On a recent trip to the Monterrey Bay area, in Northern California; my host and I, and his dog, would typically hike on Saturdays. Mind you, I don't mind the outdoors, in fact, I like being outdoors sometimes. I also don't mind hiking, but I have to say-weTexans don't really understand the term properly.
When someone talks about hiking in California, well, those peopleunderstand the beauty of the place better than the rest of the couch potato generation does. Hell, those hikers understand natural beauty, period. I can now include myself on the far, outer reaches of such a group of people with understanding.
Of course I'm a Texan nothing wrong with that, right? Well, we Texans tend to hike over long, open ranges. . . . .or not at all. California, however, in the area that I spent six weeks of my life-is quite different from Texas.
Hills-there are lots of them. Big Hills. In Texas, you could call those hills "mountains." Enough of all of that though, I'm here to tell you about Point Lobos National Reserve and my hike there. All the pictures I've uploaded in this hub were taken there.
Along The Pacific Coast at Point Lobos, Near Monterrey, California.
Near a cliff, I'm several hundred feet above the water.
Source: http://me.
This is dangerous! I don't recommend that anyone climb those rocks the way that I did, one fall could result in serious injury.
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Lots of mussels and crabs in the little pools that are everywhere, surrounded by rocks, near the beach.
This Lady works at the AWESOME Aquarium in Monterrey, California - super awesome tour guide for Point Lobos, she's a friend of a friend.
See that beautiful dog? His name is Chico, and he can literally pull a man up a mountain should you hold his leash
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A Texan Visits Northern California.
I Looked it up on the net, and the official website mentions a charge for parking. Well, I'm here to tell you that there's no need to pay them for parking, lots of people park on the shoulder, and on the shoulder across the street. I suppose it has to be legal because everyone is doing it, and without repercussions either. Besides, "moral relativism" isn't the moral that was broken on this particular hike.
What?
Okay, there was a sign outside the entry to the trail that we took that showed images inside circles, and with lines drawn across the said images. It's pretty debatable what that means, right? If they had meant to say, "No Great Danes allowed," then well, they should have said so! What I'm saying here is that there was a circle with a line through it that contained an image that could have either been a Great Dane. . . . .or a horse.
We brought a Labrador, and I don't want to hear anything more about it, okay?
Hiking wise, I could take my Mother to this place. No hills, no mountains. . . . .not too many troubles. This is a hike along the beach.
Let me talk for a minute about the name, Point Lobs; my host brought one of a dozen Lady friends along for this one, and she was a native to the area. She asked me. . . .
"Do you hear that?"
"Yeah," I'd replied; "it sounds like some coyotes."
"Well," she said, "that is why they call it Point Lobos, because those sea lions, sometimes called "sea wolves," sounded to the first Europeans here like wolves."
"I want to see the sea lions!!!!!!!!!!!!"
Well, I didn't get to see any sea lions. In Texas, coyotes are almost always heard, and never seen. I got the impression that the sea lions must have reminded the first Euro settlers of coyotes/wolves in more ways than just the sounds that they make.
Wildlife lover? Never fear! There's still plenty to be seen at this beautiful local! There's a picture of me reaching/looking into a pool of water that seems to be in the midst of a rock wonderland? See it? Well, I tell you, there were critters in that pool.
Crabs: I know, crabs aren't often considered a "wild animal," per se; however, as a Texan living amongst the Oaks and the Pines; crabs are cool critters. There were crabs, little, fierce looking ones in that pool!
What else did I see? Muscles. Notgovernator style muscles, but the kind that you can boil, and eat. I found it too difficult to pry those mofos from the rocks to get excited about a free meal-and like pecans, they seemed to be a lot of work for little food.
For now on, I'm going to eat muscles, and think of them as a delicacy.
Of course the Flora and Fauna at Point Lobos was quite new to me as well-all of it. As a Texan who grew up, and still lives around Dallas, though; I was into sea critters. . . . .and I wasn't let down. Strange plants grow in the sea. Actually, they might be sneaky animals disguised as plants; I just don't know.
Our Lady guide told me that the things I'm referring to were calledSea enemas, or perhaps Sea enemies? I forget, but the things looked like Venus Flytraps that lived underwater. . . .and acted like they had taken downers.
If you touch one-then you'll feel all icky, and wish you hadn't; unless you just happen to be kinky like that; and in California, it's all about "each to his own." Maybe that applies to the critters too, but I'm not sure.
The Rocks:
1. Most of my pics were taken close to shore on the rocks, and this is easy to see, right? Well, you remember when I said that I'd take my Mother on this trail???????
2. I didn't lie, I WOULD take my Mother on this trail, but I wouldn't let her leave the trail-like me, my host, our Lady guide, and our illegal dog did.
3. It's fucking dangerous on the rocks. There isn't any signs with a picture of rocks inside circles with lines drawn across them. . . . .so the rocks on the beach are all perfectly legal-and how would you arrest them anyway? Thing is, you can leave the trails, and go wherever you wish-but you'd best be damn careful, because the place isn't for the very young, the very old, or the unhealthy; in fact, I'm amazed a thousand times over that I didn't turn an ankle, bust my ass, or break open my head in a fall.
Be careful out there, it's dangerous, slick, and steep off of the trails-but THAT is where the real hiking is!!!!!!!
I'd like to encourage every single person who visits the great state of California in the Monterrey Bay area to visit Point Lobos National Reserve.. You'll never, ever regret it!
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