Big Sur: Our semi-wild life and semi-crisis in this semi-wilderness

On September 10, 2018 by Judy Nichols With 14 Comments - Blog, Our wanderings

The Big Sur coastline, fog rolling in.
The tiny pink flower of the wild radish.
A wild radish, small but mighty, containing the taste of wildness in Big Sur.
Fog and sun on the road to Andrew Molera State Park.
Tom and I with our official California State Parks volunteer vests, standing next to the kiosk by the parking lot.
The Cooper Cabin, the oldest structure in Big Sur, built in 1861 or 1862 for Molera's grandfather of hand-hewn redwood logs and hand-split redwood shingles.
Tom, standing on the plank bridge that crosses the Big Sur River to the Creamery Meadow Trail to the beach.
A view of the Big Sur coastline with the famous, often photographed Bixby Bridge, opened in 1932 and loved for its aesthetic curve, matching the coast. is one of the tallest single-span concrete bridges in the world.
Eucalyptus trees along the Big Sur coast.
Tom on the Ridge Trail with a view of the Santa Lucia Mountains.
California’s golden hills, a view from the Ridge Trail.
A view up the coastline from the Panorama Trail, which cuts through walls of Morning Glories.
The coastal view from the Bluffs Trail.
Wildflowers blanketing the hills along the Bluffs Trail.
Morning Glories carpeting the trailside.
Bluff lettuce growing in Big Sur.
Manganese garnet dissolving in the rocks create the purple sand along the hidden beach.
A driftwood structure built by visitors at the purple-sand beach.
Bird tracks in the purple sand at the hidden beach off the Bluffs Trail.
Sunset over the Pacific.

When I think of Big Sur, it is the wild radish I will always remember.

The crunch of it in my mouth, similar to the texture of a radish, but a milder, sweeter flavor.

A wilder flavor.

Big Sur, California, Volunteer

Back to the workplace in the redwoods

On August 28, 2017 by Judy Nichols With 10 Comments - Blog, Our wanderings

Tom and Judy standing by the sign at the entrance to Prairie Creek Redwoods State Park.
Tom and Judy with their official California State Park volunteer vests.
Tom and Judy doing the banana slug dance, part of the Junior Ranger badge presentation. (Photo courtesy of Leslie Reyes, Senior Park Aid/Volunteer Coordinator, Prairie Creek Redwoods State Park)
Judy with the bear in the Visitor Center at Prairie Creek Redwoods State Park.
Tom hiking on one of the trails at Prairie Creek Redwoods State Park. He was thrilled to learn that "roving" the trails was an officially recognized duty.

By Tom Nichols

After almost 2½ years of shirking, I went back to work as a volunteer.

The terms: Twenty hours of work each week, split with Judy, in exchange for a campsite with electricity, water and sewer. After two years of freestyle travel, we committed to spend March, April and May as information center volunteers at Prairie Creek Redwoods State Park, a U.N. World Heritage site about 40 miles north of Eureka, California. To upgrade our campsite from the maintenance area to a beautiful spot on Prairie Creek, we agreed to cabin hosting, which meant light housekeeping for four utilitarian units with bunk beds and living space but without kitchens or bathrooms.

Prairie Creek Redwoods State Park, Volunteer

New American Nomads

Minimal home, maximum life

Posts Tagged: Volunteer

Big Sur: Our semi-wild life and semi-crisis in this semi-wilderness

Back to the workplace in the redwoods

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Past posts

Epic views: Shot of the day

The final Nomad budget report

Curbside camping and reunions

Carmel: Familiarity breeds contentment

Condors, a swimming pool and wasp stings

The run for the coast: Rocks, repairs, and relaxation

Arizona serenade at Fort Worth Stockyards

Outdoor obsession: Fort Worth Botanic Garden

A hard exit and a soft landing

We’re positive that we’re positive

Pandemic left us out of camping shape