the epic road trip

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kelsey and i have been planning a road trip to hearst castle for months and months and months (really. a lot of months). after much ado, we made it happen and it was so freaking awesome.
i am very conscious of my problem with high expectations, with insisting i find the best of everything and with fitting it all in the time i have allotted for it. i know i am way too overly worried about things working out perfectly, especially long anticipated things. a lot of times this complex of mine yields disappointment and frustration. but sometimes, some glorious sometimes, it yields exactly what i labored over so intently – a genuinely perfect meal or day or trip or experience.

so it was with our hearst castle road trip. for weeks i agonized over finding the best places to stop, the best routes to take, the best way to fit it all in – and heaven smiled upon us with dazzling weather and fortuitous circumstances and it was just. so. perfect.
this trip is one i will always hold as an oh so sweet memory of the best of my sunny single years.

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we met in palo alto after work and packed up the car, popped open some road trip treats, turned on the music and, before we left the driveway, took a moment to squeal. yep, flapping hands and high-pitched sounds of glee. and then we were on our way! the drive was gorgeous…past gilroy’s garlic and rolling green hills and onto the monterey peninsula.

we stopped in carmel for dinner at the most devastatingly lovely italian restaurant, where we sat in handmade chairs and looked out at the ocean and ate gorgonzola gnocchi and exquisite tomato and ricotta pasta.

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then, we headed to highway 1 and made our way along the coast, stopping at a random turn-off to enjoy the sunset. there was a path that lead to a perfect view and we watched the world transform in the leaving light and the waves crash – heaven meeting earth.

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we rolled out our sleeping bags in some random redwood grove campground, realized how ridiculous our pajama outfits looked, took about 100 ugly face pictures, and talked and talked under the stars.

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to be continued!!!

Comments

  1. I live vicariously through your blog :)
    You're so lovely and wonderful and I'm glad I stumbled upon you.

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  2. Oh my. That glorious California coastline is exactly why I'm here. Nice work!

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  3. i'm so glad you included the photos of you two at the end. i know those faces of you well :) i love you char. happy (belated) mother's day from one mother-heart to another!

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  4. Oh my gosh I can't stop loving how ridiculous we were. BEST TRIP EVERRRRRRRRRRRR!

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  5. oh be careful please. I love how you live life to the fullest, but two single girls camping together is kind of dangerous.

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