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Mount Baldy’s Bear Canyon Made Me Emotional
Because I nearly broke my foot in May, I lost a fight with a 30lb dumbbell, and then spent the entire month of June trying to process the loss of my Tickle, when I set out to do the Bear Canyon Trail in Mount Baldy last month, I was breaking a two and a half month long no hiking streak.
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Murphy Ranch – Old Nazi Compound in the Santa Monica Mountains
Did you know there is an old Nazi sympathizer compound hidden away in the Santa Monica Mountains? (Or at least the start of what was to be a Nazi sympathizer compound.) Accessible via a moderately rated 3.4-mile hike in Rustic Canyon, Murphy's Ranch is a peek into some of the bizarre histories of LA.
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Get in the Spooky Mood with Norco’s Pumpkin Rock Hike
Halloween may be less than a week away, but if you live in Southern California and are looking for a unique way to celebrate this spooky season, the Pumpkin Rock Hike in Norco may be perfect for you! I’ve done this hike twice now since moving back to California, right around my first Halloween back, and once this past weekend. The hike is short, just around a mile round trip, and despite the incline (depending on the route you chose) and some loose rock/gravel, the hike is pretty doable by most people in relative shape. And this hike is for the most part family-friendly, as long as no one has…
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I Went Back In The Ocean For The First Time Since Leaving Hawaii
Yes, known for surfing there are beaches that have some pretty big waves, but it varies throughout the year and there are certain beaches that are almost always relatively calm or at least don't have the kind of waves that will knock you over. On top of that the water is clear and the sand is soft. Most the beaches in Hawaii have crystal clear waters and I could see down to the floor even once I swam out far enough I could no longer reach the sea floor. And, best of all, the water in Hawaii is so warm, all year round in comparison to Southern California. Living in…
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Quarantine Day 60 – 67: I’m still Happy and I went Hiking
If you read last week's Corona Journal entry, I am happy to report that things are still going good. After admitting to the world that I was happy and everything seemed to be going good, my life did not fall apart. I still feel really good, I even caught myself smiling last night for no reason. I'm still maintaining and/or working on all of my new good habits - working out, walking, meditation, gardening. For the most part the last week has been pretty much the same old same old, in the best way possible. Only new thing to report, I did finally go hiking!
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The Hat
In N Out. When you think of Southern California fast food, In N Out is what comes to mind. Whether you have never been to one or you spent your entire life in SoCal, you just can't help it; Whether you know better or not, In N Out is what always comes to mind when you think Southern California burger joint. But, there is another SoCal based local favorite that, even though it's loved by many, seems to always be forgotten. The Hat.
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Apple Picking Adventures
Fall is my favorite season, in theory. I love the changing leaves and the chill in the air. There is nothing I enjoy more than wrapping myself up in blanket on cool nights. I think I'm much cuter in sweaters, scarves, tights and boots, than in bikinis, shorts, and tank tops. And, I can start breaking out the eggnog (pumpkin spice can kiss my ass). But, I live in Southern California and that means my fall season is really more of a faux fall season. (Don't get me wrong its way more fall like here than it was in Hawaii, but compared to the majority of the country, it's barely…
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New York Pizza
I was little, it was while I was still in elementary. I have always been a HUGE shave ice fan. I was home with a babysitter, which in my mind was rare. I feel like for most of my childhood, my dad was usually the one home with me and if I did need to be watched 90% of the time I'd either be with my brother and/or his wife or with my dad's best friend's family. Anyways, I digress, this day I was home with a babysitter, possibly my cousin or my future niece (another story), and my dad came home with a shave ice!
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Bridge to Nowhere
Bridge to Nowhere is hands down my absolute favorite hike anywhere, ever, thus far in my life. It is an approximately 10 mile round trip hike up Azusa Canyon to a bridge that leads to literally nowhere. Along the route you have a couple deep water crossings which keeps the long hike up and back fun and interesting. And, despite being fairly long the terrain makes the hike more accessible then you might think to hikers of different skill levels, just be sure to give yourself enough time and pack in plenty of water and food.
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Hermit and Sturtevant Falls
One of the many trails that begin at Chantry Flats in the San Gabriel Mountains, Hermit Falls and Sturtevant Falls are individual hikes that can be tackled independently or together in a little over 5 miles long loop. Me and my hiking partners decided to tackle the loop.
