Days 861 - 864: Gardens of the World - Missing Hikers - Crowley House - Leapfrogging

Peek-a-Boo (Friday in Thousand Oaks)

Missing Hikers Found:

http://www.cnn.com/2013/04/04/us/california-missing-hikers/index.html

 

 

I can't count how many times I've seen young teenagers enter the wilderness with one bottle of water with the aspiration to tackle a hike that I won't even attempt in one day if I was fully prepared.  I recall a 100 degree day where I intersected two 17 year old boys and one girl.  They approached me and asked how far the Sespe Hot Springs were.  I advised they were 17 miles from here (at the Piedra Blanca Tailhead at Lion Camp in Rose Valley).  Their response, "cool".

 

Huh, are you kidding me?  That will take 8 hours one direction if you hike non-stop, and to do that with three people and one bottle of water, are you crazy?  I suggested to them, "The Willet Hot Springs are 10 miles in, but I would only consider going there if you planned an overnight."

 

Their response, "Nah, we're going to Sespe"...

 

Good Luck, ridiculous.  First off, even if you happen to get that far, drink from the springs in the mountain and what not, you could easily get confused.  The trail down that way is very rough at best, lost even.  Look, i don't need to say more about the practicalities of hiking.  I've been lost many of times in my 1000 Days.  That said, I consider my wandering off trail a controlled type mistake.  I guess you can't talk to a 20 year old.  Heck, I was there once and nobody could tell me.  As you see, I'm not that much better now but I have figured out my grip.  Here I am, still standing and hiking...

 

Day #861 * Hike #1074 * New Track #842
Lost in the streets - Port Hueneme, California
Tuesday March 26, 2013
My Tripometer: 1 Hour * 1.5 Miles * +25 Feet

 

Speaking of being lost, today marked the day that I nearly became lost in hikes and life.  You have no idea how much pressure I put on myself for hiking each day.  As you can imagine, this is very stressful for my family.  This hike from the Chill Out Frozen Yogurt Shop became the first of many leapfrogging adventures.  Lol, and I still manage to gain a new track from it because I hiked on new ground...

 

Day #862 * Hike #1075 * New Track #843
Drew Barrymore - Oxnard, California
Wednesday March 27, 2013
My Tripometer: 1 Hour * 1.75 Miles * +25 Feet

 

Continuing on with my mission from yesterday, I parked my bike today on Berrymore in Oxnard off Saviers and then walked back to Port Hueneme where I parked my car.  I can't explain why I was doing this, but maybe one day this leapfrogging adventure will be a chapter in a book.  Let me tell you, I was under duress, wearing jeans, chaffing, mentally worn, exhausted, sad, beat, and so on.  Lost, confused, no camera, but this will change...

 

Day #863 * Hike #1076 * New Track #844
Hiding Down Wilbur - Thousand Oaks, California
Thursday March 28, 2013
My Tripometer: 30 minutes * 1 Mile * +25 Feet

 

Very early in the morning, I parked my car somewhere about a mile from my job and walked to work.  Yes, this is considered a hike!  It's a strenuous outdoor activity along a new route...

 

**Hike #1077: Duplicate Track

Reversing my course for my 10:00 break at work could have been considered a New Track.  I ran back to my car, walking on the opposite sidewalk.  However, too close to being on the same grounds and its sorta gay to call this a hike anyway.  Good enough for a mile.  Good enough for a hike.  Good enough for a Duplicate Track only...

 

Day #863 * Hike #1078 * New Track #845
Scoping Out the Neighborhood - Thousand Oaks, California
Thursday March 28, 2013
My Tripometer: 1 Hour * 2 Miles * +75 Feet

 

It's now my lunch break.  Working was very difficult but it was month end so I had to.  Meanwhile, I used this hour to search.  New streets, new hills, I cut through streets, jumped a fence and created a New Track out of it for the record.  Like I said, I'm obsessed with just moving around.  I was losing my way and no time for the trails, but these episodes kept the dream alive...

 

Day #863 * Hike #1079 * New Track #846
Rent a Walk - Thousand Oaks, California
Thursday March 28, 2013
My Tripometer: 30 Minutes * 1.25 Miles * +25 Feet

 

After work I glanced down a few streets and inevitably reached my new destination, Avis Rent A Car.  It was a hike and now I have a car.  This leads me to my next hike.  I need to move my bike because I cannot leave it on the streets in a bad neighborhood.  I figured my bike would be safe in the same spot for 24 hours.  Much after that, the Thugles would be on to me...

 

 

Day #863 * Hike #1080 * New Track #847
Garden City Acres Park - Oxnard, California
Thursday March 28, 2013
My Tripometer: 1 Hour * 1.5 Miles * +25 Feet

 

 

Back into Oxnard, I wound up just beyond this park.  I continued the leapfrogging adventure to a rare neighborhood in town.  On the other side of this park is Squires Road.  I did not feel safe parking my bike there for the overnight, but I did.  Part of why I picked this area was because the street signs in the area said no parking on the street on the 2nd and 4th Friday of each month from 8am - noon.  Well, tomorrow would be the 4th Friday.  Of course, it did say. "Except Holidays" and this Friday would be Good Friday.  Still, I'd rather be safe than sorry, so I safely parked the bike in an unsafe area.  Again, my mind is going bonkers right now, I cant explain why but it just was.  The only peace I had was the walk through this park, the green, the air, the new camera that I was using to take this very first and only picture of the hike...

 

Day #864 * Hike #1081 * New Track #848
Gardens of the World - Thousand Oaks, California

Crowly House - El Parque de la Paz (Pleasant Way Park)
Friday March 29, 2013
My Tripometer: 1.5 Hours * 3 Miles * +25 Feet

 

I believe this was off Hillcrest in T.O.

 From Avis to Heartz.  To make this work, I rented a new car at Heartz, parked it near a park and then drove the Avis car back, which forced me to hike back to the other car.  Crazy huh, but it saved me $50 in rental over the weekend so a no brainer, plus I got an unexpected and pretty cool hike out of it.  Just ask the squirrel at the top of this blogpost...

 It's like being in nature with cars all around you

 A random park off T.O. Blvd

 Riverwalk near Los Feliz

 Behind the liquor store

 Antiques - Hiking this way is sorta interesting, I still prefer legit trails

 Ah, look what I found...

 Gardens of the World - across from the Civic Arts Plaza

Dude, I just missed it.  The gates lock at 5:00 and it was literally 5:05!  Really!!!  Cool spot.  It looks like its free and I had no idea this was here?!  I may need to come back...

 Crowley House at El Parque de la Paz

 Same Park - Pleasant Way Park

 

This is where I parked my car.  Pretty cool hike.  Better neighborhoods, albeit not perfect, hence the cops.  Good weather, more distance.  But all was not rosy - peachy.  I still have a bike to move and issues to deal with.  More to come, stay tuned...