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Day 57: Of Springs and Concrete

I think my pictures speak for themselves why I prefer to visit the great outdoors than visiting the concrete jungles. The great expanse of the “wild” west makes any person feel insignificant, and appreciative, of the world. Yet here I find myself today in the concrete jungle, visiting my brother and taking time to see one of my favorite California beaches, Santa Monica. I was born very close by and so this is where it all started for me. Surprisingly, where it all started for Santa Monica was a natural beauty.

The popular National Landmark, Santa Monica Pier. July 5, 2011

It all started for Santa Monica with a natural spring that was used by humans dating back before the transition of B.C. to A.D. in year keeping. The area was sacred to natives and, like most of our country’s geography, was taken over by pioneers. Today Santa Monica sits at the western end of one of the most iconic trails of concrete in the U.S.: Route 66.

The western end of Rt 66. July 5, 2011
The Promenade in Santa Monica, CA. July 5, 2011

It is hard to believe there is anything left of nature when walking through the shopping districts of Santa Monica. The Promenade is full of stores selling t-shirts for a couple hundred dollars and expensive couture labels. I spent some time window shopping in the area (certainly not spending any money on the ridiculously overpriced merchandise) and then headed back to the beach. Although surrounded by concrete and people the beach is the one place that is difficult to get away from the beauty that has always been here. Looking down the coast you can’t help but soak in the view of the mountains in the distance with the waves crashing in front of you. The pier, of course, offers my favorite local snack, a churro. Mmmm. Of course if you’ve read any of my previous journeys (like my 2009 visit) you already know my love of churros.

Churros on Santa Monica Pier

Despite being surrounded by the concrete jungle if you close your eyes as the sun sets and the beachgoers leave to prepare for their nighttime activities you can focus in on the waves and imagine visiting a few hundred years ago when concrete was a thing of the future. The concrete all came to be because of the beauty of nature that was here before. Some of it is hidden between the walls of commerce and population but it always ends at the beach. As long as you keep looking west you can see what beauty inspired so many people to flock here, even before we colonized America…

Let’s see what I can get into tomorrow…

Nicole

Santa Monica Beach July 5, 2011
The flowers were in bloom on the Promenade in Santa Monica. July 5, 2011

 

Blooms on the Promenade. July 5, 2011

 

 

 

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Luck: Day 8 Part I, St. Augustine, Florida

Luck. It’s one of those whimsical ideas that is often tied to symbolic findings like a four-leaf clover and a bird that drops a little present on your head in flight. Something many don’t truly believe in, yet so many people seem to have it. The Spanish appear to have had luck when they stumbled upon St. Augustine, the lighthouse of the same settlement seems to have had tremendous luck, and even I have had many good hands dealt my way. Luck- Could it be real?

I got up early this morning, a busy day of sightseeing on the books, and headed to the only WiFi access point in Anastasia State Park, located at the beach shop. I settled down in the rising sun with my laptop, uploading pictures of the previous day for all of you to enjoy, when I noticed a few people collecting at the beach. One man was sitting up at the beach overlook deck with a camera on a tripod, and a few people were trickling their ways onto the beach. They weren’t wearing beach attire, nor was it warm enough to swim if they had been. I dismissed it as a group family photo in the making and went about my business. Soon more people began to show up, all toting their DSLR cameras and chatting a little too lively for such an early hour on the east coast. Then someone approached me: “Are you going to watch the shuttle launch?”.

The launch of Shuttle Endeavour as viewed from Anastasia State Park Beach. May 16, 2011.

I almost leapt out of my seat- could it really be that today was the day that they launched the space shuttle Endeavour? It turns out it certainly was- and I was close enough to Cape Canaveral to see if from my vantage on the beach. I was totally unprepared to take such a photograph, so the few that I did get aren’t all that great- but I did get them, and I did get to see it launch. Many thought this was the last launch of the shuttle Endeavour, but according to news articles this was the next-to-last.

If you guys are really hard core about seeing the shuttle launch keep updated on the real “last launch”. Maybe you can find a way to venture out there? Even if you can’t get down to Cape Canaveral, you now know of a great place to camp out and view it from: Anastasia State Park. According to the volunteer who stands atop St. Augustine Lighthouse once a week, this launch view wasn’t as good as it usually is due to some haze. He has been living in St. Augustine since the 1980s, and hasn’t missed a launch since. He even got to work early so he could view the launch from atop the lighthouse. If you are lucky enough, perhaps you can watch the last ever launch of Endeavour from atop the lighthouse.

The St. Augustine Lighthouse. May 16, 2011. Every lighthouse has it's own distinct scheme so that ships can recognize where they are.
Climbing up isn't bad, it's climbing down that makes me nervous everytime. St. Augustine Lighthouse.

The St. Augustine Lighthouse was my first planned trip of the day. I had already visited the lighthouse once, but it is something worth seeing again. The current lighthouse stands 165’ high and has been standing there since 1874. It is built of brick and steel, both crafted here in the U.S., and is the oldest standing brick structure of St. Augustine. When you visit you have to climb 219 stairs to reach the top (sound exhausting, it is!).

A small sample of the stairs of St Augustine Lighthouse. May 16, 2011
The stairs are very pretty to look at. St. Augustine Lighthouse May 16, 2011

Many Florida lighthouses had a lot of trouble staying upright: the soft sands of the coast proved to be a less-than-stable base for the heavier lighthouses of the late 1800’s. St. Augustine has a sturdy layer of coquina for the lighthouse to sit atop, keeping it from the same fate of many other lighthouses in the state. The lighthouse has had several close calls, such as Hurricane Dora and a few other hurricanes, and a couple earthquakes. Fortunately (and perhaps luckily?) the St. Augustine lighthouse has stood tall. (Visit their website at www.staugustinelighthouse.com)

This funny mirror was on the ground. It made for a neat vantage point for a picture. St. Augustine Lighthouse May 16, 2011
The view of Castillo de Sand Marcos as you drive past. May 16, 2011. St. Augustine Florida

It was now time to see to the Castillo de San Marcos, the oldest masonry fort in the continental U.S. Built by the Spanish beginning in 1671, the fort was something to be feared by many enemies. In 1702 British naval & land forces attacked St. Augustine and a not-yet-completed Catillo de San Marcos. The British destroyed the city, but were unable to take on the fort and retreated. In 1728 British troops once again decided to march into St. Augustine, but saw the fort and promptly turned around and left. In 1740 the British governor of Georgia also attacked St. Augustine, but could not capture the fort.

The view of the entrance of Castillo de San Marco when standing atop the fort. May 16, 2011. St. Augustine, FL.

Why was the fort so impenetrable? Was it because of the architectural layout or the cannons? Probably this, and due to the building material provided to the Spanish from Anastasia island, the very rock that the St. Augustine lighthouse stood upon many years later: Coquina.

Close-up of a coquina block at the quarry. St. Augustine, FL Anastasia S.P. May 16, 2011

Geology time: So what is this coquina stuff, anyways? Literally “coquina” translates from Spanish to “tiny shellfish”. Aptly named, coquina is a type of limestone composed of shells, clay and sand that have been chemically bonded together. It may look brittle, but trust me when I say the stuff is tuff, I tested a block of it. So, where did it come from?

The coquina quarry (A historic site) in Anastasia S.P. St Augustine, FL May 16, 2011

Luckily my campsite hosts the spot where the Spanish started quarrying the coquina in 1671. I was able to visit it and learn a bit about the geology of the area. In the Pleistocene epoch there were a series of glaciation/melting patterns that allowed shells, clay and sand to accumulate during the high sea levels, and to cement together when it was exposed to rainwater during times of low sea levels. This developed the Anastasia formation, a formation that stretched from the Northern end of Anastasia Island all the way south to Palm Beach, FL (250 miles long) and is about 330 miles wide, most of it stretching into the Atlantic Ocean.

The wall built of shells. The coquina blocks of the Castillo de San Marco.

The coquina is a very strong rock when dry, so to cut it the Spanish settlers would cut the stone while it was wet, and then allow it to dry for up to a year before incorporating it into the Castillo. It was such a useful building product that one third of St. Augustine’s buildings were made of it by 1764. The Spanish were very (lucky, perhaps?) to have such a building material readily available.

It seems that in the case of my observation of shuttle Endeavour, the long-standing life of St. Augustine Lighthouse and the Spanish settler’s find of the coquina to build the Castillo all speak for the case of luck. It must be real, then…Luck has it. Right?

Let’s look back on the reality of the situation. St. Augustine Lighthouse was built in 1874 to replace a Spanish watchtower built in the late 1500’s. The old watch tower tumbled to the sea in a storm in 1880. It stood for 300 years, a span of time yet to be proven by the “New” St. Augustine Lighthouse. The Castillo de San Marcos was built beginning in the 1670s to replace the 9th (yes, you read right, NINTH!) fort since 1565. It seems that all of these events add up to being in the right place at the right time. It may seem like luck, but it is actually due to ingenuity and being able to see the bright side of things no matter what. The Spanish and other settlers of St. Augustine were smart enough to use what was available to them on their very own Anastasia island, buried beneath the sand dunes and soil (called hammocks). We all know I have had my fair share of mishaps- and the fact that I was able to see something as spectacular as the shuttle launch isn’t due to luck: It is due to my dedication to adventure and putting myself in places where things can, and will, happen.

If you are sitting around waiting for your luck to turn around you aren’t going to get much. Luck isn’t a rabbit’s foot on a keychain or eating black eyed peas on New Year’s Day. Luck is constructed out of your own determination and will. Created by you, for you, by continuing to push forward even after you fail again and again. Don’t let the first 9 fallen forts force you to give up. Look around you, use the tools you have been given, and manifest your own destiny.

Some colorful beetles (or something of the like) at the coquina quarry in Anastasia S.P. May 16, 2011
Chocolates from Whetstone Chocolates of St. Augustine. I had a small snack from here- I was saving my calories (and my money) for a fabulous dinner in Savannah tonight. May 16, 2011
Whetstone Chocolates of St. Augustine. Very good stuff. They even have chocolate dipped bananas, a personal fave.
I'm standing in the watch tower of the Castillo de San Marco. May 16, 2011
The view down a canon if you were getting ready to take down an enemy ship at the Castillo de San Marco in st. Augustine
The sanctuary at Castillo de San Marco, the font on the wall and the altar on the left side of the pic. May 16, 2011
While I toured the Castillo de San Marco National Park officials took precautions to preserve artifacts by vacuumn air out of a case to reduce humidity. May 16, 2011
Where the men would sleep at Castillo de San Marco while on duty (They didn't live at the fort)
Some of the lighthouse prisms at St. Augustine Lighthouse (when you get to the top and are looking at the light, look up!)
I'm about to ascend all of those stairs- all 219 of them! May 16, 2011 St. Augustine Lighthouse
I climbed all the way to the top of St. Augustine Lighthouse…again! May 16, 2011
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Roots: Day 7, Tampa & St. Augustine, FL (Anastasia State Park)

The roots of the sea oat plant can be 10 times the size of the plant above the sand. A grass like plant that whips around in the wind at the surface has deep ties into the sand it calls home. The roots are designed to allow the sea oat to survive on the sand dunes, where a large root surface area allows the scarce water to be found. The mosses that are so prevalent in the south, however, have no extensive roots to speak of. They are superficial, and even allow the plants to move from one place to another and survive. All of us have roots, some deeper set than others, that allow us to survive. Today I was headed for St. Augustine, Florida, the oldest city in the U.S. A place that has roots reaching back centuries, making the town what it is today.

The moon lit sea at Anastasia State Park Beach. May 15, 2011

I met a high school friend for breakfast at Datz, a tasty restaurant in Tampa, FL that is fairly popular in the area. The breakfast menu was varied, every menu item having a Datz personal twist. My friend and I both ordered a latte, which came in a soup bowl-sized coffee cup, lending to plenty of time to chat about our lives and catch up. The breakfast was delicious and afterwards my friend showed me their chocolate case: Rows and rows of hand-painted chocolates. I was unable to taste any, but they sure looked beautiful. I imagine they are bought more for the beauty than for the taste, each piece being artistically hand painted.

The hand-painted candies at Datz in Tampa, FL. May 15, 2011
The biggest latte I've ever had at Datz in Tampa, FL. May 15, 2011

 

I have a blast driving my Jeep with the top down. This is near Orlando, on my way from Tampa to St. Augustine. May 15, 2011

The drive from Tampa to St. Augustine was beautiful. I was able to put the top back down on my Jeep after having it up for the night in Tampa (luckily, because a storm rolled through that night) and enjoy the sun and “natural” air conditioning that a highway drive is able to provide. At a gas station I met two other Jeep Wrangler owners. They knew about yesterday’s holiday (National “Go Topless” day for all Jeep owners), which of course made me smile. There is nothing quite like owning a Jeep….it’s like belonging to a special club, where everyone waves to fellow Jeep-owning strangers and we can all talk like we’ve known each other for years. If you are the adventurous type and you don’t own one, you should. You are seriously missing out.

Anastasia State Park Beach. The sand is so white! May 15, 2011.

After a quick stop at a citrus stand to get some local oranges, I arrived in St. Augustine to some familiar sites. First and foremost, the St. Augustine lighthouse (which I will go visit tomorrow, stay tuned for pictures and information on my next update). I checked into my campsite at Anastasia State Park, and when I first drove up to my tent site I knew instantly this would be my new favorite camping site.

My campsite at Anastasia State Park. May 15, 2011

Each site is tucked away in it’s own private alcove, similar to that of Tickfaw State Park a few days earlier, except this is even better: It’s on an island, and you can head the waves crashing on the beach in the distance. The beach is a short walk away, where the sand is white and the ocean sparkling. Every site has electric and water hook ups, which isn’t necessary for a tent, but nice for people like me who have a website to update and need to recharge electronics. The price isn’t terribly high for what it offers, either. Anastasia State Park is the perfect place to stay if you are looking to camp on the coast.

The Santa Maria Restaurant in St Augustine, FL

I decided to have dinner at Santa Maria’s, a unique restaurant I dined at my last trip to St. Augustine in January of 2007. It turns out May is a much better time of year to dine at Santa Maria’s in St. Augustine: You get to feed the fish. The restaurant is located on the end of a pier with a great view of Lion’s Bridge. The tables along the outside of the restaurant, again the windows, are provided with a little hatch where you can drop pieces of bread, provided by the basket full, into the water and watch the various fish come up to enjoy. I guess you can say you are fattening up the fish that you may eat later.

The window you open to drop bread to the fish at Santa Maria Restaurant in St Augustine, FL. May 15, 2011
Name this bird: in St Augustine, FL at the Santa Maria Restaurant. May 15, 2011

The fish aren’t the only ones to enjoy the bread. Various birds, including pigeons, crows and another colorful little bird I do not know the species (readers, identify below! J ). Kids really enjoy this activity (and the kid inside me), and I had the pleasure of meeting a 1st grade girl who enjoyed every minute of it. She and her family were visiting from Pennsylvania and we had a wonderful conversation over dinner. Another great thing about being on the road: you meet a lot of friendly people.

The little girl feeding the pigeons at Santa Maria Restaurant in St Augustine, FL. May 15, 2011

After dinner I headed back to Anastasia State Park so that I could sit on the beach and take some night pictures. The moon was nearing full this night and it lit up the beach and the waves. I was able to enjoy a peaceful time alone on the beach, watching the waves crash and although the sky was mostly clear the lightening illuminate the horizon in little bursts-a storm nearly 200 miles away. I didn’t even need a flashlight, though I guess when you are a caver nothing is dark in comparison. The stars, moon and city lights are more than enough illumination in the night against the contrast of the white sands of the St. Augustine coast.

The coast of St. Augustine is held together by the roots of the sea oat, a 6” plant having roots up to 5’ long. Whlie we all have roots of different depths, we do all have roots. They don’t only keep us grounded, providing for us- They are an integral part of our society as a whole. Everyone plays a role in this world, some of us are nomads like the spanish moss that can easily be transplanted, and some of us have roots reaching deep into the sands of our native homes. Either way, the nutrients we have gathered from each place we live sustain us for a lifetime- each place becomes a part of us. It’s why I believe so strongly in traveling for education. A traveler who truly takes the initiative to learn about the geology, environment and culture of each place they visit is adding a little bit to themselves each time. I think too many people consider traveling a vacation by traditional terms. A true traveler isn’t meant to get away and do nothing- they enrich their lives, and thus everyone around them, by absorbing the knowledge of other places- and sharing.

These flowers decorate St. Augustine everywhere. A bee is doihg it's job. May 15, 2011
I'm enjoying the sun at Anastasia State Park in FL. May 15, 2011.
Lion's Bridge in St Augustine, drawn up every half hour to let ships through.
A flower along the walk in St. Augustine, FL. May 15, 2011
St. Augustine Lighthouse sits just beyond the ships in the harbor. May 15, 2011
The moon rising at Anastasia State Park Beach at Duck. May 15, 2011
Sunset at Anastasia State Park May 15, 2011
My little camping buddy at Anastasia State Park, May 15 2011
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Day 6: Gulf State Park & Tampa-area, Florida

Day 6: Gulf State Park and Tampa-area, Florida

Although I tried to schedule most of my trip not have a full day’s worth of driving, there are a few parts where I couldn’t avoid this. Today is one of those days, as I had a 9 hour drive from Gulf State Park to a family friend’s house just North of Tampa. Although the drive was long, it is important to remember that it is less about the destination and more about the journey. This trip, all 14,000 miles of has no singular destination. It is a journey. An adventure that doesn’t end when I arrive at a place I call home. It will enlighten, educate, culture and inspire me for the rest of my life.

May 14, 2011 at Gulf State Park Campgrounds, AL- The dock at the lake

 

I took one last look over the lake at the Gulf State Park campgrounds before I left for the day. I was soon to find out there is much more to Gulf State Park than what I saw at the campgrounds. Beaches line the highway as you start heading east towards Florida. They are your beautiful sand-dune trimmed beaches with white sand and wood picket and wire fences to keep troublesome tourists from trampling the dunes and the sea oats. It was beautifully sunny, so I had taken the top on my Jeep down again after faring the rains of Louisiana. I was certainly enjoying the sunny rays of the sunshine state when I crossed state lines.

One of the several Gulf State Park beachers. May 14, 2011
There's something beautiful about the weather-worn sea fences.... Gulf State Park Beach May 14, 2011

Driving along I-10 there were several rainstorms I passes through, including one thunderstorm. Something amazing takes place when you are driving on the interstate going 70 mph: Most of the rain just sweeps right over you. I had to use a towel to wipe off the inside of the windshield a few times, but I was having the time of my life- both because of how refreshing it felt to smell the rain and experience the storm without getting soaked, and observing all the strange looks I got from other drivers along I-10.

The abundant spanish moss that covers trees in the South. (In this case, Florida near Tampa)
Orange trees in Florida, near Tampa

As I headed south along I-75, and then along a county road, I started seeing more of the stereotypical Florida: Large trees draped with Spanish moss and orange trees both in groves and randomly dotting the side of the highway. I met up with family friends, who treated me to a dinner at Ruby Tuesday, and then we chatted around the TV about all sorts of things. It turns out one of them makes some spectacular soap, homemade of goats milk. If you are looking for some great organic soaps, visit www.simplycaprine.com. They also make quite a few other products, all organic and made by hand.

One of the many organic products offered by simplycaprine, out of Florida

Florida is a very large state, with a transition that you can experience if driving from the northern part to the southern tip. It starts as a stereotypical “deep south” climate, as I just described, to a palm-tree covered tropical environment surrounded by the bright blue Caribbean. I may have only been able to experience the driving of Florida today (and the hospitality of local friends) but tomorrow I get to drive across the state to its eastern coast, to stay in a place I absolutely adore: St. Augustine.

Me, at the dock at the lake of Gulf State Park Campgrounds, AL. May 14, 2011

 

 

The view of the beach dunes on the drive from Gulf State Park to Florida. May 14, 2011

 

The boardwalk to one of the several Gulf State Park beaches.
Watching the waves crash is so soothing. A Gulf State Park Beach (Alabama), May 14, 2011
My Jeep, "29", enjoying the drive through Florida.
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Weathering the Storm-Day 5: New Orleans and Gulf State Park, Alabama

Weathering the storm. It’s a difficult decision to make in life, whether to wait something out or to leave and start all over. You have to make a decision based on the unknowns. It may be the most taxing approach: To form a new ball of clay is certainly easier than molding one that has already been. It has been proven to me time and again that although this is the most difficult path it is the most rewarding. It shows your loyalty and your honest trust that everything will work out. Weathering the storm doens’t just give you a sunny day- it gives you rainbows.

New Orleans is a city that knows well what weathering the storm can offer. The city is looking much better than it did when I came to visit in January of 2007. The city is thriving, and it was thanks to a good amount of work and dedication of the people who call NOLA their home. My grandfather was originally from New Orleans area, and he went to visit quite often. One of the treats my family enjoys are beignets served at the Cafe du Monde. I can’t go to NOLA without stopping by the cafe and enjoying an order (or two, in the case of today).

Beignets at Cafe du Monde in the French Quarter. New Orleans, LA May 13, 2011

I’m not the only one to think so, either. Cafe du Monde never closes, and yet they are always jam packed full of patrons ready to devour the tasty morsels covered in powdered sugar. They are incredibly affordable,  less than a dollar a beignet, coming in orders of 3. For the best effect you should enjoy a Cafe Au Lait with your beignets, a tradition stretching back to 1862. It is a staple of the French Quarter, and something that anyone visiting New Orleans must try. Cafe du Monde’s website: http://www.cafedumonde.com/history.html

Always a full house at Cafe du Monde. May 13, 2011

I wandered the streets of New Orleans for a couple hours, taking in the surrounding. You can’t walk too far without hearing a live jazz band playing somewhere or another. Oleander fills the flower beds, and other short semi-tropical trees shade the walkways. The French Market is full of vendors selling various drinks, foods, goods and produce. It’s well worth it just venturing around the French Quarter finding various shops, and people.

The walkway behind Cafe du Monde in the French Quarter. May 13, 2011
One of the many distinctly New Orleans buildings in the French Quarter. May 13, 2011

My next stop was to be along the coast, down to Alabama’s gulf coast. I was going to camp very near the coast, at the Gulf State Park. It wasn’t too far a drive, and the drive is pretty nice. You get to drive underneath the water in a tunnel, and over a lot of waterways on bridges.

The park itself is very well cared for, and the price tag shows. It cost me a whole $36 to camp in a tent for one night. Granted it is a very well cared for park and it is along the coast, but it is twice the price that I have paid for at other campsites. I believe that the campsite is better geared towards RVs than towards camp tenting. If you have an RV this is an excellent place to stay. For a tent it may be a bit pricey.

I did get a nice spot, though. A short walk to the water of inner lake, that connects to the coast. A storm was rolling in when I pulled up to take pictures. I was able to watch as the sky turned dark, lightening filling the sky and thunder echoing across the coast. The water turned from calm to choppy, and dark. I had to take cover under a nearby shelter to keep from getting my camera wet and I considered making a run for my tent, but what followed shortly after was well worth the wait. A rainbow came out on the other side of the lake’s shore.

Gulf State Park, Alabama. The storm rolling in.
Gulf State Park, Alabama. Taking cover from the storm. May 13, 2011
The rainbow after the storm at Gulf State Park, Alabama. May 13, 2011

I was by myself, but I jumped up and exclaimed”Rainbow” out loud. Lightening was still filing the sky behind and to the sides of the rainbow, but the sight was absolutely beautiful and breathtaking. This is what I always wait for after the storm: the rainbow. A rainbow has always been a symbol of coming out of a difficult time even better than before. It’s why I weather the storm, so that I can see the beauty that is born out of it.

For every storm we have to decide whether we will seek sunnier skies, or wait for the rainbow to come out. For me, I will always weather the storm for what I believe in. You never know what miraculous wonder you will see with the next storm. So here’s to anticipating the storm- and loving every minute of it. Another adventure starts tomorrow….until then…

-Nicole

The distinct French Quarter street signs everyone knows and loves. May 13, 2011
The French Market of NOLA. May 13, 2011
The sign for the French Market Place.
My own recipe: Cajun Hobo Dinner. This is how you make it when you aren't allowed to have ground fires. May 13, 2011 Gulf State Park Alabama
This beer was created after the hurricanes swept through Louisiana, and it's proceeds helped rebuild NOLA.
The view from my campsite. Dusk at Gulf State Park Alabama. May 13, 2011.
I was playing with my manual settings on my camera and got this cook shot of the moon. Gulf State Park, Alabama. May 13, 2011
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SoCal: Back to the Pacific Coast

Deep down everyone has a special connection with a place. It may not be a specific place, but rather a certain environment, that makes a person feel completely at home. Relaxed, rejuvenated and in complete serenity.


For many this place is their home. Home is a place where they may have grown up or graduated high school. Wherever they may have happened to spend the majority of their life, or where the most influential time of a person’s life took place. The problem with this theory is when people ask me what my hometown is I hesitate. I certainly graduated in a specific city, I lived in many, but all in the midwest. I was born in California.  I spend a short time in Arizona. In theory, all these places could be considered my home, but my answer is never direct.

The truth is, I consider home a place that makes me feel like all is right in the world. This place for me is the pacific coast. Not necessarily my birthplace, or where I lived, or anywhere specific. Where I can sit on the beach without a care in the world, soaking up the seaside air, listening to the waves crash against the sand and rocks, and watching the sun the instant it disappears below the Ocean.

Today, I was home. Probably the best present I could ever give myself.

After sneaking Ellie out of the hotel, as I was trying to avoid the pet cleaning fee of $50. Either I was so tired I wasn’t hungry, or I was too excited to see the coast, I am not sure which. Perhaps a combination of both. Whatever the reason, I managed to inhale part of a waffle (my favorite hotel breakfast food),  jumped in my car, and without even bothering to wait for my borrowed, aged GPS to find signal, I began to drive west.

I didn’t care where it was, I needed to see the ocean.

I arrived at the Oceanside Pier & Beach, dropped some dimes and nickels into the parking meter, scooped up little Ellie the puppy, and went straight for the water.

The sun had just risen about half an hour ago and it still sat low in the sky behind me. The waves were pretty good and about a dozen surfers were already in the water taking advantage of it. The palm trees lined the strand, the smell of the salty air hit my face and at once everything was right with the world. I spent a few minutes there just soaking in the view, then walked towards the edge of the ocean so that little Ellie could experience the sea for the first time.

I got really close to where the waves were coming up when suddenly a big wave came up and caught us by surprise. Ellie took a dunk in the water up to her ears, I had shoes that were now full of sea water and sand, and the bottoms of my jeans weighed down. I laughed at myself, and even the cold water didn’t bother me: I was too excited to be on the ocean shores to care.

After changing into a dry pair of jeans I headed North in the direction of my brother’s place. It would be a couple hours drive, at least. I wanted to get up there as soon as I could so I could find a beach to relax at until my friend could meet me. It was there I would have to say my farewells to my little, fuzzy traveling companion.

I was cruising up the coastal highway when I decided to stop for gas. I noticed a station that offered car washing. If you purchased a wash you received a discount on the gas. Relieved at the thought of  my car finally being shiny and clean (and not having to endure the strange looks and questions I was getting about the salty grime that covered my car from my snowy trek back in the Midwest) I pulled up to the pump and a man came out to greet me.

“Would you like a car wash? I‘ll give you a good price”

I nodded and pointed to the sign that notated the different washing services they offered, ranging in price from $16 for a basic wash, wax, window clean and vacuum to a full out detail for $60.

“The $16 wash will be fine” I said.

“Ohh No…your car is much too dirty for basic wash” He stated, running his finger across the side of my car to show how much dirt, salt and grime had accumulated on my car. “We can wash your car for $25”.

I hesitated internally. $25 for a car wash was ridiculous. My logical side told me to decline and find a self-serve car wash where I could rinse off the grime for a couple bucks. My exhausted side told me I didn’t want to waste any more time searching for something with the GPS that took forever to work, and would loose the information if touched the wrong way. All I wanted to do was get to the beach and relax. No more detours, no more disasters.

My lazy, exhausted side won.

I felt a little cheated paying $25 for a car wash as I once again became the bag lady as I sat on the curb awaiting my car to be cleaned, waxed and shined.

When they were finished I felt a little better about the ridiculous amount I had paid for the service. My car was probably cleaner than I had ever seen it. They even cleaned the inside of my windows, which tend to get a film buildup on them rather quickly because of the inclination of the windshield and the hatchback window. The tires shined a glossy black, my Dodge Stealth’s paint shined a beautiful red with a deep, crystal-like shine.

I was no longer ashamed of my dirty car as I sped up the I-5. Traffic in L.A. was, as usual, slow and meticulous. It would take 15 minutes or more to travel a mile or two. I was ok with this for the moment, it allowed me time to take a few pictures of the signs and the buildings, and listen to the radio.

I arrived at my brother’s apartment where he helped me bring all my luggage up to his 3rd floor apartment, and we stood around and chatted. Ellie’s new owner had sent me a message that it would be a couple hours before she was near out meeting place: Santa Monica Pier & Beach. After some amusement at the puppy’s fascination with vertical blinds, I headed towards Santa Monica. A name that was familiar to my mind as a child, but I had lost any picturesque memories from that young age.

The drive was quite scenic, winding through the mountainous terrain that was green and beautiful from the winter rains they had received. Every now and then I could get a glimpse of the ocean through the vegetated, hilly terrain.

Arriving at Santa Monica Pier I parked and paid the $7 for all-day parking. I scooped up Ellie and carried her down the sidewalk to the ocean. Along the way she peed on my new Carlsbad t-shirt, a shirt I was now wearing for the second day straight because I was too tired last night to bring my luggage up to my room. I didn’t really care anymore. I wasn’t going for glamorous or anything, I was just here to relax, alone, and enjoy all six senses as they swirled in bliss at the environment.

I walked down the pier, watching the Pacific Ocean lap against the sandy beach, and the smell of food hit my nose reminding me how hungry I actually was. Then I saw them: CHURROS!

I have this small obsession with churros.

I bought myself a Churro and ate it in what seemed like record time. Oh, how I love those cinnamon-sugary coated pastry sticks of joy! You look for them in the Midwest and everyone looks at you with that confused expression and asks “What is a Chur-O?”.

Mmmm. Birthday Churro.  Somehow this is one of my best birthdays ever. Covered in puppy pee and all.

I laid on the beach while Ellie discovered the wonders of digging in the sand, sending fountains of sand all over my jeans and shirt. It was actually quite amusing. I sat and watched the ocean and the sun as it was slowly getting to late afternoon. There were plenty of people there, but the beach was much less populated than what it is during the summer. Behind me children played on top of the “Walk on L.A.” sand mold, a round, tubular concrete stamp of an aerial of LA that was designed by Carl Cheng in 1988. Basically, the contraption is pulled behind a tractor and it leaves imprints in the sand so you can “Walk” on L.A.

It wasn’t long before my friend picked up Ellie, and after we visited for a while and they departed, I walked straight back to the pier. The sun was now prepar

ing to set and the wind was chilly. I should have had a sweater with me, but I decided that it was an opportunity to get myself a souvenir. I purchased a pretty, light blue hoodie that said “Santa Monica” across the front. It was warm, and incredibly soft on the inside. I think I have a new favorite sweatshirt.

I then purchased another Churro- Hey, don’t judge me, I only get them when I travel westward, I needed to enjoy them while I could-and headed straight to the beach to watch the sun set. I took over 100 pictures of the sun setting and paused to watch the sun disappear in those few, breath-taking seconds it took. The sun spends all day slowly moving it’s way across the sky, but watching the sun disappear is something that seems to happen in an instant. Like it sped up so that you could appreciate the beauty even more.

I can’t describe the beautiful colors of the sunset, or the serene calmness it seems to cause in everyone that still stands on the beach. I think you will have to see my pictures for that.

Another wonderful day in the life of Nicole.