Beattys go Coastal - Family Trip 2014 - Day One - Big Sur

For our big Beatty family camping trip this year we camped five nights in Big Sur and two nights in America's newest national park, Pinnacles. As per usual, the time flew much too quickly and I'm home now, catching my breath, a lump in my throat that it's already over. "The trip:" Lucy and I talked about it so much, putting this or that aside for the trip, packing snacks and goodies for the trip, discussing adventures we'd have on the trip. She still says it  with expectation and with a heavy heart I have to say, we are home now from our trip sweetie, it's all done. I think I better start planning the next trip or we're all gonna cry.

Now if California were a woman, Big Sur would be her sparkling blue eyes. She'd be looking out over that raggedy coastline, scanning the tip tops of the redwoods, watching the hawks and pelicans and condors go by, taking it all in with a long deep satisfied gaze and going wow.

We arrived Friday night, about six hours later than we'd planned. Never travel through California on a Friday, that's my advice, especially if you are going to skirt anywhere within a hundred miles of the bay area. I have given myself this advice before and I still forget to heed it. We caravaned with Pops; Joey and Emily were about an hour behind us. And we all made it to beautiful Kirk Creek campground just in time to set up our tents as the sky darkened and fall asleep to the sound of the Pacific ocean and her sweet lulling voice. 

Since all day Friday was a traveling day, I'm going to call Saturday Day One.

Morning time on a hundred foot bluff by the ocean:

We kicked around camp for awhile then headed south to Ragged Point, kind of a waystation on the southern end of the Big Sur coastline. They've got ice cream, gas, a little general store, espresso, and on the weekends a lively outdoor barbecue set up and live music. I was secretly hoping for a nice clean bathroom to freshen up and wash my face and hands (and more importantly, Lucy's) since there is no running water at Kirk Creek, but on that front I was sorely disappointed: they had their normal bathrooms closed "due to the drought" and a line of outhouses out front. Sooo....back to the more important business of eating ice cream and dancing to Soul Sauce's renditions of  Eagles and Bob Seger songs.

We took a little walk down to the vista point. Tootie always wants to hold her Jojo's hand; spending time with Jojo, Memmy and baby Scouty is one of her greatest delights.

After that we headed for Sand Dollar Beach. Toot fell asleep in the car and woke up pensive for the short hike down. Papa lagged behind so Joey made an arrow out of rocks to show him the way. 

It felt so good to run straight out into that big beautiful mama ocean's open arms!

It was Polly's first time at the ocean. I'd say she was pretty excited...

Scout's first time too. Our little cuzzies had worn their matching 70's overalls all day.

Tootie was not as fond of the waves. She's at a more sensitve age now and would shout "waves coming, waves coming!" with a cry of fear when I tried to take her out to dip her feet in the surf. I didn't push it and anyway she was perfectly content to plop down and work on "sandcastles" for hours.

Back at camp we cozied up, made some dinner, and built a campfire. 

Changing into jammies, Tootie saw her "panda bear shirt" (it's actually some kind of dancing 80's Aussie koala?) in the duffel bag and immediately had to put it on and "show Jojo, show Memmy." It's a vintage one that I was originally going to sell in our shop, but now I guess it's a keeper. She's so proud of it and just adores those bears.

Slept to the sound of the ocean and sometime in the wee hours Matt and Amy arrived and set up camp up at Dad's site. Our comfy little group almost doubled in the night, and tons more fun was in store....