Outbound Collective logo

Two Days Driving up Highway 1 Wasn't Enough!

We took two days driving up the coast on Highway 1. It was stormy and cold, but we wanted to keep going!

By: Benjamin Canevari + Save to a List

Day 1 consisted of a spontaneous trip to Pleasanton for a dinner with friends the night before. And then yet another spontaneous one night stay at the Hotel Paradox in Santa Cruz. This hotel was fantastic. We booked our room hours before using the Hotel Tonight app. Super trendy hotel in Santa Cruz for just $120 that night. Now I know that $120 is still kind of a lot of money, but hey, we were living it up and going with the flow one step at a time! Plus, for what we got, it was well worth it!

In the morning we got up early and made our way over to Verve Coffee. My second favorite coffee company I've been to thus far. After we fueled up on caffeine we set out!

It was rainy and cold, but we didn't really mind it. The views were made that much more incredible thanks to the weather. We drove north on the highway with no schedule, no destination. Just stopping every now and then when we came across something that caught our eye. One of the best ways to travel and explore in my opinion.

Now part of the reason for this last minute trip was that my aunt and uncle had just given me my grandpa's old Nikon EL2 35mm camera. This really meant a lot to me as the only thing he left me in his will was the watch that he made himself. Unfortunately, nobody knows where this watch is...

So since I have never actually shot with a film camera before I was very keen to get some content with it! The only thing was, I didn't really know what I was doing! I thought I had it right, so I shot 90% or of my photos that trip on the Nikon. But of course, just my luck, the film was already exposed and totally blown out somehow when I took it in to get developed. So I was left with just these photos that I took on my 7D.


Day two was even more cold and wet than the first. We made it all the way up to Bowling Ball Beach. But of course there was too much water to walk through to get over to that side of the beach. So we went back to the car and kept moving.

Since it was so cold and wet, we didn't stop as much. Only when we saw stuff that looked really good! Thanks to the weather we got some great views! Lots of cool fog and colors. On our way home we made a pit stop for coffee at the Café Aquatica in Jenner. Super cool local coffee shop that roasts their own coffee five pounds at a time! If you're in the area I recommend stopping in! Great food as well!

All in all it was a great trip. I never got the film camera to work. I lost three or four rolls of film total before I finally got the thing figured out. But here are some digital images we took from day two!

We want to acknowledge and thank the past, present, and future generations of all Native Nations and Indigenous Peoples whose ancestral lands we travel, explore, and play on. Always practice Leave No Trace ethics on your adventures and follow local regulations. Please explore responsibly!

Do you love the outdoors?

Yep, us too. That's why we send you the best local adventures, stories, and expert advice, right to your inbox.

Related

Journey to Wyoming’s premier snowmobiling destination: Togwotee Mountain Lodge

Samuel Brockway

Hiking in comfort: a review of Danner Mountain 600 Evo boots

Meghan White

A peek through God's window

Heather Arnold

Big Bend Bound: Crafting Your 3-Day Adventure

Erin Newman-Mitchell