Road Trip Up California Route 1

california1

 

California route 1 is a highway that reaches from the top to the bottom of California.  It is not even close to being the most direct route, but it is by far the most beautiful, because it follows the coast the entire way up.  The highway passes through all of the famous coastal cities of California such as San Francisco, San Diego, and Los Angeles to name a few.  Driving up this highway would mean being able to stop in and experience all of these amazing cities on top of the amazing scenery of the rest of the highway.

Taking route 1 would mean to truly take the “scenic route.”  This would be so beneficial to do, because nowadays, we can get anywhere we want, as fast as we want, because of airplanes and efficient highways.  Unfortunately, most of the time, the view from a normal highway is boring and repetitive, and the same goes for an airplane.  But with route 1, I would not even mind driving and taking my good old time, because my breath will be taken away with each new turn I go around.

It is so easy to forget that the trip itself can be just as amazing as the destination.  Not only this, but the more work you put into a trip, the more amazing it is when you get to your destination.  Imagine if you were able to take a helicopter to the top of Mt. Everest and be able to experience the views without any of the work.  Do you really think it would be as satisfying to see if you did this instead of actually climbing the mountain?  No way.  Even though you would get the same exact view, it would be so much more rewarding had you climbed the mountain.

The same concept applies to route 1.  If you were in San Diego and wanted to get to San Francisco, you probably could in an hour on a plane.  Sure, it would still be cool to see, but going directly from city to city would be a bit repetitive.  If you decided to be awesome instead, and drove up route 1, the contrast driving across the Golden Gate Bridge and seeing the urban sprawl of San Francisco would be truly legendary after driving past redwood forest and steep oceanside cliffs for the better part of a day.

I would love to be able to take this trip, but that would mean doing the hardest thing ever.  Finding the right person to experience it with.

 

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2 Responses to Road Trip Up California Route 1

  1. Alex Schilken says:

    I was so surprised to come across this blog, because I was actually considering writing my blog this week about the time my family drove along California’s Route 1. I can tell you that it was such a cool experience, even though it was a really really long drive! Just be careful, the road can be very treacherous, especially in the foggy hills outside of San Francisco. Definitely not the best trip if you get car sick!

  2. Julia Fogg says:

    I’ve been traveling my whole life and I think you are certainly right when you say taking the scenic route is so much better. When we drove from Las Vegas to Denver I got to see all the different scenery that I wouldn’t have paid attention to on a plane. I’ve also been to California and it is a beautiful state and too be able to see the whole thing along one road would be an amazing experience and I would love to experience this one day.

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