Pfeiffer Big Sur

Randy

Randy

Ranger
Donating Member
Sharing some pics from my recent trip to Pfeiffer Big Sur State Park along the famous Pacific Coast Highway. The drive up and down the PCH is not for the faint of heart but oh so beautiful. Pfeiffer Big Sur Sate Park has spacious and private sites nestled in the Redwoods with beautiful hikes right in the park. Some sites are right beside the Big Sur River that winds through the park. Many incredible sites to see within an hour's drive with countless overlook turnouts. There is a beautiful lodge within the park with camp store, restaurant and coffee shop. The tree canopy is very thick. Many sites get zero sun and it's eerily almost dark all day long. I had to have lights on during the day. I was happy that my new Victron 12V/100Ah AGM Super Cycle Battery battery stayed above 12 volts for 4 nights with no solar using it for lights, stereo and an hour of TV at night. "Porch” lights were left on all night. It was plenty cold though, and with no shore power I burnt lots of firewood and once again dreamed of the furnace option I didn't get! :)

The last three pics are from El Capitan State Beach Campground. Since 3 hours is pretty much my driving limit, I stayed there one night on the way there and back which was halfway to Pfeiffer from Orange County. What an unexpected surprise. Great campground with private sites and walk to the beach. On the last night I got an ocean view site. I look forward to camping there again in the future.

Hope that you all had a fabulous Thanksgiving!

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That sounds and looks like a really awesome trip Randy. I've been wanting to go up the coast but never quite planned a trip yet. Can you expound on what made the drive "not for the faint of heart"? I have to run those things by my cardiologist these days. :D

Do I understand correctly that you were not running a fridge? That's the item that concerns me most about any area where I can't get access to sun. A fridge takes a pretty good chunk of the house battery every 24 hours.
 
Hi John

North of Sanaa Barbara PCH become very steep with many tight turns and switchbacks. Looking over the edge can be a little scary, it’s a longways down! That said it’s completely doable. If you don’t have a fear of heights and have done mountain driving before you will be fine. Much less scary driving it than being a passenger I must say!

The Dometic fridge stays in the bed of my truck and runs off a 1000 watt Jackery which charges while I drive via an Auxillary power line and DC to DC charger. In camp I keep it topped off with a 100 watt solar panel. That has relieved a lot of pressure off the camper battery. It will easily power the fridge 3-4 days without any charging at all. However, I am selling the Jackery because the only 12 volt out port is a cigarette lighter plug and the connection from the Dometic will not stay tight no matter what I do. Replacing it with a Goal Zero Yeti Core 1000 that has Anderson Powerpole ports.
 
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Randy said:
Hi John

North of Sanaa Barbara PCH become very steep with many tight turns and switchbacks. Looking over the edge can be a little scary, it’s a longways down! That said it’s completely doable. If you don’t have a fear of heights and have done mountain driving before you will be fine. Much less scary driving it than being a passenger I must say!

The Dometic fridge stays in the bed of my truck and runs off a 1000 watt Jackery which charges while I drive via an Auxillary power line and DC to DC charger. In camp I keep it topped off with a 100 watt solar panel. That has relieved a lot of pressure off the camper battery. It will easily power the fridge 3-4 days without any charging at all. However, I am selling the Jackery because the only 12 volt out port is a cigarette lighter plug and the connection from the Dometic will not stay tight no matter what I do. Replacing it with a Goal Zero Yeti Core 1000 that has Anderson Powerpole ports.
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Oh, OK. So you did find enough sun to charge the Jackery via the portable panel? I know some of those redwood groves can be incredibly dark and full of shade.

I recall testing my first Dometic in the house (obviously a very controlled and mild environment) and noting it used about 220 Wh over a 24 hour period. That's pretty close to half of what the upgrade AGM house battery capacity would be. Without access to shore power or sun, I'd be concerned about it lasting more than two days. It's for that reason that I booked shore power when I went to the redwoods last June.
 
We stayed in a campsite at the top of that waterfall some years back. Excellent spot. The road doesn't really get twisty until you get north of San Simeon.
 
Randy said:
There was ZERO sun in the redwoods!
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OK. You confused me when you said, "in camp I keep it topped off with a 100 watt solar panel". I have some Ecoflow sogens that supplement my house battery but I haven't yet had to use them on the fridge.
 
Sweeney said:
Not any more :)

I've said it before, I'll say it again --- with so many things to see in this country like this, why would you need to travel anywhere else!

@Randy - amazing pictures!
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Thanks Sweeney. It’s so true. I have lots of colleagues that are passionate about foreign travel. I get it but it’s not for me. There are SO many beautiful places to see in the US and I haven’t even scratched the surface.
 
Randy said:
Thanks Sweeney. It’s so true. I have lots of colleagues that are passionate about foreign travel. I get it but it’s not for me. There are SO many beautiful places to see in the US and I haven’t even scratched the surface.
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Not for me either. Admittedly, there are a few places I would like to visit, but these are more pilgrimage sites than for tourism. Fatima Portugal, Lanciano Italy, Lourdes France and the beaches of Normandy. If it weren't for the crime, possibly the Vatican.

I'd want to visit them all sequentially and spend no more than a day at each location. But those are very specific points --- the thought of wandering around the far east -- no thanks.

I know of a few nomads that have been on the road for a long time like the Wynns, for example, who have gone on to sail the world, but only after they have been to a many many places closer to home. Maybe some day, but that would mean that I won the lottery and don't have to work and would have the TIME to nomad for years...not likely.
 
Randy said:
Hi John

North of Sanaa Barbara PCH become very steep with many tight turns and switchbacks. Looking over the edge can be a little scary, it’s a longways down! That said it’s completely doable. If you don’t have a fear of heights and have done mountain driving before you will be fine. Much less scary driving it than being a passenger I must say!

The Dometic fridge stays in the bed of my truck and runs off a 1000 watt Jackery which charges while I drive via an Auxillary power line and DC to DC charger. In camp I keep it topped off with a 100 watt solar panel. That has relieved a lot of pressure off the camper battery. It will easily power the fridge 3-4 days without any charging at all. However, I am selling the Jackery because the only 12 volt out port is a cigarette lighter plug and the connection from the Dometic will not stay tight no matter what I do. Replacing it with a Goal Zero Yeti Core 1000 that has Anderson Powerpole ports.
Click to expand...

Sold my Jackery :)
 
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