Saturday, September 03, 2005

A Walk in the Sun

Woke up early to do a hike up to Point Mugu. I had wanted to go back there since our hike last March. We were up and left Silver Lake making our way up the coast. There was no traffic and only a few early birds sitting on thier boards waiting for a wave.
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OK, I can't recreate this. I typed the entry in my blog and I guess the "Publish Post" button wasn't showing up so I lost everything and now some jack-ass is across the street on a Sunday morning with a power hedge trimmer, blasting away! Agh!
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After expressing my frustration to my husband, stepping on our dog Shadow's tail, then bursting into tears, we've had breakfast, I talked to my Uncle Jim in Redding, took a shower then got a call from my Grandma. So now I'm relaxed and I'd really like to post about our hike...
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Woke up early to head up the coast and hike to Mugu Paek. I had wanted to go back there since our hike to see the waterfall and the grasslands last March. We passed on the trek up to Mugu Peak that trip and headed for the grasslands instead, which were beautiful if only young and hip-high.

The trafic was very light this morning leaving Silver Lake and heading up PCH. There were only a scattered few early birds on thier boards waiting for a wave. Once there it was cool and damp as we trekked up the canyon and rounded the mountain reaching the old water tank that leads to the crossing where you pick up the trail leading to the peak of Mugu. This is the spot we heard the cayote last time. The creek bed was mostly dry. At some points alond the way the water came above ground then went back under ground. There was water falling over the waterfall but not the cascading specticle that we saw last March.

As we climbed up towards the peak the trail turned towards the ocean with vistas out to sea and all along the shoreline. At the peak we dropped our packs. The view was a panorama of ocean, grass land valley, and mountain range. Just beautiful on a warm sunny day with cool ocean breezes and my baby romping around and taking pictures. (I don't know how to add photos to my postings yet so you can see some on my husband's site www.wildbell.com).

When we got down to the vally and crossed through the grassland I was happy to see the head-high grasses. They were now the color of golden wheat and they rustled in the breeze kissing the blue blue sky. We talked of making a trip back next May or June to see them in all thier prime and glory.

At this point our thoughts turned obsessively to the Neptune's Nest plate of fresh steamed shrimp, corn on the cob, and cold Coronas we would be treating ourselves to after the hike. I had a tough time of the last two miles. My legs were fatigued, muscles sour, feet hurt. I'm carrying too much weight and my legs aren't used to a strenuous 7 mile hike. Then my darling husband says philosophically "Every step taken is one less you have to take" or something like that. I looked at him and laughed. Then laughed some more.

We made it down the mountain and up the road to Neptune's Nest where we had that plate of fresh steamed shrimp, corn on the cob and a bottle of cold Corona. And it was heaven. A great day.

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