Night Walking Deserves a Quiet Street

I was shocked and awed to find that there was plenty of hot water when i woke up at that sketchy Motel. Seeing as how the toliet didn't flush and the heat never came on. Quite remarkable. It made up for all the faults that I had found with the room. Well i shouldn't really complain about it. There was free wireless and that is the most important thing for me right now.

I had breakfast a little ways up the road at a diner called Friends. They tried to overcharge me but I managed to sort it out without much hassle. The lady serving seemed to be a single mother and very crafty at getting large tips. I myself left her 15% even after the error was corrected. It was a good breaky. The pancakes were spectacular. It is tough to find a good hotcakes cook. More often than not they beat the batter too much and they come out all gluteny and rubber like. Tough to cut even with a knife. These ones sliced easily with the side of the fork.

Not much to comment on Port Hueneme. There is another Military base there. I don't really see the purpose of having two in such close proximity, but I guess its purpose is like the others-- Useless. Onward and outward. I crossed through some more feilds of strawberries which weren't fenced off. In fact i utilized the no-fence to gain access to a much softer road than the shoulder. It was nice. I indulged in but one berry. It wasn't that good really. Seemed all fluffed with something unnatural. So I didn't bother with another.

A flowering succulent

Upon arriving in Ventura I returned to the beach. Down by the waterside i found some well packed sand to walk on. It was a nice change from roads. It didn't take long until the sand changed to rocks though, and i had to abandon the beach for a concrete causeway constructed along side the beach. It was suitable for the purpose, and far enough away from the freeway that i didn't have to listen to the hum of rubber on pavement. There were alot of surfers on the beach there. Some of them were even flying kites while they surfed. Seemed like fun. A few who had finished for the day chatted me up for a spell. They were wondering if i had any whiskey. I didn't and they soon lost interest in me. One continued chatting and informed me that the scenery only got better up the road. He was right.

proof california is falling into the ocean

On the otherside of Ventura I noticed that the highway had become a freeway once again. Not wanting to walk along that gong show I picked a route near the Train tracks. To my surprise i found another State Park which had some awesome trails through a wetlands area. I followed the trails blindly to a campground. It was around 4:00 that i made it there. I had agreed to do a radio show at 5:00pm so i hung around the park because my cell-phone had 4 full bars of reception. I read a few informative plaques there. They told me all about the wetlands i had just walked through. How they are an integral part of the coastline and how they filtered water. All stuff I have read before on plaques in wetlands. The one cool thing i found out was the name of these cool birds that I have been seeing everywhere. Damn it i have forgotten the name now. They are really cool though. They look like over sized Sandpipers. They're beaks are a bit more sturdy though. They do the most humorous thing though. They stick that beak of theirs into the sand randomly, and dance in the waves. They don't seem to like getting wet. Everytime a wave crashes they jump up in the air or skirt around it. I saw one get smacked by a wave the other day. it got rather annoyed and flew off after that.

The radio show went well. Its the first time i have ever been on legit radio. I did a pirate radio show on Hornby Island once, this time i was for real though. Not sure how many people were actually listening as it was through UBC campus radio. I am sure there was at least one listener.

dusk descending

I have been walking since then. Well into the dark. there was the perfect road for it. It cuts right along the coast. Far from the busy freeway. The road has been quiet for most of the evening, and the shoulders are so wide you could park 2 hummers side by side and still use the bike lane. There are a few dark mansions here and there. Other than that its been real good for a night walk. I think i am going to keep on trucking till mid-night. I am aiming to be in Santa Barbara by mid-morning tomorrow. If i walk till midnight I should be able to do it.

I may take a smaller highway out of Santa Barbara. According to my map the 101 is a freeway for quite some distance. The route might be a short cut. I am not going to be so bold as to say it is, as i have made that mistake in the past. I mostly want to see the Sierra Madres because it used to be a hide out for bandits back when it was Mexican Territory. Plus I will avoid another Military base. I have had my fill of them thus far, and there are plenty more to come.