OK, thanks--Naciemento Ferguson Road. I had read all the messages on here, but didn't have a point of reference on that road. Now I do.

Still hoping they get the fix done.

Yes, I have eaten at Nepenthe. I don't think I ever qualified as a flower child or hippie, but since I was married in 1969 and spent that summer in the San Francisco Bay area, that whole piece of coast has huge nostalgia for me.

Stu--its just on the other side of Carmel River, before you get to Monastery Beach. If you have ever been to Carmel River Beach, Carmel Meadow is the area on the bluff to the south.

Hi sf7307, the book arrived today. It is a delight!
It IS mostly a cookbook but one with lots of pictures (including Richard and Liz) and family memories. I look forward to reading and using it. It's a beautiful book.
Many thanks for the suggestion!
((*))

Glad you're enjoying it!

Update via Nepenthe's Facebook page -

Nepenthe Big Sur
Tomorrow (Saturday) is the last 7am pedestrian escort across Rocky Creek. According to Caltrans, one way will be open for cars starting at 5pm tomorrow evening and continuing til 8am Sunday morning. Then 8pm to 8am one lane alternating access will be the new norm until April 21, when 24 hour a day one lane access will (presumably) commence. May I say "yippee?"
12 minutes ago via iPhone ·

Note: the above is not posted to recommend Nepenthe. It is posted as a recent (12 minutes ago) update on the road closure situation.

Starrs, thanks for the update. So, if one had been hoping to drive all the way from Carmel to Cambria and Alder Creek is still closed on May 26..... I assume one could drive to circa Lime Kiln then take that Naciemento-Ferguson Road over to the other highway?

I read on some website that to tackle that road one needed good local maps which of course we wouldn't have.

Yes, tiy can go over on that road to Hwy 101. You can print out maps of whatever you want online, so having good local maps isn't a problem.

OK so the good news is that the slide at Rocky Creek has been temporarily repaired and the road has opened to alternately traffic i.e. they opened one lane. The bad news there is a slide area 50 miles further south which will take another 3-4 weeks to fix. So you still cannot drive down 1 to Cambria and beyond from Carmel.

But you can get to Nepenthe now I believe.

Yep. So says their FB page.

SAB, How was your long Carmel weekend a few weeks back?

It was great Bill, thanks for asking. The weather was absolutely fabulous and the views from the house in Carmel Meadows were sublime. Lots of lovely walks with and without the pup (who discovered the joy of chasing bunnies in the meadow). Carmel River Beach was completely carved up by the river, and not really accessible except from the stairs down from the Point, but the river marsh was huge and had lots of birds.

Of course 1 was still closed then, but that wasn't really an issue for us as we could still go to Rocky Point and sit outside and have their great burgers. Speaking of Rocky Point, we saw a grey whale heading south really close to shore. Of course no one around us believed us, wrong time of year and wrong direction. But then there is was again. Also saw a pod of dolphins heading in the same direction, so we thought maybe there was a food source just south (near the slide). When we were at Rocky Point I was surprised by the number of visitors who did not know that 1 was closed and that they could not drive further south.

It was just a little to early to see any seals hauled out with babies at Point Lobos, however Point Lobos was lovely, even if it was somewhat crowded later on in the day. It was a beautiful day, so naturally lots of people were out taking advantage of it.

All in all a great long weekend.

The last time I looked at the road closure website I got the feeling the state didn't want people using that Naciemento-Fergusson Road. I've seen it described as white knuckle and hairpin turns. Rental cars have notoriously crappy steering. Oh, they also said the military can close off their portion at will. Does one need any special pass etc to go through their base (if it's open)?