The boundary at Pt. Mugu from Oxnard
Day 297: Wednesday September 7, 2011
Roma Armbrust Wetlands & Beach
Total Distance Today: 4.75 miles +100 feet
Hiking: Pt. Mugu/Oxnard, CA
Difficulty: Great for dogs and kids, especially to beat the heat!
With temperatures hovering over 100 degrees in Thousand Oaks, today was a perfect day to escape the heat at the beach. Don't get me wrong, I am one of those freaks that loves running in the heat with my shirt off. As long as I have liquids, I flourish in it. However, enough is enough; I'm going down the grade today to search for a spot that I've never been to. Found a great location!!! Bring the family, not many people around at all and the hike is only about a quarter mile from the parking...
Directions:
From Newbury Park, you would take Portrero Road down the windy hill to Hueneme Road. From Ventura, you could take Harbor or Victoria to Channel Islands, turn right on Ventura Rd by Port Hueneme Base and then left on Hueneme Road. For everyone else, from the 101 Freeway in Oxnard, exit on Rice and head south. Take Rice all the way past route 1, do not go on the freeway towards Malibu. Instead, stay straight and take Rice Road all the way to the end. Turn right on Hueneme Road and then turn left on Arnold. Arnold is the 2nd street on the left just past Olds, which is on the right. There is a street sign for Arnold, but there is no sign on Hueneme indicating that Arnold Road is approaching. Keep your eye out and once you find it, turn left. There is at the beginning of the street that reads, "Roma Armbrust Wetlands Drive".
Park here and walk to the beach...
Cross the muck
Point Mugu
Overlooking the path to the beach
(I felt like a spy)
You can hike the beach all the way to Hueneme Pier
On this adventure, I spoke to a guy who worked for the California Conservation Corp, my enemy for the seals but otherwise my friends who allow the right to passage. He pointed out a trail up near the parking spaces that follows the channel of mucky water all the way to the Edison Building seen in the picture above. Total distance one way is about a mile. The trail then meets back up with the beach. In between, the section is fenced off for the migrating birds. The guy explained that eventually, they will extend the trail to wrap around to the other side of the Edison Building.
Today, I just walked part of the beach and then came back. If I would have known about the trail, I would have completed the 2-mile loop. Next time. **Also, you can park at the end of Perkins and reach the beach that way. And so I will, another time. I have already hiked all around Hueneme Pier so just two more visits to this area and I will have completed the entire coastline between the two bases (approximately 3 or 4 miles total; wahoo!)
Later that night, the family had a night run and Kimball Park. Initially, I was hoping to do a mile sprint but then the wife elected to run for 7 miles while the kids rode their bikes:
Mile 1: 9.44.05
Mile 2: 10.32.73
and then after another 3/4's of a mile, we stopped. --However, this is where the fun began. 10-year-old Alyssa started 5th grade a couple of weeks ago and ran an 8:09 mile in class. She was the fastest girl and only 2 boys beat her. So, I wanted to see what she had for a quarter mile. We walked one and then sprinted one: I finished in 1.18.24 and she clocked in at 1.27.50. Her time is most impressive for her age. Mine, forget about it. I used to be 24 seconds faster than that!!
Then, Ayden was jealous so he wanted to try it. So, walked back another quarter mile and then ran with him. I ran side by side the entire time, rather than overtake him at the end as I did Alyssa. He finished his first 400meter run in 1.46.21; not too shabby for an 8-year-old.
Day 296: Tuesday September 6, 2011
Woodside Linear Park
Total Distance Today: 1.5 miles +50 feet
Hiking: Ventura, CA
Difficulty: Great for dogs and kids, nicely shaded
It was hot today, but after work was my Fantasy Football Draft. ---Then, was Back to School Night. Just before dark, I headed down Foothill towards Saticoy and parked on Nevada, a street on the far east end of Ventura. I didn't even know about this place. I went for a quick jog just to keep the legs loose and then came home to marvel over my excellent team...
Thank you. I hope to eventually organize all of my hikes by region. The hiking part is much easier than the recording part, especially because I do it every day :)
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