The Journey Inward

Today’s theme was Twists and Turns…the road, my schedule, the rental car.

It was to be my longest day of driving and on this day, I overslept. Not sleep through the alarm oversleeping, but the alarm didn’t go off because it was set for a weekday, and this was Saturday. To be perfectly honest, I have lost all track of days of the week as they are basically irrelevant to Vacation Me.

I woke up in a forest mountain cabin to low, heavy clouds, and a light drizzle. I immediately understood Earth’s desire not to wake up and be perky, shining and glowing for all to bask in, but rather to pull the blanket over her head and drift in and out of sleep. Rest is powerful and important! I was tired, too. Stepping outside, there was the smell of pine, but not cleaning product pine, or Christmas candle pine, but pure and fresh.

I had no reception or GPS when I left my mountain retreat, but a guest had suggested I go left upon departure instead of back where I came. I had told him where I was heading, and he was a local, so I followed his directive confidently! The road twisted and turned down the mountain and was flanked by huge redwoods and sudden drop offs. I was on the inner lane, so drove comfortably, thankful I wasn’t on the edge! I made it down into town and got gas and reception, only to discover that I was not going in the right direction, so needed to redo the half hour drive I’d just taken, but in the other direction, adding an hour to my already tight day. And this time I was cliffside as I drove up and down the mountain and its curvy path.

Heading up the 101 finally, the cloud cover made it feel like I was playing a game of peekaboo or hide and go seek with the oceans and mountains. Far from being disappointed at having been denied constant, sweeping vistas, it actually made it more exciting!

I stopped here and there for pictures, but I was beginning to realize that my little iPhone could not accurately capture what I was seeing and though I snapped the pictures, I just committed to staying more focused in the present.

I made a stop in cute half Moon Bay to eat delicious avocado toast with pesto, cherry tomatoes, and poached eggs on exquisite sourdough bread with a large cup of tea. It was fun guessing who the locals were and which were tourists.

Driving into San Francisco felt familiar for as many times as I have seen it as a setting in movies and TV shows. Of course I drove down crooked Lombard Street, where I lucked out in finding a parking spot at the bottom. I then walked it back up and then proceeded to walk down steep Hyde Street to the wharf and piers and all the way out to the Golden Gate Bridge. My walk back to the car took me through Chinatown and Little Italy.

A much later departure and then spending more time in San Francisco than I had planned had put me a bit behind schedule and was not getting me to the Humboldt National Park to see the redwoods early afternoon as hoped. I was in and out of reception on my trip and my car and my phone were not speaking to each other, so it made it difficult to know just how far out I still was. But I just kept to the 101 and knew that there was simply no way to be disappointed on this trip.

During the school year a second grader and I had read a nonfiction book about the redwood tree trees. I had told him that I would be going out to visit them in the summer and he would ask me every Monday if I had gone! We had read about the trees that were carved out in the 1930s so that cars could drive through. He had asked if I could do that. I’ll admit that I didn’t have too much of an interest, but when I saw a sign declaring that the drive-through tree was at the next exit, I immediately pulled off! It was pretty kitchy and overpriced, but I was happy to oblige that student.

Having spotty or no reception sometimes left me disoriented and added time to my drive. Then there were the times my phone and car just wouldn’t communicate. (Trust me I realize that my iPhone not interfacing with my Audi is a very first world problem!) Yet the disconnect also provided the quiet I didn’t realize I was needing. I’ve still been so accessible through text and phone calls and now I was not. There was a peace to that in knowing that no thought or feeling or moment or experience could be interrupted.

The last two hours of my drive on the 101 were in complete darkness. I found my creative side coming through, imagining the tall trees around me or the sea to my left or the bridge as I was crossing. Thankfully, I could not see any sheer drop offs I might have been driving alongside! When I finally checked into my hotel, the clerk said he hates the 101 because of its winding turns and cliffs and commended my perseverance in getting to the hotel.

Photos: 9.16.25 by LA