f you ever have a couple hours in Monterey, California, go to the Monterey Bay Aquarium. It’s amazing. I mean, just look at those jellyfish. They’re mesmerizing; all in-your-face-orange and gelatinous, yet also delicate and graceful. I took a step back to take in the whole scene, because I just love watching people watch nature. Somehow all our differences get pushed aside and we all agree that something is really spectacular. Age even disappears. Kids are oohing and aahing and parents are speechless, and everyone pushes their noses to the glass just to get a closer look. And when we all left the aquarium and walked along the streets and got in our cars, we felt different. Refreshed.

I just got back from California this week, where I got to visit Point Lobos (featured here) and Big Sur. Most interesting moments of the trip  in order of appearance -  pulling off at a “scenic vista” only to find evidence of a secret gay sex spot, shooting race cars and meeting Lord Paul Drayson (a very inspiring person), meeting a friend of one of my Telluride connections (a French ski base jumper) and watching him base jump off a bridge, walking into Big Sur Bakery and running into another friend from Telluride who is now a hiking guide in Carmel, and finishing by going to the Monterey Bay Aquarium with penguins, a great white shark and sea otters. Best $30 I ever spent.

So, we were walking along the White Oak Canyon trail when it opened up onto a flat bed of rocks below the waterfalls. There in the middle of the main walking area was a group of at least seven people who decided that it would be a great place to sleep. So they covered themselves with their clothes, tossed their backpacks and belongings aside, and dozed off. No one seemed to mind that we were stepping over them, that our dogs were sniffing them, or that we were talking about them. Of course they didn’t, because it’s totally normal to sleep right in the middle of a trail. Right??? I mean, comfy rocks, white noise of people’s conversations. Just perfect.

You know when the only noise you hear is the breeze rustling the leaves? I heard that today. Oh I love it. Only a few branches have begun turning colors for fall, but the ground is collecting the evidence.  I hiked the White Oak Canyon trail today near Old Rag Mountain, which was beautiful, albeit crowded for the first half with too many people for my liking. But the eight miles tired Bon, worked my legs and hopefully mentally prepared me for another week of travel, long hours and loud race cars. I’m buying earphones this time. This race is in lovely Monterey, California, so I’m hoping to get enough free time to explore. If so, photos of dramatic coastline will come soon, along with more race car shots, too.