Trip Journal: Long Beach and Channel Islands National Park, California
Monday, September 12, through Friday, September16, 2016
Well, I’m three for three this year in terms of having a little time for fun included in the plan during my business trips. I sort of figured that I might make it over to the Queen Mary or get in a few local brew pubs while in Long Beach for the AIAA summer governance meetings, just local stuff, basically on the scale of things I did in San Diego and DC early this year. However I caught a break and my meetings all lined up on either Tuesday to Thursday, leaving Wednesday wide open for exploring the area. I waited a while to see if the schedule void would fill with another meeting or two but the day remained open. Now it was time to look for options on how to spend the day.
First thing I did once the opportunity was presented was to check the National Park Service website to see what units might be close by. Nothing really nearby (I figured there might be a monument or historic site somewhere in the Low Angeles area) but Channel Islands National Park was within a reasonable distance (roughly 90 miles driving up the coast then a boat ride from Ventura to the islands). NPS.gov had all the needed information to see if this was a viable option. Even though this would be a short trip planning would be the key to making it an enjoyable trip. This quote from the Channel Islands trip planning trip really summed this up quite well:
"A visit to the Channel Islands is an exercise in preparation and self-reliance. There are no services such a food stores or gear rental shops on the islands, no remedies for poor planning once you have arrived."
Well, planning is my game, so I was not too worried about this. In fact, once I got on the Island Packers website to sort out the boat schedule, everything just fell into place. I had a nice on-line chat with a very helpful lady from Island Packer and she was able to answer all my questions and suggested the best option for a day trip to the Channel Islands, specifically Santa Cruz Island. She did suggest kayaking and snorkeling for activities for the day, but I’ll stick to hiking being the land lubber that I am. Since the boat trip to the island departed at 0800, staying nearby was essential; no way I was going to risk trying to drive to Ventura from Long Beach the morning of the excursion, not with the crazy traffic in the area. There were a couple nice options so I just grabbed a night at the Holiday Inn Express right at the marina. There were even a few interesting restaurants and brew pubs in the area, depending on how the timing worked out. The plan was in place.
Monday, September 12, through Friday, September16, 2016
Well, I’m three for three this year in terms of having a little time for fun included in the plan during my business trips. I sort of figured that I might make it over to the Queen Mary or get in a few local brew pubs while in Long Beach for the AIAA summer governance meetings, just local stuff, basically on the scale of things I did in San Diego and DC early this year. However I caught a break and my meetings all lined up on either Tuesday to Thursday, leaving Wednesday wide open for exploring the area. I waited a while to see if the schedule void would fill with another meeting or two but the day remained open. Now it was time to look for options on how to spend the day.
First thing I did once the opportunity was presented was to check the National Park Service website to see what units might be close by. Nothing really nearby (I figured there might be a monument or historic site somewhere in the Low Angeles area) but Channel Islands National Park was within a reasonable distance (roughly 90 miles driving up the coast then a boat ride from Ventura to the islands). NPS.gov had all the needed information to see if this was a viable option. Even though this would be a short trip planning would be the key to making it an enjoyable trip. This quote from the Channel Islands trip planning trip really summed this up quite well:
"A visit to the Channel Islands is an exercise in preparation and self-reliance. There are no services such a food stores or gear rental shops on the islands, no remedies for poor planning once you have arrived."
Well, planning is my game, so I was not too worried about this. In fact, once I got on the Island Packers website to sort out the boat schedule, everything just fell into place. I had a nice on-line chat with a very helpful lady from Island Packer and she was able to answer all my questions and suggested the best option for a day trip to the Channel Islands, specifically Santa Cruz Island. She did suggest kayaking and snorkeling for activities for the day, but I’ll stick to hiking being the land lubber that I am. Since the boat trip to the island departed at 0800, staying nearby was essential; no way I was going to risk trying to drive to Ventura from Long Beach the morning of the excursion, not with the crazy traffic in the area. There were a couple nice options so I just grabbed a night at the Holiday Inn Express right at the marina. There were even a few interesting restaurants and brew pubs in the area, depending on how the timing worked out. The plan was in place.
Here’s the summary for the week, just for completeness:
Monday – 12 September – Travel day. The only direct flight to LAX had an early evening departure, so I worked a full day, then headed to CLE where I grabbed a sandwich for dinner. An uneventful flight and I used some of the time on the plane to work on the notes from our recent tour through the National Parks of southern Oregon and northern California. But it was late by the time I collected my bags, grabbed the rental car from Advantage (a Mazda 6, so a nice looking vehicle with a little pep) and rolled into the Hyatt in Long Beach. The good news was that the first person I saw when I walked into the hotel was Laura; always a pleasure to visit with one of my long-time AIAA friends.
Tuesday – 13 September – Queen Mary and meetings, then on to Ventura. I had time for an early morning walk and the area right around the Hyatt was set up nicely for folks to get around on foot so I walked from the hotel by the marina and over to the Queen Mary and back. Almost five miles so a nice way to start the day after being cooped up on the airplane last evening. It was overcast and a little drizzly this morning but nothing that really would curtail a nice walk. I tracked this urban hike on Ramblr. Plenty of birds out on the water: Great Blue Heron, Cormorants, Pelicans and lots of gulls. Shoreline Aquatic Park was very nice and the little knoll there with the lighthouse afforded a nice view over the river to the regal old ocean liner. The oddity for the walk was on the return trip I went through the Harry Bridges Memorial Park; looked like there had been a massive party there recently as the place was a disaster. It was cool to see the Queen Mary; I reckon it was about 30 years ago that Cerney and I toured the ship during our trip to the area when we were in grad school. Here's the link to a few more photos from my walk.
Monday – 12 September – Travel day. The only direct flight to LAX had an early evening departure, so I worked a full day, then headed to CLE where I grabbed a sandwich for dinner. An uneventful flight and I used some of the time on the plane to work on the notes from our recent tour through the National Parks of southern Oregon and northern California. But it was late by the time I collected my bags, grabbed the rental car from Advantage (a Mazda 6, so a nice looking vehicle with a little pep) and rolled into the Hyatt in Long Beach. The good news was that the first person I saw when I walked into the hotel was Laura; always a pleasure to visit with one of my long-time AIAA friends.
Tuesday – 13 September – Queen Mary and meetings, then on to Ventura. I had time for an early morning walk and the area right around the Hyatt was set up nicely for folks to get around on foot so I walked from the hotel by the marina and over to the Queen Mary and back. Almost five miles so a nice way to start the day after being cooped up on the airplane last evening. It was overcast and a little drizzly this morning but nothing that really would curtail a nice walk. I tracked this urban hike on Ramblr. Plenty of birds out on the water: Great Blue Heron, Cormorants, Pelicans and lots of gulls. Shoreline Aquatic Park was very nice and the little knoll there with the lighthouse afforded a nice view over the river to the regal old ocean liner. The oddity for the walk was on the return trip I went through the Harry Bridges Memorial Park; looked like there had been a massive party there recently as the place was a disaster. It was cool to see the Queen Mary; I reckon it was about 30 years ago that Cerney and I toured the ship during our trip to the area when we were in grad school. Here's the link to a few more photos from my walk.
The rest of the day was spent in meetings. Very good discussions on the standards activities with the AIAA staff. The original plan was to leave right after my final meeting, which was scheduled to end at 5:00 PM. But plans are merely starring point and tend to change. The meeting ended a little early, so we adjourned to the bar for the post-meeting. The group grew a little. The locals suggested that I wait a while for drive to Ventura to let the traffic settle out; probably best to wait until about 8:00 to head out. OK, I’ll have another beer. I was finally on the road about 7:30 so it was now dark so I ditched the original plan of taking the slightly longer route up the Pacific Coast Highway and just stuck to the Interstate routes. There was plenty of traffic but is was moving right along and I was at the hotel just after 9:00 PM after making a stop at a convenience store for trail snacks.
Wednesday – 14 September – Channel Islands National Park. A great day of hiking. The details are all below.
Thursday – 15 September – More meetings. A full day of meetings, but a very productive day, followed again by the post-meeting congregation in the bar. Basil and I had dinner at the Irish Pub, the Auld Dubliner (review), just across from the Hyatt. Murphy’s Irish Stout and fish and chips….yum!
Friday – 16 September – Heading home. I was on the road early just to ensure no traffic worries but even with the 0600 departure the 20 mile drive to LAX took about an hour. No worries as I was still well ahead of my departure time (even with the less than expedient shuttle ride from Advantage rental car to the airport). A slightly delayed departure but the pilots made of the time and I was back in Cleveland on schedule. I dumped my stuff at home and Lynn and I hit Lagerheads for dinner. I fine way to end the trip.
So that’s the short story of the trip but there are plenty of details for my day on Santa Cruz Island.
Channel Islands National Park – Wednesday, 14 September, 2016
Driving up to Ventura from Long Beach last night was a good move, as now I have plenty of time this morning to prep, pack and even grab some breakfast at the hotel. Nice complimentary breakfast bar here at the Holiday Inn Express (review). The food was the standard fare but the setting was nicer than most due to the open air seating option. Bagel and a banana, both with peanut butter should be good for hiking fuel. Back in the room, I finally got a look at my view. Hey it was dark when I arrived, so I had no idea that I was overlooking the marina. Very nice! The sun was shining and the sky was clear. Looks like a nice day in the making.
Wednesday – 14 September – Channel Islands National Park. A great day of hiking. The details are all below.
Thursday – 15 September – More meetings. A full day of meetings, but a very productive day, followed again by the post-meeting congregation in the bar. Basil and I had dinner at the Irish Pub, the Auld Dubliner (review), just across from the Hyatt. Murphy’s Irish Stout and fish and chips….yum!
Friday – 16 September – Heading home. I was on the road early just to ensure no traffic worries but even with the 0600 departure the 20 mile drive to LAX took about an hour. No worries as I was still well ahead of my departure time (even with the less than expedient shuttle ride from Advantage rental car to the airport). A slightly delayed departure but the pilots made of the time and I was back in Cleveland on schedule. I dumped my stuff at home and Lynn and I hit Lagerheads for dinner. I fine way to end the trip.
So that’s the short story of the trip but there are plenty of details for my day on Santa Cruz Island.
Channel Islands National Park – Wednesday, 14 September, 2016
Driving up to Ventura from Long Beach last night was a good move, as now I have plenty of time this morning to prep, pack and even grab some breakfast at the hotel. Nice complimentary breakfast bar here at the Holiday Inn Express (review). The food was the standard fare but the setting was nicer than most due to the open air seating option. Bagel and a banana, both with peanut butter should be good for hiking fuel. Back in the room, I finally got a look at my view. Hey it was dark when I arrived, so I had no idea that I was overlooking the marina. Very nice! The sun was shining and the sky was clear. Looks like a nice day in the making.
I was packed and ready to roll just a little after 7:00 AM and at Island Packers about 7:15 per their instructions. Hmmm, no real reason to be here this early for a day hiker who is just hitching a ride on the boat. Sure, the campers, kayakers and folks working with outfitters will need more time for the logistics since they all have gear to load and there was a lot of activity with the campers and other folks getting there equipment on board. But it was a pleasant morning and I did spot a few birds here in the marina. There were several great-tailed grackles flitting about the area looking for handouts. Of course there were sea gulls, probably a few varieties. A Belted Kingfisher was sitting for a while in the mast of one of the sailboats. We were overflown but a couple Great Blue Herons as well. Plus there were a few sea lions hanging out on one of the piers, their barking breaking the relative calmness of the morning. So a good start to the critter list and I had not even boarded the boat.
We boarded the Island Adventurer at 0800. I snagged a seat on the upper deck along the rail on the starboard side which ended up being a very good location. We were quickly underway. The Captain did a masterful job of pulling the boat out into the waterway, considering how tightly it was parked between the other Island Packer vessels. As we were making our way out to the open water, the Captain provided the “pre-flight” announcements. Sort of a Southwest Airlines style spiel but he got his point across and kept us entertained at the same time. There was one very important piece of information gleaned from these announcements: draft beer is available in the galley! Good to know for the return trip. The crew provided the safety briefing as well, how to don a life jacket and a heads-up on the process for transferring to shore once we reached Santa Cruz Island. Pelicans and cormorants lined the break walls as we exited the marina and headed toward the Santa Barbara Channel. The Captain gave us an update at this point, stating that we were about 19 miles (nautical, I’m guessing) from Santa Cruz Island and would be traveling at 19 knots but into a 20 knot wind. ETA was about an hour, give or take. The actual time will depend on the number of animal encounters we have as he will slow down to afford us an opportunity to view the sea life should we spot any. But the weather forecast looked great and the water was pretty calm so it should be a nice ride.
We did not have to wait long for our first marine mammal sighting. A dozen or so California Sea Lions were basking on a large, red buoy. The Captain gave us a few factoids on these big pinnipeds while maneuvering the boat around so that the passengers on both sides could get a view. Seems that the sea lions were nearly hunted to extinction for their fur. They are now protected. Their population is around 250,000 which is about the maximum that the ecosystem can support. He also mentioned that they actually spend most of their time out of the water.
Onward we went. It was a very lovely day. While the 20 knot headwind meant that we had to hold on to our hats, the ride was very smooth and the water was fairly sedate. Lots of gulls and pelicans fishing in the area far to identify the types of gulls and a little too bouncy on the boat to take full advantage of the zoom of my SX50, but I did get a few blurry shots that might help identify some of the birds. There were definitely some that I had not seen before; I could tell from their shape and the way they flew that they were not gulls but some other water bird. Best I could ascertain from my post-trip analysis was that they were Manx Shearwaters.
A short time later we saw several Common Dolphins cruising around the boat. This was a good size pod, according to the couple sitting near me (folks who had made this trip before). The Captain slowed the boat so that we could get a better view. The dolphins were quite energetic and were darting all around and under the boat as well as drafting in its wake. The Skipper again provided some insight. Dolphins it seems spend their time engaged in three primary activities. First, they eat a lot as an adult will consume 15 pounds of fish per day. Second is making baby dolphins. Seems these are not monogamous critters and also quite amorous and will mate several times a day. Finally they are active and enjoy playing around the boats. The Captain went on to explain that the dolphins use the entire family unit to raise the young. We did see several smaller dolphin, the younger ones. He said that the young dolphins will be escorted by an older female but it could be their mother or aunt or older sister. The dolphins were around the boat for several minutes providing us with a nice view, then we parted ways. But we encountered two or three other pods of dolphins during the trip so plenty of viewing opportunities.
We did not have to wait long for our first marine mammal sighting. A dozen or so California Sea Lions were basking on a large, red buoy. The Captain gave us a few factoids on these big pinnipeds while maneuvering the boat around so that the passengers on both sides could get a view. Seems that the sea lions were nearly hunted to extinction for their fur. They are now protected. Their population is around 250,000 which is about the maximum that the ecosystem can support. He also mentioned that they actually spend most of their time out of the water.
Onward we went. It was a very lovely day. While the 20 knot headwind meant that we had to hold on to our hats, the ride was very smooth and the water was fairly sedate. Lots of gulls and pelicans fishing in the area far to identify the types of gulls and a little too bouncy on the boat to take full advantage of the zoom of my SX50, but I did get a few blurry shots that might help identify some of the birds. There were definitely some that I had not seen before; I could tell from their shape and the way they flew that they were not gulls but some other water bird. Best I could ascertain from my post-trip analysis was that they were Manx Shearwaters.
A short time later we saw several Common Dolphins cruising around the boat. This was a good size pod, according to the couple sitting near me (folks who had made this trip before). The Captain slowed the boat so that we could get a better view. The dolphins were quite energetic and were darting all around and under the boat as well as drafting in its wake. The Skipper again provided some insight. Dolphins it seems spend their time engaged in three primary activities. First, they eat a lot as an adult will consume 15 pounds of fish per day. Second is making baby dolphins. Seems these are not monogamous critters and also quite amorous and will mate several times a day. Finally they are active and enjoy playing around the boats. The Captain went on to explain that the dolphins use the entire family unit to raise the young. We did see several smaller dolphin, the younger ones. He said that the young dolphins will be escorted by an older female but it could be their mother or aunt or older sister. The dolphins were around the boat for several minutes providing us with a nice view, then we parted ways. But we encountered two or three other pods of dolphins during the trip so plenty of viewing opportunities.
We arrived at Scorpion anchorage about 9:30. The crew gave us the run down on getting to shore as well as the rules to follow while on the island. As the pier had been damaged during a storm (last year, I think), we would be taken to the beach in a skiff in groups of six. This could take some time. We had been warned that this could be a bit wet, so I changed in to crocs and had the camera in a plastic bag (not a water tight bag but something just to add a little insurance, as I really was not expecting to get drenched). The crew obviously had this process down to a science. They had three skiffs running and were moving folks to the beach in very good order. Those of us just spending the day (either on our own or with outfitters) were off-loaded first. I reckon this was the majority of the passengers, around 40 folks of the 60 or so on board. I was the last in the queue as I was not in a rush. I passed through the galley while heading to the stern of the boat where the transfer to the skiffs took place and noted the beer taps for the return trip. Unfortunately there was a cup over the pale ale handle so it looks like the amber will be the post-hike reward. The wait for a skiff was short and the transfer process was very efficient, the crew was really working hard, but seemingly having fun. I was on the beach in short order and changing back into my hiking shoes by 10:00 AM. There was no need to worry about getting wet on the transfer to the beach. The crew was very careful with the passengers and beached the skiffs so that we basically stepped off the little boat right on to the dry gravel of the beach.
As I mentioned, there are several rules in play for a visit to Santa Cruz Island, as imposed by the National Parks Service. The primary things to keep in mind are:
So it is right at 10:00 AM and I don’t have to be back at the beach until 3:30 so I have over five hours to explore. I should be able to cover plenty of ground in that time. Interestingly, most of the folks from the boat were still in the vicinity of the beach. Seems that most were working with outfitters to go kayaking or snorkeling. Turns out that there were not many day hikers so maybe the trails will be peaceful.
After I snapped the passport photo of the Channel Islands National Park sign at the beach, I headed over to the visitor center. There were several rusted hulks of industrial and farm equipment arrayed along the path, relics from early times on the island when folks were trying to take advantage of the resources through oil drilling. As I was at the visitor center, I took a quick look inside, but was not enthralled with the displays. I was looking for a map of the island, but no joy. Good thing that I had scanned the map into OneNote so that I had access on my phone. OK, time to hit the trails.
I exited the visitor center and ascertained the lay of the land. The trail to the campground ran basically south away from the beach. Across the valley I spotted the Smugglers Road going steeply up the east canyon wall. And just outside the visitor center was the sign marking the Cavern Point Trail, also heading steeply up the west wall of the canyon. I opted to start with the trail along the north coast to Cavern Point and on to Potato Harbor with the plan of returning along the Potato Harbor Road then up Scorpion Canyon for a ways. Depending on the time and my energy level I could continue around the loop and return via the Smugglers Road or take the short route back to the beach though the campground. I’ll play it by ear. OK, looks like a nice uphill march to start my day of hiking.
The trail works uphill through some uneven steps and a couple of switchback as it climbs quickly but also provides nice views back down to the beach and Scorpion Ranch. The steep park is not that long, maybe a quarter mile or so and continues along the edge of the bluffs overlooking the shoreline and the Pacific. Had my first wildlife sighting on the island as I worked along the uphill section of the trail, a few little read and brown lizards. I took advantage of this sighting to get a photo and to catch my breath as well. At the top the trail afforded views to the south and west over the rolling but fairly barren landscape of Santa Cruz Island. OK, “barren” is not really fair as there is plenty of grass and shrubs covering the island but there were not trees to speak of, at least none visible from this part of the trail. The vegetation was basically brown and crispy. There were signs of wildflower which were probably beautiful in the spring, but now there was not a lot left. The trail had leveled out by now. There was one lone hiker a ways ahead of me, the big guy in the red sweatshirt with the Canon from the boat. Ok there is at least one other hiker on the trail. There were several signs along the trail noting areas to avoid mostly due to revegetation efforts. The area above Cavern Point was marked as such. Along this stretch of the trail I spotted an ink pen lying on the ground. Odd. I picked it up and stuck it in my pocket. Probably from someone taking notes about their hike. A few years further I found another pen. OK, this has to be from kids on some sort of activity. Sure enough, I spotted a couple groups of kids hiking in the valley below the trail. Now it makes sense. Two pens to dispose of now.
As I mentioned, there are several rules in play for a visit to Santa Cruz Island, as imposed by the National Parks Service. The primary things to keep in mind are:
- Leave no trace. Whatever you bring on the island you have to take off as there are no garbage facilities. Basically, pack your trash!
- Don’t feed the animals. You can be fined if caught.
- Don’t leave packs unattended as this will lead to unintentionally breaking rule number 2 as the animals will help themselves. Turns out that you can be fined for this as well. The Ravens are smart and resourceful and are particularly adept at opening packs with ease. The Park Service has provided lockers, locally known as “fox boxes” to store gear and food and it is strongly suggested to take advantage of these boxes. This is a wise move for more than just keeping the critters out of your food. The lady providing the advice indicated that the ravens really like shiny objects and she has seen the clever birds steal car keys from packs only to fly out over the ocean and deposit them there. Now maybe she’s just making that up, but I certainly would not want to find out the hard way if this were really a possibility.
So it is right at 10:00 AM and I don’t have to be back at the beach until 3:30 so I have over five hours to explore. I should be able to cover plenty of ground in that time. Interestingly, most of the folks from the boat were still in the vicinity of the beach. Seems that most were working with outfitters to go kayaking or snorkeling. Turns out that there were not many day hikers so maybe the trails will be peaceful.
After I snapped the passport photo of the Channel Islands National Park sign at the beach, I headed over to the visitor center. There were several rusted hulks of industrial and farm equipment arrayed along the path, relics from early times on the island when folks were trying to take advantage of the resources through oil drilling. As I was at the visitor center, I took a quick look inside, but was not enthralled with the displays. I was looking for a map of the island, but no joy. Good thing that I had scanned the map into OneNote so that I had access on my phone. OK, time to hit the trails.
I exited the visitor center and ascertained the lay of the land. The trail to the campground ran basically south away from the beach. Across the valley I spotted the Smugglers Road going steeply up the east canyon wall. And just outside the visitor center was the sign marking the Cavern Point Trail, also heading steeply up the west wall of the canyon. I opted to start with the trail along the north coast to Cavern Point and on to Potato Harbor with the plan of returning along the Potato Harbor Road then up Scorpion Canyon for a ways. Depending on the time and my energy level I could continue around the loop and return via the Smugglers Road or take the short route back to the beach though the campground. I’ll play it by ear. OK, looks like a nice uphill march to start my day of hiking.
The trail works uphill through some uneven steps and a couple of switchback as it climbs quickly but also provides nice views back down to the beach and Scorpion Ranch. The steep park is not that long, maybe a quarter mile or so and continues along the edge of the bluffs overlooking the shoreline and the Pacific. Had my first wildlife sighting on the island as I worked along the uphill section of the trail, a few little read and brown lizards. I took advantage of this sighting to get a photo and to catch my breath as well. At the top the trail afforded views to the south and west over the rolling but fairly barren landscape of Santa Cruz Island. OK, “barren” is not really fair as there is plenty of grass and shrubs covering the island but there were not trees to speak of, at least none visible from this part of the trail. The vegetation was basically brown and crispy. There were signs of wildflower which were probably beautiful in the spring, but now there was not a lot left. The trail had leveled out by now. There was one lone hiker a ways ahead of me, the big guy in the red sweatshirt with the Canon from the boat. Ok there is at least one other hiker on the trail. There were several signs along the trail noting areas to avoid mostly due to revegetation efforts. The area above Cavern Point was marked as such. Along this stretch of the trail I spotted an ink pen lying on the ground. Odd. I picked it up and stuck it in my pocket. Probably from someone taking notes about their hike. A few years further I found another pen. OK, this has to be from kids on some sort of activity. Sure enough, I spotted a couple groups of kids hiking in the valley below the trail. Now it makes sense. Two pens to dispose of now.
On along the trail I went, just enjoying the views. I caught up with the big guy at the first really nice view point of the steep, rocky shoreline. There were four or five more pens scattered about here, inexpensive, translucent blue plastic Bics or Papermates just like the first one I found. I bet these are all from the same box, issued to the kids by the troop leader. I added these me by collection then walked up close to the edge, but not too close, for a better look. The view reminded me of the Cliffs of Mohr just on a smaller scale. Figure the cliffs were towering about 300 feet above the ocean. Big Guy and I exchanged pleasantries and quipped about the lighting here for photos. He asked if I would take his photo with the cliff in the background. “Sure,” I said, “just don’t get any closer to the edge.” He apparently did not have my feeling of unease around edges with steep drops, particularly those edges made more fragile by the erosive forces of nature. But we all stayed on top of the cliff so no worries for now.
About this time the one little herd of kids and their leader, a college-age young lady, made it to the overlook. She had the kids take a break a safe distance from the edge. I pulled my collection of pens from my hip pocket and asked if they might belong to her troop. Yep, they were the property of her charges. She thanked me for retrieving them from along the trail. As I continued own the trail, I was glad to hear her chastising the kids (all in that 10-year old range, I reckon) about the pens scattered about and reminded them of the impact that litter could have. Shen mentioned how litter like those pens could harm the cute foxes they had seen earlier. Good lesson.
The trail rolled over the terrain along the cliff edge affording wonderful views in all directions, but absolutely nothing in the way of cover. The day was bright and sunny under a basically cloudless, blue sky. I guess the temperature was 65 to 70 degrees F but I was still thankful for the slight breeze that was blowing most of the time as that really kept things comfortable. I snacked on a blueberry Pop Tart and grapefruit juice as I walked along, be careful not to inadvertently feed the animals as I went.
I passed another herd of kiddies as I continued toward Potato Harbor, but otherwise there were not a lot of hikers out. Glancing backward I could see Big Guy in his read sweatshirt and three or four other folks on the trail, but no one really gaining on me. Groovy, peace. I took in the views of the shore as they came along an also kept watch for critters. A few more lizards were scurrying about. I spotted a wren of some sort with a very distinctive white eye line is the shrubs along the cliff edge but it would not hold still long enough for a portrait (I’m pretty sure that it was a Bewick’s Wren based on my research after once I got home). There was a lot of scat on the trail, which I’ll guess was fox. There were several butterflies flitting about: Anise Swallowtail, Monarch, tiny little blue ones, several Cabbage Whites, a Sulphur or two and a couple that looked like California Sisters.
The trail eventually merged with the Potato Harbor Road. Well, it is called a road on the map but does not differ much from the trail that I’ve been walking other than it is a little wider but the surface is the same. Speaking of the trails, they are in good shaped and well maintained. Other than along the initial steep section there have been no trip hazards. No roots and no big rocks, just packed dirt. I did see a couple holes in trail, looked like burrows of some sort but I’m not sure. There were a few side trails, social trails used, to cut cross country but these had all been marked as closed for revegetation; basically trying to heal the scars caused by careless hikers. Well, all except one trail that spurred off the Potato Harbor Road, it actually looked more like a road but was not on the map that I had scanned but it also did not have any signage indicating closure. Perhaps it would be worth a look on the return hike as an alternative to completely backtracking.
I paused at few points along the trail to admire the views of the shoreline. At one point I spotted the Island Packers boat continue their voyage around the islands. Lovely vistas and I had them to myself for a little while. The best views were at the end of the trail, overlooking Potato Harbor. Part of the trail along the cliff edge had been closed but there was still plenty of area open to see down into the blue-green water of the little harbor. There was a little flotilla of kayakers near the rocks near the mouth of the little harbor, exploring an archway. I could hear sea lions down there somewhere but could not locate them; perhaps they were on the other side of the rocks. The water transitions from the dark blue in the deeper areas to a more translucent green in the shallow part of the cove along the rocky beach. This made for a very pretty picture and I lingered along this section for a while just taking it all in.
The trail rolled over the terrain along the cliff edge affording wonderful views in all directions, but absolutely nothing in the way of cover. The day was bright and sunny under a basically cloudless, blue sky. I guess the temperature was 65 to 70 degrees F but I was still thankful for the slight breeze that was blowing most of the time as that really kept things comfortable. I snacked on a blueberry Pop Tart and grapefruit juice as I walked along, be careful not to inadvertently feed the animals as I went.
I passed another herd of kiddies as I continued toward Potato Harbor, but otherwise there were not a lot of hikers out. Glancing backward I could see Big Guy in his read sweatshirt and three or four other folks on the trail, but no one really gaining on me. Groovy, peace. I took in the views of the shore as they came along an also kept watch for critters. A few more lizards were scurrying about. I spotted a wren of some sort with a very distinctive white eye line is the shrubs along the cliff edge but it would not hold still long enough for a portrait (I’m pretty sure that it was a Bewick’s Wren based on my research after once I got home). There was a lot of scat on the trail, which I’ll guess was fox. There were several butterflies flitting about: Anise Swallowtail, Monarch, tiny little blue ones, several Cabbage Whites, a Sulphur or two and a couple that looked like California Sisters.
The trail eventually merged with the Potato Harbor Road. Well, it is called a road on the map but does not differ much from the trail that I’ve been walking other than it is a little wider but the surface is the same. Speaking of the trails, they are in good shaped and well maintained. Other than along the initial steep section there have been no trip hazards. No roots and no big rocks, just packed dirt. I did see a couple holes in trail, looked like burrows of some sort but I’m not sure. There were a few side trails, social trails used, to cut cross country but these had all been marked as closed for revegetation; basically trying to heal the scars caused by careless hikers. Well, all except one trail that spurred off the Potato Harbor Road, it actually looked more like a road but was not on the map that I had scanned but it also did not have any signage indicating closure. Perhaps it would be worth a look on the return hike as an alternative to completely backtracking.
I paused at few points along the trail to admire the views of the shoreline. At one point I spotted the Island Packers boat continue their voyage around the islands. Lovely vistas and I had them to myself for a little while. The best views were at the end of the trail, overlooking Potato Harbor. Part of the trail along the cliff edge had been closed but there was still plenty of area open to see down into the blue-green water of the little harbor. There was a little flotilla of kayakers near the rocks near the mouth of the little harbor, exploring an archway. I could hear sea lions down there somewhere but could not locate them; perhaps they were on the other side of the rocks. The water transitions from the dark blue in the deeper areas to a more translucent green in the shallow part of the cove along the rocky beach. This made for a very pretty picture and I lingered along this section for a while just taking it all in.
I guess I was lost in the moment for as I turned around I discovered that I was now sharing the view with another fellow, obviously a fast hiker as well as light on his feet as I did not see him the last time I looked back down the trail and I did not hear him arrive at the overlook. He was also taking in the view and studying a map. Cool, perhaps his map will show where the mystery trail leads. So I walked over and we chatted a bit. He had an odd accent, but I reckon he thought the same of me. He had also noted the mystery trail but it was not shown on the park map that he had. Oh, well, it still seems like it is worth a shot so I declared that I would take that trail and see where is went (hey, this island ain’t that big so I’m not too worried about getting lost).
As I was backtracking to the intersection with the mystery trail, I stopped for one more view of the shoreline. Big Guy showed up at this point so I asked if he had gotten any good shots since he was lugging that ginormous Canon around. Seemed he was not having a lot of luck with the photography but was enjoying the hike. As we were talking I noticed that my friend with the map had passed by so I’ll see if he takes the mystery trail. Big Guy and I chatted for a minute longer, but I had to move on as he insisted on standing very near to the edge of the precipice. He was making me a nervous.
As I continued toward the intersection with the mystery trail, I saw the Map Guy a hundred yard or so down the spur. His location indicated that the trail was veering further toward the interior of the island. He stopped on a little rise and I quickly caught up with him and we exchanged ideas on the trail. The trail was leading more or less south which probably would have gotten us into Scorpion Canyon, but it appeared to be heading straight for a fence line, so there may be something there that we would not be able to across into. OK, it was worth a shot, but discretion being the better part of valor, we reversed our track and returned to the Potato Harbor Road. I paused to at least get a photo of the view from this little rise but caught up with Map Guy before we left the mystery trail. We continued on down the Potato Harbor Road together and struck up a conversation, mostly about travel. His name is Edo and is visiting from Israel. Young fellow; amazes me how many kids I see from overseas (lots of Europeans and Australians) visiting the US National Parks. Turns out he is National Park fan as well and we have covered a lot of the same territory. He was currently on a road trip through California and had already visited Yosemite, Kings Canyon and Sequoia. We talked about the places we had been and each made recommendations of parks to see on upcoming trips.
As I was backtracking to the intersection with the mystery trail, I stopped for one more view of the shoreline. Big Guy showed up at this point so I asked if he had gotten any good shots since he was lugging that ginormous Canon around. Seemed he was not having a lot of luck with the photography but was enjoying the hike. As we were talking I noticed that my friend with the map had passed by so I’ll see if he takes the mystery trail. Big Guy and I chatted for a minute longer, but I had to move on as he insisted on standing very near to the edge of the precipice. He was making me a nervous.
As I continued toward the intersection with the mystery trail, I saw the Map Guy a hundred yard or so down the spur. His location indicated that the trail was veering further toward the interior of the island. He stopped on a little rise and I quickly caught up with him and we exchanged ideas on the trail. The trail was leading more or less south which probably would have gotten us into Scorpion Canyon, but it appeared to be heading straight for a fence line, so there may be something there that we would not be able to across into. OK, it was worth a shot, but discretion being the better part of valor, we reversed our track and returned to the Potato Harbor Road. I paused to at least get a photo of the view from this little rise but caught up with Map Guy before we left the mystery trail. We continued on down the Potato Harbor Road together and struck up a conversation, mostly about travel. His name is Edo and is visiting from Israel. Young fellow; amazes me how many kids I see from overseas (lots of Europeans and Australians) visiting the US National Parks. Turns out he is National Park fan as well and we have covered a lot of the same territory. He was currently on a road trip through California and had already visited Yosemite, Kings Canyon and Sequoia. We talked about the places we had been and each made recommendations of parks to see on upcoming trips.
We continued down the Potato Harbor Road which ran downhill toward the campground. It was getting a little greener the further down into the little valley we went and there were actually a few white and yellow wildflowers still in bloom along the trail. There were also about 700 island fence lizards scurrying about. We continued our conversation until we came to the campground, at which point we parted ways since he was heading back to the catch his earlier boat and I opted to find a shady spot to take a break. The campground was in a great location, the only place that I’ve seen that actually had trees of any substance on the island (granted, I’ve only sampled a very small part of Santa Cruz Island). But there was plenty of shade here under the mature trees and several picnic tables with “fox boxes” to protect food and gear from the local wildlife.
Not a lot of activity in the campground here at midday. Only one tent was set up. There was a large group having lunch at the south end of the campground, maybe an outfitter and their group for the day. I picked a table away from the group and sat down for a little snack and a breather. Checking the Ramblr track, I’ve covered almost five miles in just over 2 hours so far. It is just after noon, so I still have three-plus hours before I have to be back to the beach for the boat ride home. But even with a goodly amount of time, I made this a short break so that I could get back on the trail. The Pop Tart from earlier on the trail was still holding me over so I just had a granola bar (peanut butter, the best). The now empty juice bottle made a handy place to stuff my trash, plus the couple of bits that I had picked up on the trail, for later disposal. OK, time to get back on the trail.
Not a lot of activity in the campground here at midday. Only one tent was set up. There was a large group having lunch at the south end of the campground, maybe an outfitter and their group for the day. I picked a table away from the group and sat down for a little snack and a breather. Checking the Ramblr track, I’ve covered almost five miles in just over 2 hours so far. It is just after noon, so I still have three-plus hours before I have to be back to the beach for the boat ride home. But even with a goodly amount of time, I made this a short break so that I could get back on the trail. The Pop Tart from earlier on the trail was still holding me over so I just had a granola bar (peanut butter, the best). The now empty juice bottle made a handy place to stuff my trash, plus the couple of bits that I had picked up on the trail, for later disposal. OK, time to get back on the trail.
From the campground, I wanted to walk up Scorpion Canyon at least for a short ways to see what I might find in terms of birds. On my way out, I made a loop along the edge of the campground partly as to not intrude on the large group and party to make sure I did not miss the trailhead. The advantage of this route was that it took me passed camp site 25 where a fox was nosing about under a picnic table looking for leftovers. Cool! Yes, the foxes here are tiny, about six pounds; that’s like a small house cat in terms of weight. He did not care about my being there at all; obviously used to humans. He just kept looking for whatever he might find that would make a nice lunch. I kept my distance but was still pretty close, probably about 20 yards. I snapped a few photos then left the little guy. He was still happily foraging.
At the south side of the campground I found the sign for Scorpion Canyon. I was back out into the open at this point, but the shrubs and bushes along this section of trail were green and lush. The plants here were in bloom, so the canyon must to a good job of funneling water to this area although the creek bed that the trail was running along was currently dry as a bone. As I was walking along the initial part of the trail I heard a couple hikers approaching. We passed right at the point where the trial dips into and crosses the streambed. A couple of 20-somethings. The guy was first, dressed in typical hiking garb. Then the young lady came into view, wearing hiking boots and a sky blue bikini….not something you see every day while on the trail. “Looks like someone has been swimming,” I quipped. “Not yet, but we’re gearing up for that,” the guy replied, “we trying to get some sun on her white legs.” Well, now that he mentioned it, she was very fair; I hope she had on a nice coat of sunscreen. I’m still not sure where they were coming from our heading to, just as long as they’re having fun.
At the south side of the campground I found the sign for Scorpion Canyon. I was back out into the open at this point, but the shrubs and bushes along this section of trail were green and lush. The plants here were in bloom, so the canyon must to a good job of funneling water to this area although the creek bed that the trail was running along was currently dry as a bone. As I was walking along the initial part of the trail I heard a couple hikers approaching. We passed right at the point where the trial dips into and crosses the streambed. A couple of 20-somethings. The guy was first, dressed in typical hiking garb. Then the young lady came into view, wearing hiking boots and a sky blue bikini….not something you see every day while on the trail. “Looks like someone has been swimming,” I quipped. “Not yet, but we’re gearing up for that,” the guy replied, “we trying to get some sun on her white legs.” Well, now that he mentioned it, she was very fair; I hope she had on a nice coat of sunscreen. I’m still not sure where they were coming from our heading to, just as long as they’re having fun.
I continued up the canyon enjoying the views and looking for birds. The further I went the drier the vegetation became. At the point where the trail turned uphill from the canyon floor there was a social trail that continued on up the canyon. I had read that this was a good area to explore to try and spot the Island Scrub Jay but that it was also a very rocky trail. How bad could it be? I walked on up the rocky “trail” for a couple hundred yards. Hmmm, this is pretty darn rocky with some minor scrambling over boulders and rock falls. Sort of slow going and not conditions I’m really feeling like dealing with at the moment. If the hike along this part of Scorpion Canyon is like this the entire way, then I’m just as glad that I did not explore the mystery trail further to see if it entered higher into the canyon. That would have been an arduous trek. Plus it looked like lots of opportunities to twist an ankle, not something I wanted to risk while hiking alone. Nope, let’s use a little common sense. So I stopped after just a short distance. No birds but a few butterflies (this is where I spotted a couple California Sisters but they were not interested in posing for a portrait).
Back at the main trail I was at a decision point: backtrack to the campground and on to the beach or continue up the hill out of the canyon and take the longer more strenuous route back to the beach? Well, I’ve still got plenty of time before the boat leaves, so uphill it is. This was a steep climb but gave me some nice views into the canyon as I was climbing. I was more than happy to stop and take in these views and that also gave me a chance to catch my breath! Plenty of lizards along this stretch of the trail and a number of “gone” birds. One of those flybys may have been a Scrub Jay, it was the right size and shape but its angle against the sun made it impossible to be sure. Oh well. There was also a pale yellow, almost white, Praying Mantis on the trail, just hanging out. A rusty old pipe line maybe 2-inches in diameter was running along the trail near the top of the climb, plus there were a few other old relics lying about. At the top of the hill there was a higher concentration of old junk focused around what I initially thought was a rusted out crane but it was actually the remains of an oil well. This was now part of the history of the island. This also was about the high point of my hike at about 755 feet above sea level. I just observed the old well from a distance then turned east toward the intersection with the Smugglers Road.
Back at the main trail I was at a decision point: backtrack to the campground and on to the beach or continue up the hill out of the canyon and take the longer more strenuous route back to the beach? Well, I’ve still got plenty of time before the boat leaves, so uphill it is. This was a steep climb but gave me some nice views into the canyon as I was climbing. I was more than happy to stop and take in these views and that also gave me a chance to catch my breath! Plenty of lizards along this stretch of the trail and a number of “gone” birds. One of those flybys may have been a Scrub Jay, it was the right size and shape but its angle against the sun made it impossible to be sure. Oh well. There was also a pale yellow, almost white, Praying Mantis on the trail, just hanging out. A rusty old pipe line maybe 2-inches in diameter was running along the trail near the top of the climb, plus there were a few other old relics lying about. At the top of the hill there was a higher concentration of old junk focused around what I initially thought was a rusted out crane but it was actually the remains of an oil well. This was now part of the history of the island. This also was about the high point of my hike at about 755 feet above sea level. I just observed the old well from a distance then turned east toward the intersection with the Smugglers Road.
From this point the trail worked generally downhill. There were a couple of sections that leveled out for a bit along the old road. At one of these there was a fair number of birds in the shrubs, mostly House Finches I think. It was along this stretch that I realized how secluded and peaceful the hike had been since leaving the campground. The last folks I had seen were the two kids (remember the girl in the blue bikini?) and I had been walking along in silence since that point, just me and my thoughts. I actually startled myself as I was watching the birds flitting about and asked out loud for them to sit still for photo. I had to chuckle at myself for that.
There were nice views along the trail of the rolling terrain of the island then of the north shore. I paused for a while where the road made a switchback above the shore line and took in the views looking out over the Pacific and up and down the shore; nice vistas of the beach and Scorpion Ranch to the north and Scorpion Bluff to the south (more or less). I thought about having a snack here, but the Ravens were already forming a conspiracy, so I figured it might be better to wait. So I lingered a while longer and enjoyed the scenery. There were large masses of gulls on the ocean in all directions; hundreds of little white dots all over the surface of the water. They basically lined the shore as far as I could see in either direction and also extended well out into the strait. I could also see the Island Packers boat anchored off the beach. OK, my ride is here but I still have over an hour to get there. Time to find a shady spot, but that is not along this stretch of the trail.
I descending the Smugglers Road toward Scorpion Ranch through the final switchback and finally passing the old windmill at the base of the trail. Once back in the canyon, I walked up the trail away from the beach toward the campground, figuring that I could find a picnic table in the shade and spend a little time looking for critters. I was thinking that I would find the table I sat at earlier, but after looking at the map I realized that was a bit further up the canyon so I took a different table right at the entrance of the main campground, right along the trail but also in the shade of a clump of trees. Turned out to be a nice location for critter and people watching. The time was about 2:40, so plenty of time for a little break before heading back to the beach. Feels good to get off my feet for a while. The peanut-butter-filled pretzels made for the perfect mid-afternoon snack.
It did not take long to spot some interesting animal activity, both human and four-legged. I saw a fox on the slick rock hillside across the canyon. He was just working his way across the opening area and soon disappeared into the shrubs. But during the time that I was sitting at the table, maybe 30 minutes, there were about a half dozen of the little canines in the area, most of which walk right by or even under the table where I was sitting. They obviously have no fear of people. There were a few Ravens in the area; they go where the people are. I think they look at us as big, walking food dispensers. Quite a few people on the trail as well, mostly kids but also a few folks that I recognized from the boat ride to the island who now looked to be settled in for camping. There was one group of kids playing Frisbee golf as then walked from the camp toward the Ranch. One “tee shot” was a huge slice into the shrubs. Good luck retrieving that disc.
I descending the Smugglers Road toward Scorpion Ranch through the final switchback and finally passing the old windmill at the base of the trail. Once back in the canyon, I walked up the trail away from the beach toward the campground, figuring that I could find a picnic table in the shade and spend a little time looking for critters. I was thinking that I would find the table I sat at earlier, but after looking at the map I realized that was a bit further up the canyon so I took a different table right at the entrance of the main campground, right along the trail but also in the shade of a clump of trees. Turned out to be a nice location for critter and people watching. The time was about 2:40, so plenty of time for a little break before heading back to the beach. Feels good to get off my feet for a while. The peanut-butter-filled pretzels made for the perfect mid-afternoon snack.
It did not take long to spot some interesting animal activity, both human and four-legged. I saw a fox on the slick rock hillside across the canyon. He was just working his way across the opening area and soon disappeared into the shrubs. But during the time that I was sitting at the table, maybe 30 minutes, there were about a half dozen of the little canines in the area, most of which walk right by or even under the table where I was sitting. They obviously have no fear of people. There were a few Ravens in the area; they go where the people are. I think they look at us as big, walking food dispensers. Quite a few people on the trail as well, mostly kids but also a few folks that I recognized from the boat ride to the island who now looked to be settled in for camping. There was one group of kids playing Frisbee golf as then walked from the camp toward the Ranch. One “tee shot” was a huge slice into the shrubs. Good luck retrieving that disc.
Finally time to head to the beach. I walked along the line of old equipment on the return; better light for a couple photos. Back at the rocky beach one of the ever present ravens was sitting on the National Park sign, seemingly overseeing the process of getting the day trippers back to the boat. The Island Packers’ crew already had all three skiffs going. I donned a life vest but opted not to change into my crocs since the crew was getting the skiffs right up to the beach. I took my place in line and waited for the next skiff and I was quickly, and dryly, shuttled back to the boat. Hey, I think this is not the same boat that we came over on. Sure enough, it is the Islander. OK, I’ll have to check out the beer options on this tub once I get settled. I headed to the upper deck but the seats along the rail were all taken. No worries I found a nice spot on a bench behind the bridge. I saw a group of twenty-somethings on the forward deck enjoying a cold beer. That looks like an excellent idea! So I ditched my gear and went back down to the galley for a beer. Excellent, the local IPA is on tap. There was a short delay for a crew person to come and man the bar as everyone was currently involved with retrieving the passengers from the skiffs, but one the young ladies eventually came back to cover the bar. Before heading back up to the observation deck, I took the top off the beer to reduce the chance of spilling. That is quite tasty! A just reward after hiking more than nine miles around the island.
I took my reward back up to the observation deck and just chilled for the return trip. Fairly uneventful boat ride back to Ventura. No critter sightings along the way. I did a little people watching on the boat. Lots of folks just nodding off. The young ladies sitting near me were very cute in their old, trucker-style baseball caps and apparently top-of-the-line cell phones; sharing photos and stories with the friends wherever they were. I just enjoyed the ride and my Island IPA (I gave it a solid 4.0 on Untappd), even with the louder engine noise on the return trip (maybe this boat is just louder than the Island Adventurer or maybe it was where I was sitting). Overall it was a nice ride, even with the high decibels from the power plant. We were back at the dock at 5:00 PM, thus ending this little excursion. Here's the link to the photos from the Channel Islands adventure and the link to the review of Island Packers.
I was on the road heading back to Long Beach about 5:30, after spending a few minutes trying to figure out the radio in the rental car. In an area as populous as this, wouldn’t you think there would be at least one station worth listening to? Occasionally I would find a classic rock station, but it seemed that the airwaves were generally cluttered with hip-hop which is just not my thing. So I generally rolled along in silence much like most of my time on the trail today. Plus I was enjoying great views, again just like on Santa Cruz Island, as I was cruising along the coast on the Pacific Coast Highway. No stops, just enjoyed the views of the beaches, parks and little towns as I drove along. This was the fun part of the trip; the views were great, the driving was easy and the traffic was light. And then my GPS directed me back on to the Interstate. This is where the hour-and-forty-minute drive turned into an over-three-hour crawl back to Long Beach. Six lanes of traffic going just my direction had come to a dead stop. Yikes! The GPS did warn me when these slowdowns were coming and would reassure me that I was “still on the fastest route.” Wow, if this is the fastest route, I would hate to get off course! It was an arduous drive, but I finally made it back to the Hyatt about 8:30. So glad to be off the road.
I parked the rental, ditched my gear in the room, washed the sunscreen and trail dust from my face and headed out to find some dinner. It was too late to try and find any of my compadres so I just went off on my own. I had noticed a Rockbottom Brewery near the hotel and I was sort of fixed on that, hoping that jambalaya was still on the menu. I should have just put that out of my mind and found some place to eat along Highway 1 then perhaps the traffic issues would have had time to correct themselves….well, probably not with the traffic around here. But Rockbottom worked out well. I got a seat at the bar, ordered an IPA and the jambalaya was still on the menu. And it was almost as good as I remembered. So a nice end to a very good day.
Overall this was a very good trip.
The primary purpose of the trip was to work AIAA projects and issues and it ended up being very successful; lots of good progress on several fronts. But it was also a success in terms of the use of my free time. A nice morning walk to see the Queen Mary, hit a couple nice restaurants, spent some quality time with my friends and of course had a wonderful excursion to Channel Islands National Park. Pretty good for five days on the road.
I spotted several critters during the trip, most on Santa Cruz Island. Sadly, I did not see the Island Scrub Jay, but I did add a couple other new birds to my list. Here’s the summary:
I was on the road heading back to Long Beach about 5:30, after spending a few minutes trying to figure out the radio in the rental car. In an area as populous as this, wouldn’t you think there would be at least one station worth listening to? Occasionally I would find a classic rock station, but it seemed that the airwaves were generally cluttered with hip-hop which is just not my thing. So I generally rolled along in silence much like most of my time on the trail today. Plus I was enjoying great views, again just like on Santa Cruz Island, as I was cruising along the coast on the Pacific Coast Highway. No stops, just enjoyed the views of the beaches, parks and little towns as I drove along. This was the fun part of the trip; the views were great, the driving was easy and the traffic was light. And then my GPS directed me back on to the Interstate. This is where the hour-and-forty-minute drive turned into an over-three-hour crawl back to Long Beach. Six lanes of traffic going just my direction had come to a dead stop. Yikes! The GPS did warn me when these slowdowns were coming and would reassure me that I was “still on the fastest route.” Wow, if this is the fastest route, I would hate to get off course! It was an arduous drive, but I finally made it back to the Hyatt about 8:30. So glad to be off the road.
I parked the rental, ditched my gear in the room, washed the sunscreen and trail dust from my face and headed out to find some dinner. It was too late to try and find any of my compadres so I just went off on my own. I had noticed a Rockbottom Brewery near the hotel and I was sort of fixed on that, hoping that jambalaya was still on the menu. I should have just put that out of my mind and found some place to eat along Highway 1 then perhaps the traffic issues would have had time to correct themselves….well, probably not with the traffic around here. But Rockbottom worked out well. I got a seat at the bar, ordered an IPA and the jambalaya was still on the menu. And it was almost as good as I remembered. So a nice end to a very good day.
Overall this was a very good trip.
The primary purpose of the trip was to work AIAA projects and issues and it ended up being very successful; lots of good progress on several fronts. But it was also a success in terms of the use of my free time. A nice morning walk to see the Queen Mary, hit a couple nice restaurants, spent some quality time with my friends and of course had a wonderful excursion to Channel Islands National Park. Pretty good for five days on the road.
I spotted several critters during the trip, most on Santa Cruz Island. Sadly, I did not see the Island Scrub Jay, but I did add a couple other new birds to my list. Here’s the summary:
The trip out to Santa Cruz Island was outstanding. Glad I took this little excursion to the Channel Islands as this park is just off the beaten path for Lynn and me (we’re not likely to go to LA for vacation so fitting this into a business trip might have been the only way that I was going to get there). But if we are in the area again, I would certainly return to the Channel Islands. Shoot, if that happens, maybe I’ll try kayaking. That looks like fun.