Pfeiffer Big Sur SP
After a heavy rainfall during the night we woke up in a gray foggy Friday morning. Not very much what we’ve hoped for our first weekend camping trip. However the weather forecast was very promising so there was still a hope.
After an hour and something we’ve finally got a view of the sea and even still in the morning fog the rocky shore was beautiful as always.
By the time we arrived to the campground of the Pfeiffer Big Sur SP the fog was completely gone and it was nice dry and warm. No reason to be worried about setting the tent in the rain anymore. We loved the campground and we were really surprised about the size of our tent site. A huge spacious site next to a dry arm of the Big Sur River. We still had an easy access to the river but considering Maarten’s age we were lucky our site were not directly adjoining it. Maarten loved to watch the squirrels, crows and Steller’s jays coming very close to us. But you had to be very careful with all your food! In the evening a deer came very close to our tent. We should be aware since we were the intruders into their territory. I just wonder how will be my feelings to camp in the bear country. In Pfeiffer BS SP ‘only’ the mountain lion is already a good reason to beware.
I should have known that to go camping with a toddler would be a challenge. That Maarten was like a ball of dust and was hard to keep him away from the water faucet was not a big deal at all. Another issue was the abundance of the poison oak and the art to explain why he should stay away just from this particular shrub.
It seemed Maarten enjoyed himself very much till he had to go to sleep in the tent. The first night he would just continue to ask about us. The whole night! And all the time his little hands would search for me which I would consider very sweat during the day... All of us were freezing during the first night since the tent we’ve bought is ‘only’ three season tent which means very much open! We learned a lesson from this again. Maybe it’s the age already? All the tents in the campground seemed to be just 'three season' so what’s wrong with us?! It’s already years ago I’ve been camping and our tent used to be ‘just a tent’ for any season. Anyway we’ve already found a solution for that.
May 5th
Julia Pfeiffer Burns SP/Pfeiffer Beach
Fortunately the weather on Saturday was so nice so we could warm up after the cold night.
We took a half mile trail with breathtaking views of the McWay Falls which descents some 24 meter (80 feet) onto a beautiful sandy beach.
Afterwards a short trail along the McWay Creek took us to an another high waterfall at the end of the redwood-forested canyon.
We had to drive carefully not to miss the exit for the famous Pfeiffer beach with its huge rock monolith. You have to cross a small lagoon to get to the beach. This lagoon was probably utmost attractive for Maarten. Even it cost us a huge effort to keep him away of the water he managed to jump there twice. It meant I run out of all his spare clothing for the day. So he end up in Rob’s T-shirt. Even it was extremely windy there it couldn’t spoil the enjoyment of this beautiful spot.
The return to our tent was less romantic. It doesn’t matter whose fault this was or how they did get in but our tent was attacked! Remains of our foods together with the squirrel excrements. What a dirty mess!
May 6th
Pfeiffer Big Sur SP
On the hot Sunday we decided to stay in the shade of the redwoods and we did the popular hike to the Pfeiffer Falls together with the Valley View Trail Loop. Maarten doesn’t want to sit in the back carrier anymore but sometimes it is necessary when we need to get somewhere since his biggest hobby on the trails is to collect stones to chase the potential puma away. ;-)
And on Sunday was it for the first time he would take his afternoon nap in the tent!
May 7th
Andrew Molera SP
Another hot day and our last day at the camp. :-( I didn’t want to leave at all. I just wonder why we haven’t done this before...
On our way home we made a stop at the Andrew Molera SP and we took a wonderful one mile hike through some beautiful coastal terrain. We had to wade the Big Sur River to continue through some lovely secluded coastal area with an abundance of wildflowers.
This trail leads to a beautiful beach. A stunning place to end up our wonderful weekend at the Big Sur coast.
PS: The temperature in San Ramon when we arrived home at 6 p.m.: 92 ºF (some 34 ºC)!
