Birthday in Big Sur

    We celebrated Chris' April 11 birthday on the Big Sur coast, that rugged stretch where cliffs meet the Pacific, extending south below Monterrey.   It was a sunny weekend, which might not have been as exciting photographically as a stormy time and the crowds were out.  Still it was fun to return to an area where we often camped when I was a kid, and where I spent a number of weekends as an adult in my pre-full time RV days.  I hadn't been back in over 20 years and fortunately, little has changed except for the number of visitors. 

    Our headquarters was the historic Deetjen's Big Sur Inn, a collection of handcrafted cabins built between 1937 and the early 1950's.  Our room was built the year Chris was born and sat looking out on Castro Canyon, redwoods and small creek.   We had an excellent dinner in their eclectic dining room and a breakfast that people all along coast drive to for weekend treats.   

   

Early morning we drove south along the coast.  The sun has finally crested the rugged hills to the east making shadows on the sand.   We climbed down the stairs and enjoyed a walk on the beach.  The good news is that neither of us developed poison oak as the trail was covered with it and it pushed out into the trail, especially along the railings of the staircase.  

Our room at Deetjen's.  This one is called the "New Room" as it was one of the later additions.

In April, wisteria covers the patio next to the dining room.

One dining room area.  The common areas and rooms are filled with local art and artifacts collected over many years.

As we wait for our breakfast, Chris checks out the manual for his new camera, a Nikon 7200, a gift from his parents.

Waterfall a short walk from our room.  Not a lot of water right now, but then California is in the worst drought since they began keeping records of rain and snow pack.

We did not eat at Napenthe, a long time popular spot, but we did stop to enjoy the view and the art work.