PACIFIC COAST HIGHWAY


So, I forgot to add this in earlier, but better late than never, right? Anyway, on our way from LA to SF, Jenny and I decided to take the scenic route: the Pacific Coast Highway. PCH #1. AKA The Beautiful Route from Hell.

Maybe I'm exaggerating, since, as you can see from the pictures, it was gorgeous. Absolutely breathtaking. Which is why, I'm sure, it's gained such a reputation and is heavily traveled by visitors to the area. And I'd recommend it again -if one has countless hours to devote to deviously twisted, dangerously narrow, sharply-inclining hills.

Alright, perhaps I'm not being quite fair. However, there are some things you should know about this place before you let me drag you down it (which I fully plan to do to at least one of my upcoming visitors....!)

1) It's beautiful (we've already covered that, and being the reasonably intelligent people that you all are, I'll leave it at that)

2) It's only beautiful during the day

3) Once you get on the damn thing, there is no way off. Seriously. Unless you can swim really, really well.

Therefore, if, like us, you begin the journey around 4 pm, you will be stuck driving about 140 miles of twisted, narrow, sometimes washed out roads in the pitch black. Which, I must admit, is fun. For the first 10 miles. Then I wanted out. But NO. Not happening. The so-called 5 hr drive from LA to SF took closer to 8 hrs with this "scenic" detour that we took.

Alright, enough of my complaining. Truthfully, it is a beautiful place and it is probably even prettier when one can actually see their surroundings. I'd recommend entering from the northern tip and driving just a little into it, then turning around and coming home. Unless you're a glutton for punishment, it's not exactly the preferred route to take to make it back to LA. But it was an experience. Think: a bobsled track with no walls, the pacific ocean to cushion your fall on one side, and mud walls/mountains on the other and you'll have an idea of what we saw :)

Really, I'm not bitter, I'd just NEVER DO THE ENTIRE THING AGAIN!!!!!