10.20.2013
//Big Sur: Year 2//
It was August last year when my friend Keegan invited me to Big Sur for a last minute road trip. It was the kind that you barely have any time to think about. You just say your in, and then you grab a few things and split for a few days. I met a van full of really nice people for the first time, and spent three days with them on the road. It feels like it was much longer than that looking back on it now. It has been over a year since my first Big Sur road trip, and so much has changed since then. After Big Sur via the Insight van, I came home knowing that I needed a van for myself. I settled on this fine machine:
This Adventuremobile, named "goldie" by my fine lady friend, is a 1987 Vanagon. This van would be our home and transport for 6 days. I have had her since around Christmas last year, and she has never failed me. To be honest, I was a little worried, since I've never tried to get so far from home and back in her. She was a champion. She took the winding roads and hills in stride and pumped out some sweet tunes while doing it. She came equipped with 17" tires, a roof rack, rhino lining, and a really good sound system - (we made some road mixes). There is a bed in the back, and if you park level, you are assured a good sleep. We learned this lesson the hard way on night one when we parked at an angle and ended up rolling downhill in the bed all night. Its pretty funny looking back on it now, but sucked the next morning. I made some blackout curtains to make sure that the sun wouldn't be our alarm, and no one could see into our mobile fort.
The Crew was a little bigger this year with three of the gang from last year: Keegan, Will, and I, and some welcome newcomers to round out the bunch. We also had a plan this time. We were going up to check out the Woodsist fest at the Henry Miller library. Woodsist ran two nights: Sunday and Monday. We would catch sets by Woods, Real Estate, Little Wings, Fresh & Onlys, and Foxygen to name a few. Woods was a definite highlight. We left San Diego Thursday to get a good head start and add in a stop in Santa Barbara to break up the trip. We arrived in Big Sur on Friday. It was incredible as always. We spent the days in the sun swimming in the ocean and streams. One day we hiked up stream to a big waterfall that filled up a watering hole where we swam in fresh, freezing water and drank beers. We spent the nights huddled around the fire drinking whiskey, wine and beer, and cooking some incredible meals. Camping is better with good food.
Here is the crew:
(Left to right): Kristin, Danielle, Zack, Keegan, Brie, Mac, Will, and Chase
Limekiln Park:
All 9 of us jumped in Goldie for the short drive to The Woodsist Fest.
I was the Captain of the ship. It was madness on the way there. The sounds of beers cracking open in the back every couple of minutes and a very rowdy crowd. The Fest definitely did not disappoint, and on the way home there was a beautiful, beautiful chorus of drunken voices singing "Midnight Special" by Creedence all the way to camp.
Backflip:
This will most likely become a yearly trip. Who's in next year?
11.08.2012
9.10.2012
I was lucky enough to grow up close to my grandparents. my grandmother who insisted that we call her yia yia (which is greek for grandma) would watch us when my mom had errands to run during the day sometimes. she used to take us to McDonalds to get lunch by her house some days as a treat. i have a memory of her little old lady afro bouncing back and forth in the front seat of her grocery-getter oldsmobile as we drove away from the drive thru and i dug into my hamburger in the back seat. she was a sweet lady with a fiery spirit. tough as nails like the ladies from the old country, fortunately she could cook like those ladies too. this is the last picture i took of my grandmother this year smiling in her bed. love you yia yia
Mary Levas
July 14, 1922 - September 09, 2012
8.19.2012
big sur:
last weekend i took a last minute trip to big sur with a van full of awesome people.
my friend keegan had the keys to the Insight van, some tents, plenty of charcuterie to go around, and a cooler completely full of tecate. the van overheated at least 5 times during the drive up and a few times on the way back. we stopped on the side of the road and drank tecates whenever that happened and waited for it to cool down. we made the best of it to say the least. the radiator sprung a leak once but we managed to buy some stop leak from a chevron with a massive chandelier hanging in it. never underestimate a fancy gas station. camp sites were full so we managed to squat on a green patch in between two dirt roads that we made our own and could fit all of our tents. the beaches were incredible, the water and coastline were so vibrant. i want to go back..
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