Over the last five years I've become extremely familiar with the drive from Southern California to the Bay Area. It used to be a pain because it meant I was headed back to school for a new quarter, but now I can take my time and experience some of California's most interesting spots. During my last road trip up the coast I took an alternative route and drove north on Highway 1. Having only driven it a couple times in my life, I found it to be extremely relaxing and almost meditative this time around.

It's rare to have a sense of seclusion and independence from the outside world when you live in Southern California. Connection to the grid is unavoidable and being surrounded by an outrageous amount of people becomes way too familiar. Slowly weaving up and down the steep coastal cliffs put a lot into perspective for me. I had hours to collect my thoughts and think back on fond memories spent living only two hours from Big Sur. It's amazing how raw and almost completely untouched the coastline is in Big Sur. It's hard to describe it to someone whose never been because there is nothing to compare it to in California.

I ended up spending two nights in Northern Big Sur, during my week long road trip, and they ended being the best two nights of sleep I had.