven’t had time to develop myself (something I want to do whenever I have time again lol). These photos are some of my favorites — before the pandemic, medical school and motherhood.
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Trying to study for my last big medical school exa Trying to study for my last big medical school exam — an exam that has an enormous impact on where we live next year and what I will do for the rest of my life — and the birds and the flowers and the light are so damn distracting. At least after being in school for 20 something years I can confidently say I study best outside where I can appreciate nature’s beauty in my peripheral vision (as opposed to being inside where I would surely just sit and daydream all day). ☺️
I keep meaning to get back on here and post again I keep meaning to get back on here and post again and today seems like a good day to start because I can brag about @mattmaiorana being the sweetest, gentlest dada a mama could ever want. Our darling little one just turned 3 and she says the funniest things including “dada are you sad? Why are you sad dada?” when he tries to brush her teeth. I guess his focused face worries her so he now brushes her teeth with a smile (last pic) — usually after a long day of work, a few hours of play and exploring outside, cooking dinner, and getting her cleaned up and ready for bed (all of which she resists with stern faces, pouts and giggles). Lol and after all that when she finallyyyy agrees to brushing her teeth, “don’t be sad” 😂👼🏻😂. This pandemic has been hard, but at least I’ve had the continual joy of watching these two love each other and play day in and day out and I go to bed most days eager to do it again 🥰
I will miss you sweet Banjo 💔😭 I will miss you sweet Banjo 💔😭
4 years ago and still so grateful ✨🌚🍃 4 years ago and still so grateful ✨🌚🍃
Happiest of birthdays to my Yanzi I am blessed To Happiest of birthdays to my Yanzi
I am blessed
To love you
To hold you 
To know you.
Your brilliant mind
and fiercely kind spirit. 

Thankful for all you give, all you are, all you do, all you dream.
for your musical laugh and wide smile
I want to climb inside and curl up and call home.

Last night, you danced
standing in a lake so great it’s an ocean, and 
I watched
from the clifftop above
as the sky painted its beauty around you.
I marveled 
at you at the water at the sky.

Someone nearby lit a floating lantern 
and the baby on my back said
more more more!!

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while laughing and peeing and 
effortlessly holding my gaze 

the earth is thirsty
for you, for us, for this
And she’s TWO!! I want to say it’s going way t And she’s TWO!! I want to say it’s going way too fast.  Every minute with her is magic! Also these last 3 years have been the longest years of my life 😅. But slow down sweet baby slow down. Little one loves watermelon and blueberries. She likes to ride around on her dada’s back, make bubbles in the bath, wash dishes, move furniture, collect rocks, and help build things. She packs up her backpack for adventures and will wear it while running all over the place, and if you chase her she gets so excited she collapses in a fit of laughter. She likes to sing and read from any piece of paper that has words on it “wa-wa-wa-wa.” She likes to snuggle in bed all night and does not want her own big kid bed. When we ask she points to the bed and says “no! Mama... Dada... and Baby!” She loves the dogs and likes to get in their beds and pretend she’s a dog too. She calls all crayons “lellow”, and has started saying “huh?” Her favorite books are my med school books, Goodnight Moon, and Brown Bear, Brown Bear, what do you see? Favorite movies are The Tale or Princess Kaguya, My Neighbor Totoro, and Moana. She still sleeps on me for most naps and nights, but at least she sleeps for 6 hours at a time most nights (finally!), but she always wants to stay up to play until 11pm or later. When it is finally time for bed, she manages to say “byeee.. byeeee... byeee” while blowing kisses and waving and crying all at the same time. 🌻
Happy, happy birthday sister 😘😍 Happy, happy birthday sister 😘😍
Kisses 😘 Kisses 😘
Reflecting on my immense love for this little one Reflecting on my immense love for this little one who made me a mother 🥰
I want to think again of dangerous and noble thing I want to think again of dangerous and noble things. I want to be light and frolicsome. I want to be improbable beautiful and afraid of nothing, as though I had wings. - Mary Oliver
More 🐮 More 🐮
🐮 🐮
Spring 🥳 Spring 🥳
“For every atom belonging to me as good Belongs “For every atom belonging to me as good Belongs to you. Remember?” - Marie Howe
Two more 🌬☃️ Two more 🌬☃️
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This sweet baby loves to visit all the statues in This sweet baby loves to visit all the statues in the park. There’s a big horse and quite a few lions and we go say hi to them (and roar at them!) every chance we get. Today @ya.n.zi joined us and we played hide and seek among the trees and walked down to the lake and it was so, so wonderful and I didn’t take any pictures so instead I am sharing this one from a few weeks ago 😍.
More snow tomorrow 😍 More snow tomorrow 😍
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Matt and Isla in the snow ❄️ Matt and Isla in the snow ❄️
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Said I would get out and challenge myself w my cam Said I would get out and challenge myself w my camera and share more photos here and then promptly disappeared! Sorry about that! I will be using (friends only) instastories for most phone pics and then using my wall for more intentional photography. First snow of the year.. Isla was wary! — October 29, 2019
“November’s a burn and an ache.” - Charles W “November’s a burn and an ache.” - Charles Wright
☃️ ☃️
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