This picture has not been doctored to appear yellow, the yellow shows you our proximity to the Forest Fires that ravaged much of California last summer. Some of the areas we had planned to travel to were off limits. Some areas were smoky, some were yellow from the flames, some streets and cars had ash from fires, carried sometimes for miles. This pretty but very eerie scene was around Big Sur. We traveled quite a ways, only to find out we couldn't get throw and had turn around and head back. We were then able to approach some of the area the next morning from the other side.
The sun did come out a few times, tried hard to burn away the smoke, fog, smog etc, but was unable to. This is one of the few times we actually saw the sun. We passed a staging area for the fireman, a fire camp loaded with equipment before we had to turn around.
We spotted planes that were making drops of chemicals and water on the fires in several locations. Normally Big Sur is crowded is with fisherman, hikers, campers, as well as those that come to shop, eat in the many lodges. A beautiful area in the central California Coast area bordering the Santa Lucia Mountain Range.
Bixby Bridge, about 13 miles south of Carmel, one of the worlds tallest single span bridges is also one of the most photographed. You can see why.
Big Sur Light Station...hard to see I know but it's there way way on top of this large outcropping. We were looking at this from the main road. Off to the left is a narrow rode leading up, though it it was not open to visitors during this time. It is possible to tour this lighthouse with advanced reservations. It's listed as one of the top 10 haunted lighthouses in the US, is registered as a National Historic Landmark. Limited numbers are permitted to tour the facility in this ghost town. The light station was opened in 1899 and the last keeper left in 1974, when it became automated. Parts of the park area in Big Sur were closed, other parts had signs suggesting volunteer evacuation, and no one new was permitted in. Shortly after we existed the park, it was closed due to the fire.
This picture has not been doctored to appear yellow, the yellow shows you our proximity to the Forest Fires that ravaged much of California last summer. Some of the areas we had planned to travel to were off limits. Some areas were smoky, some were yellow from the flames, some streets and cars had ash from fires, carried sometimes for miles. This pretty but very eerie scene was around Big Sur. We traveled quite a ways, only to find out we couldn't get throw and had turn around and head back. We were then able to approach some of the area the next morning from the other side.
The sun did come out a few times, tried hard to burn away the smoke, fog, smog etc, but was unable to. This is one of the few times we actually saw the sun. We passed a staging area for the fireman, a fire camp loaded with equipment before we had to turn around.
We spotted planes that were making drops of chemicals and water on the fires in several locations. Normally Big Sur is crowded is with fisherman, hikers, campers, as well as those that come to shop, eat in the many lodges. A beautiful area in the central California Coast area bordering the Santa Lucia Mountain Range.
Bixby Bridge, about 13 miles south of Carmel, one of the worlds tallest single span bridges is also one of the most photographed. You can see why.
Big Sur Light Station...hard to see I know but it's there way way on top of this large outcropping. We were looking at this from the main road. Off to the left is a narrow rode leading up, though it it was not open to visitors during this time. It is possible to tour this lighthouse with advanced reservations. It's listed as one of the top 10 haunted lighthouses in the US, is registered as a National Historic Landmark. Limited numbers are permitted to tour the facility in this ghost town. The light station was opened in 1899 and the last keeper left in 1974, when it became automated. Parts of the park area in Big Sur were closed, other parts had signs suggesting volunteer evacuation, and no one new was permitted in. Shortly after we existed the park, it was closed due to the fire.
