A road with a view

In the 1970s, there were a series of epic battles in the then little known sport of bodybuilding between two legends of the discipline: Franco Columbo and Arnold Schwartzengger. They were seen as being two of the best ever, but in direct competition, Franco faced a unique problem. He was significantly shorter than Arnold, making him seem less imposing when side by side. However, Franco had a creative solution to this issue: as often as possible, he simply wouldn’t stand next to Arnold. Instead, he would pose while kneeling, which hid his shorter stature.

I’m making a comparison to roads here, as should be obvious by now.

I’ve written previously about how the road from Flagstaff to Sedona is the most beautiful I’ve ever driven, winding through a pine forest with views of the mountains and deep gorges, with a light dusting of snow. And I’ve written about the drive into Angeles forest, and how it is also very beautiful, with its desert vistas. Well, the road I drove today was stunningly beautiful, but like Franco, rather than going head to head with views of the mountain, it changed the game altogether.

It was extremely twisty, with no section longer than a few car lengths being straight. And it had moss covered trees on both sides that met at the top, forming a green canopy. It was thrilling in a way that the others weren’t, because it was very narrow and had no guardrail.

My goal was a free campsite at the top of a mountain with views of the ocean. The hype (two anonymous posters on the internet) was that this campsite is the most beautiful in the US. I can't say that definitively, but it's certainly in the running.

The twisty, paved road I was on gave way to a gravel road that was even twistier, steeper, and narrower. A 4x4, high clearance vehicle is absolutely necessary at this point, and it tested mine as much as I am comfortable doing. Like riding that expert only trail in Sedona, it probably could do a bit more, but I am comfortable with that being my limit.

At the top, this campsite offers a view of the ocean that is unparalleled. And I mean that literally: it is peerless from any view of the ocean, anywhere.

I took a lot of pictures with both my cameras, from a variety of angles, but I fear that might not do it justice. You can see out to sea, with coves and inlets along the coast, the waves visible and crashing into shore. There are huge trees all around me here as well, and open fields where Arthur’s been chasing chipmunks and field mice. As I write in the evening, the frogs from a nearby pond are doing their calls. It’s almost cacophonous.

Arthur and I are the only visitors up here. It is both wonderful to be so secluded, and something that makes me a bit on edge. There’s a ranger station a few miles away, and that is the closest company, or help, that is available. I take every precaution and make sure I have enough supplies, but in the end, sometimes you have to trust that you’ve done your preparation, and go.

wes