The Only Place.

Every trip that I make to California gives me a fresh perspective.  I come back home feeling rejuvenated and inspired.  In short I always bring a bit of the vibe back with me.

There are many, many things that I love about California, these include the climate, the light, the colour of the Pacific, the sunsets, the wildlife, the incredible variety of plants and flowers that grow naturally.  I love the surf culture, the car old scene, the emphasis on outdoors living, the list goes on and on.  In short I'm a big fan of CA, and have been for a very long time.

This latest trip filled me with so much inspiration, perhaps even more so than on previous visits - yep, we are talking about a lot of inspiration. I think a big reason behind this is because the amazing trip that we had involved taking in a whole range of different places, a significant number of which were wholly new to us, although did go to many of our favorites as well.  We set out wanting to experience new things, involving seeing parts of California that were less visited, quieter and interesting with more emphasis on the country, away from cities and urban areas. We achieved all of these things.

The areas were explored were mainly coastal Northern California, as well as the Central Coast, which we travelled to by way of Big Sur.  The Big Sur coast is a real favorite of ours, and as always the experience was truly outstanding, especially given that we went through there on a perfect, sunny Saturday, calm and sunny with a slight ocean mist, perfect!  On our trip we ventured inland a bit too, having been recommended a town named Guerneville, on the Russian River, this was a really interesting place, and again, very different from anywhere we had been to previously in the state.  Each day was an adventure and we ended up covering a lot of miles in Frank, the Hyundai (Senata). Along the way we took in so many amazing sights, met a lot of really lovely people and had lots of fun everywhere we went.  Everything about the trip was wholly positive, but the thing that really struck me was just how fantastic the Nor-Cal vibe is.  I have spent quite a lot of time in California these past ten years, and it is no secret that I love it there. This has now been reinforced further still by our latest experience.

To begin with the scenery is outstanding and very different to other parts of the state that I become familiar with.  This is especially true of the stretch of coast north of San Francisco, principally Sonoma and Mendocino counties, where the population is low and the development is minimal, resulting in beautiful countryside and coastline that has not been spoiled by over development. Not in the slightest, in fact I doubt if things have changed that much for decades.  For while there is a lot of farming activity, which has tamed the land to a degree, much of the terrain consists of established redwood forests and open country where you cannot see a single house or anything else man made.  There really seems to be a deep respect for the land here, there isn't a whole lot to spoil the view, no littering, or wonton damage to the environment is apparent. This is in stark contrast to other places in the State, where I often find myself wondering what it would have looked like years ago, before the developers made their mark on the landscape.  The coastline also has the characteristics that give it a much more rugged appearance, there are far fewer sandy beaches here, invariably the dark rock of the cliffs are met by the by the Pacific at their base, where the powerful long distance swells unleash a huge amount of energy upon the rock. Sea mist rises through the trees, many of which are old, and long established cedars, pines and eucalyptus, the latter filling the air with their aroma, adding to the atmosphere.  All of these things combine to create a landscape that is truly beautiful and you feel a real sense of being at the edge of the continent. 

While sparsely populated, the small towns that are situated in this part of California are full of character, and characters!  We were me with so many smiles, hellos and people seemed to have the time to stop and talk, with an openness and enthusiasm that I really liked.  Added to which they are small, really small (the town, not the people!). The population count of many was just a few hundred, this made for some quiet, unspoiled towns with lovely atmospheres and a tangible sense of community.  Also, the area has not been exploited in the name of tourism, a fate that has fallen on many places further south, sadly.

Something else that I really liked was that the area is beautiful and interesting just the way it is, there is now need for man made enhancements.  Furthermore, there is more to the culture and vibe of the area than beach and surf culture alone, it is far more diverse and this richness was something that I really appreciated.  For I have found that in recent years the surf towns that I have been to have gone to seed somewhat.  Undoubtedly caused by vapid commercialisation and the selling of surf culture to the general populous as has been the case back at home, albeit on a much smaller scale. Although the results are similar principally an experience that lacks any authenticity, in that any real connection with surfing heritage has been forgotten, as has the natural environment. This is certainly not the case in Northern California.

We we there during the quiet season, the roads were quiet and tourists virtually non existent. But I got the feeling that even in Summer things don't get all that crazy. There was certainly very little evidence of mass tourism in evidence.

So I have come home with even more love for the State of California, strengthened by the beauty that I found up North of San Francisco. And yet it is so different to the places that I already know and love. I know that I have grown an incredible amount since my last visit, so maybe this gave me a fresh perspective. Or it could be that I am in a different place now, so can fully appreciate the absolute beauty, as well as the overall vibe of Northern California. It could simply be that I have gotten a little bit older and like the quiet life! Whatever the reasons, I am so pleased to have experienced this part of California. The trip has left me feeling truly rejuvenated, the challenge is to keep the feeling alive now that I am home.