I've not checked the news even once in 3 weeks. I have no idea if there are any good new songs or movies out. Call if blissful ignorance.
I was noticing that my eyes are as white and clear as I have ever seen them. The absence of stress. Although I wouldn't say I now declare myself to be carefree for the rest of my life, I do think this short-term period of relative stress freedom has allowed me to see and realize some things that the past few years have not. Those years have not been so stress free. Looking back now, it looks like I couldn't see the forest for the trees.
To have a month like this has been good. I know once I get back, it will be back to many of the cares and considerations of before. But now I feel like I have a little more perspective. Getting away from it all it's a little easier to see the silver lining, and I've seen some great examples of joyful people. All the people I met in Glacier NP. The dude playing the weird horn at the cliff in Crater Lake. The breakfast bar attendant this morning who talked to everyone she could, and seemed to be best friends with everyone who had been at the hotel all week. I was in 2 Corinthians 2/3 yesterday where it talks about us "spreading everywhere the fragrance of the knowledge of him". It made me wonder how often I'm actually spreading the "fragrance" of Christ. I don't know what a lot of these peoples' backgrounds are, but I know I want to be more like them.
And what a great place to start practicing that, no better than Cali, right? What a chill place. I should be a pro by the time I get back home. Sunday afternoon Thomas and I were driving into the Bay area when we hit a lot of traffic. Traffic always stresses me out (probably a good thing I live in a small city where our traffic is nothing). We were trying to get to a little town called Sausalito on the northern peninsula right above SF before heading back into the East Bay to meet up with some friends of mine. We got there a lot later than expected because of the traffic, but as soon as we found a little place to sit down and have a beer, I said to Thomas "I can feel the stress just melting away". We had excellent views of the Bay and San Fran from right where we sat.
Good thing all that stress melted away because it came right back after. I was trying to make it back into the far side of the East Bay area to meet up with Toby and Erika Nichols to get some dinner before getting Thomas onto the BART to the airport. We were a little later than expected, dinner took longer than expected, and Thomas just barely missed his flight. I felt like a turd. He seemed to be pretty forgiving though.
It was really good to catch up with the Nichols though. I got to hear about their ministry and life in Concord. I was kind of hoping I would be the first Knoxvillian to meet baby Nichols who could be here any day. I missed out, but I look forward to meeting her one day in the near future.
So that pretty much sums up my time in NorCal. I stopped by the Golden Gate Bridge on my way out of town on Highway 101. Got a few cool views.
From there I headed down the coast on Highway 1, through the beautiful Big Sur area. Unfortunately it was mostly foggy the 2 days I spent driving. Actually, I planned to camp a little south of Monterey, but I drove all the way down there and it was so foggy and late (and expensive, $35 to camp is ridiculous!) that I decided to drive all the way back to Monterey and stay at a dumpy hotel.
Tuesday morning I drove all the way down the coast to just below Santa Barbara. Even though it was foggy about 2/3 of the time, I still saw some amazing views. This has to be one of the world's prettiest drives.
Below is McWay Falls. I've been here before, but I think this is the most scenic waterfall I've ever seen.
Kind of a funny story. I pulled over at one turnout over the cliff and saw a point I could climb down to (pics below). I spent a few minutes about halfway down just sitting and pondering the ocean and views before deciding I wanted to try to get all the way to the end. I got there, but immediately a seagull started dive-bombing me. At first I thought it was just flying a little close. But by its third pass, it was flying only a few feet away from me and making some hideous noises. So I got the point, packed up my stuff quickly and got out of there as fast as I could. I guess I got a little too close to its nest. I had no idea seagulls could be so harsh.
But I did get this picture from the seagull lair.
The only other noteworthy thing from Tuesday was the elephant seals. I was driving and saw a sign for "elephant seal viewpoint". I thought it was some gimmick, but pulled over anyway. Then I saw a ton of these fat, lazy, smelly and kind of ugly seals laying around on the beach. It was still pretty cool to see though.
From here Highway 1 turns inland a little bit. I know "CenCal" is not a real term, but that is the phrase I will use to describe the central part of the state's Highway 1, which was mostly farmland. Once I got back to the coast, it was beautiful again. I got out in Santa Barbara, a great city where all the buildings have been kept in traditional Spanish architecture and design, and went to their farmers' market and got a pie...
I also saw some of the coast there. I remembered from visiting in 7th grade that there were a ton of very tall palm trees all along the beach. Well, they're still there. Santa Barbara is a cool little city that I wish I could've spent more time in. I guess that just means I'll have to come back one day...
Now I'm about to take off for San Diego to stay with the extended Wenger clan. This is the portion of the trip where I finally stop driving so much, take a little time to do nothing but sit on the beach and read/relax, and hopefully get it all out my system before heading home.
I'll update ya'll from San Diego.
And what a great place to start practicing that, no better than Cali, right? What a chill place. I should be a pro by the time I get back home. Sunday afternoon Thomas and I were driving into the Bay area when we hit a lot of traffic. Traffic always stresses me out (probably a good thing I live in a small city where our traffic is nothing). We were trying to get to a little town called Sausalito on the northern peninsula right above SF before heading back into the East Bay to meet up with some friends of mine. We got there a lot later than expected because of the traffic, but as soon as we found a little place to sit down and have a beer, I said to Thomas "I can feel the stress just melting away". We had excellent views of the Bay and San Fran from right where we sat.
Good thing all that stress melted away because it came right back after. I was trying to make it back into the far side of the East Bay area to meet up with Toby and Erika Nichols to get some dinner before getting Thomas onto the BART to the airport. We were a little later than expected, dinner took longer than expected, and Thomas just barely missed his flight. I felt like a turd. He seemed to be pretty forgiving though.
It was really good to catch up with the Nichols though. I got to hear about their ministry and life in Concord. I was kind of hoping I would be the first Knoxvillian to meet baby Nichols who could be here any day. I missed out, but I look forward to meeting her one day in the near future.
So that pretty much sums up my time in NorCal. I stopped by the Golden Gate Bridge on my way out of town on Highway 101. Got a few cool views.
 |
| This always make me think of the 90's sitcom "Full House" |
Tuesday morning I drove all the way down the coast to just below Santa Barbara. Even though it was foggy about 2/3 of the time, I still saw some amazing views. This has to be one of the world's prettiest drives.
 |
| This is Bixby Bridge. |
Below is McWay Falls. I've been here before, but I think this is the most scenic waterfall I've ever seen.
Kind of a funny story. I pulled over at one turnout over the cliff and saw a point I could climb down to (pics below). I spent a few minutes about halfway down just sitting and pondering the ocean and views before deciding I wanted to try to get all the way to the end. I got there, but immediately a seagull started dive-bombing me. At first I thought it was just flying a little close. But by its third pass, it was flying only a few feet away from me and making some hideous noises. So I got the point, packed up my stuff quickly and got out of there as fast as I could. I guess I got a little too close to its nest. I had no idea seagulls could be so harsh.
But I did get this picture from the seagull lair.
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| Spot where I ate some lunch |
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| Adults - not that attractive |
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| Baby seal - these were alright - it looks like it is practicing its swim strokes |
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| A whole beach full of them |
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| Beautiful coastline |
I also saw some of the coast there. I remembered from visiting in 7th grade that there were a ton of very tall palm trees all along the beach. Well, they're still there. Santa Barbara is a cool little city that I wish I could've spent more time in. I guess that just means I'll have to come back one day...
Now I'm about to take off for San Diego to stay with the extended Wenger clan. This is the portion of the trip where I finally stop driving so much, take a little time to do nothing but sit on the beach and read/relax, and hopefully get it all out my system before heading home.
I'll update ya'll from San Diego.
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