Out West: Sustainability On Vacation

Vacations are meant to be a time of rest and fun, a time to re-energize and discover new things. They provide the opportunity to adventure; to grow in new and exciting ways. A couple of weeks ago my fiancée Carla and I embarked on a road trip to have that kind of a summer experience, but we ended up getting a lot more out it than either of us could have imagined.

Our trip out to Santa Cruz, CA: IA>CO>NV>CA

Beginning at our home in Fairfield, IA, we travelled across the US toward Santa Cruz, CA. The trip would be done over the course of four days, and our drive back (one week later) would take three days. We planned to camp during a couple of the nights and stay at hotels as needed. We camped out in Granby, CO at Stillwater Campground (which I highly recommend), stayed at the Hard Rock hotel in Las Vegas, NV, and camped again at Ponderosa Campground near Big Sur, CA.

Along the way we saw and photographed a beautiful, transforming landscape that went from huge plains to epic mountains, expansive deserts, mountainous coastlines and enormous canyons. We passed large windmill arrays and fracking fields alike. For us, our vacation was one of both awe and introspection. The condition of our environment, and the effect that we (as a species) have on it was on our minds the whole way through.

Upon arriving to Monterey County on day four of our trip, we decided to stop in at the Monterey Bay Aquarium. Carla had been there when she was younger, so I was excited for her to share it with me. Cannery Row (the road to the aquarium) was filled with both tourists and activists. There were people there who wanted to enjoy a day with their families, and others who wanted to engage the public in important matters such as saving the bee population. A very cool place to be sure.

Inside the aquarium there were quotes and exhibits that promoted sustainability and the conservation of our oceans and its wildlife. It was impressive to see how much they care about and how far they would go to preserve the well-being of our aquatic friends and their ecosystems. Here’s a short description from the Monterey Bay Aquarium Conservation & Science page about their role in ocean life conservation:

“The ocean sustains all life on Earth. From the air we breathe to the seafood we eat, our very survival depends on healthy seas. The Aquarium’s Conservation and Science programs are tackling some of the most critical issues affecting ocean health. We bring decades of expertise and relationships in ocean science, policy and markets to the task.”

After that stop we made our way to Santa Cruz. A bustling tourist town in the summer months, Santa Cruz has a mix of things to enjoy. Beautiful mountains, amazing beaches with clear, bright blue-green water, redwood forests, surf shops, the boardwalk, great places to eat, and again, a high level of attention on sustainability. This is Carla’s home town, and it was my first time in California, so it was a really special thing to be there together.

Carla has described the epic beauty of Santa Cruz to me many times, and there’s no denying that it is spectacular. However, one issue loomed over everyone and everything during our visit; the California drought. Everything was dry, dry, dry; as far as the eye could see. Everyone is rationing their water while encouraging their neighbors to do the same. In a way, it was nice to see a community so adamant about conserving water (we should all be aware of our own water usage), but on the other hand, it’s sad that the awareness of water conservation was sparked due to fear or lack of it.

Looking at the whole situation, we had to wonder if the drought was directly related to climate change. We wouldn’t be surprised, as we’ve seen how the climates are changing further east in the US as well. Although the drought seems to be nearing it’s end, we hope that these kinds of experiences really inspire society to think more about and take action against carbon emissions and other forms of pollution.

All in all, visiting Santa Cruz was a blast. We ate great food and had great times with Carla’s family and friends, visited some wonderful parks and beaches, met some awesome people; it was everything that we hoped and more. Alas, our week there flew by in what seemed like an instant, and we started to make our way home.

Our trip back home to Fairfield: CA>AZ>CO>IA

We traveled a slightly different path back, making our first overnight stop at the South Rim of the Grand Canyon. Again, I had never been there before, so it was a breathtaking experience (albeit a little short). The next day we cruised up through Monument Valley in Utah toward Colorado, where we stayed for an extra day so that we could recharge our batteries a little bit. Then there was the final stretch to get back to Fairfield.

Carla and I had a short but super jam-packed trip, made and captured a ton of memories, and really got to add more to our perspectives on life. It was an amazing experience over all, and we’re more than happy to share some of our memories with all of you. Check out some photos from our travels below. They run from oldest to newest, so you can get a feel for what we saw in the order in which we saw them. I also want to thank Monterey Bay Aquarium for providing the means to capture our aquatic friends shown below. It’s an amazing aquarium that does amazing things, so if you can support them in any way, please do!