My brother is a big fan of driving down the California coast. After years of touring with his band and exploring the wide open spaces out west, he has found many drives that capture the imagination. This one is possibly his favorite; there's good reason why the drive through Big Sur is world famous. This year, I couldn't take it any longer: I had to make the trip and see it for myself.

After a week of hard work in San Francisco, I grabbed a cab to SFO airport, rented a car with solid satellite radio options, and rolled all my windows down. Aptos, Capitola, Santa Cruz, Monterey. I hugged the curves of Highway 1 and stopped at every state park I could. I strolled on beaches at sunset and hiked up redwood trails to marvel at the magic of ancient giants. I breathed deeply of fresh, green air and let the golden light warm my face. I can't wait to go back.

All photos courtesy of a (rented) Nikon D4 and a variety of fixed Nikon lenses in my collection.