If you have ever watched the Netflix series Big Little Lies, with Nicole Kidman and Reese Witherspoon, you would recognize the Bixby bridge in the opening scenes. The bridge is a popular spot for overseas tourists and their annoying cell phone cameras. Sometimes the small parking area is full. The bridge is located about 20 km south of Carmel on Highway #1, also known as the Cabrillo Highway. The scenic drive is well worth the trip although it is often closed by rock slides. I preferred this view instead which is about 2 km south.

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bixby_Creek_Bridge

Tags:   Bixby Bridge bridge Big Sur California coastline sea ocean Paciifc surf waves mountains Carmel Nikon Z7 lookout vista

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My last Elephant Seal photo (for a while). They make very comical subjects.
Piedras Blancas Beach, San Simeon, California

Tags:   seal Elephant Seals California bull cows sand wildlife mammal sea ocean Pacific San Simeon Big Sur beach Nikon Z7 telephoto Piedras Blancas Beach

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This landscape photo is from the Santa Lucia Range in Southern California close to the ocean after leaving the Big Sur drive on Highway #1. The route #46 runs east between San Simeon and San Luis Obispo ending at the 101.

The hillsides remind me of the paintings of Eyvind Earle (1916-2000) who painted extraordinary landscapes mostly in Southern California and the Big Sur area.

Enlarge to see the detail and the ocean in the distance by pressing L

And finally just listen to the song one more time:

www.youtube.com/watch?v=dN3GbF9Bx6E

Tags:   Santa Lucia Range mountains California coast Big Sur Eyvind Earle landscape Nikon Z7 shadows trees pastoral ocean Pacific hillsides California dreaming'

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Elephant seals on a beach near San Simeon, California
The bulls can weigh up to 5000 lbs. There were huge numbers of these seals laying in the sand on the Piedras Blancas beach near San Simeon, California. The pups are born in late December and January.

On Explore Feb 1/20

Tags:   bull mating beach San Simeon coast Big Sur sand frisky love no Elephant Seals Piedras Blancas Beach Mirounga angustirostris pups bulls cows greatphotographers greaterphotographers Fabulous!!

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I am doing a side trip on my way to Phoenix for 2 months (happy retirement!) through Carmel and the Big Sur coastline, which is dramatic and beautiful.

Tags:   ocean surf coastline Big Sur California Carmel Carmel-by-the Sea waves current tripod NikonZ7 travel road tour fog cloud beach sand mountains landscape Pacific West Coast sunset sundown

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