Day 957: Bradbury Dam Observation Point - Lake Cachuma

Bradbury Dam Observation Point

Day #957 * Hike #1222* New Track #946
Bradbury Dam Observation Point - Lake Cachuma, CA
Sunday June 30, 2013
My Tripometer: .75 Hours * 1.25 Miles * +75 Feet

Directions:
From the 101 Freeway in Santa Barbara, take the State Street / 154 exit. Follow the 154 up and over the San Marcos Pass. About 20 minutes up the road, after crossing the long bridge, look for the Observation Point on your right. --I was coming from the North, back from S.L.O. (will explain later...)

Trailhead

It was barely the crack of dawn. After a dreadful night sleep in my car, I began the long drive back from San Luis Obispo in the dark and reached this area. A Vista Point, rest area if you will. This path begins is off to the right just up from the 154...

Follow the trail down to Lake Cuchuma

This is as close as I got to the lake...

The promising trail turned into a bushwhacking massacre. Rather than forcing myself through the thick, I turned back. At the top near the car was another trail paralleling the road. I followed this and it ended here:

picnic area

You can easily drive to this spot. In fact, the parking area for the Vista Point is here, not back by my car. Oh well, at least I made a hike out of it. I continued exploring along the fence line...

Trees -- I turned back and found...

hole in the fence; It's a Trail!

Well Dam!

This trail became very stupid steep very quickly. Rather than risk my life, I snapped the pic and hauled back to the car along the road. Just a mile or so south from the Observation Point along the 154 is the official Lake Cachuma Recreational Area entrance. This is a popular spot for camping and boating. Unfortunately, I was in hot pursuit to rejoin my wife back in Ventura so I kept the hiking to a bare minimum this weekend...


Rewind:

Day #956 * Hike #1221* New Track #945
Madonna Inn - San Luis Obispo, CA
Saturday June 29, 2013
My Tripometer: 1 Hour * 2 Miles * +50 Feet

It was late in the day Saturday and I headed out to SLO. I didn't have any real set destination. I just began driving and gosh darn it, I got a ticket on the 154. In fact, I got this ticket going 76 in a 55 right around Lake Cachuma. The sucky part is that for weeks I have been driving very slowly to boost my miles per gallon gage on our new Scion. Yeah, I know, a college girls car. But we bought it so deal with it.

The Scion does not give you great gas mileage but I had my average at 31.5 mpg. Let me tell you, this has not been easy. I've been going down hills in neutral, especially the Conejo Grade. I take it easy on the uphills. On this day, cars were zooming by me on the 154 as I scooted over to the slow lane. All alone on the highway, I must have pushed it a little up the hill. Then, a cop rolled up behind me and there you go. Horse$h!T...

I have given up my meticulous driving efforts and guess what, no more tickets and now my average is down to a reasonable 26.4 mpg. Thanks Mr. Officer for making my lousy getaway even that more dreadful.
Before I left I was helping out at Chill Out. I dedicated an hour, Hike #1220 (duplicate) along the Port Hueneme Pier and Beach. Passing out fliers, the beach was packed as everyone all over Southern California escaped the heat to chill out at the beach. At a mild 80 degrees, this was perfect beach weather - perfect opportunity to capture an audience for froYo & Paninis...

I was in one of those moods. My initial intention was to head out to the desert where Death Valley reached near 130 degrees. Instead, I took the coastal route to SLO. I reached the Madonna Inn and parked my car. It was near sunset so I walked around. It was dark and the pictures of horses and fields did not come out well. I was just sorta moping around for awhile. I then bought a couple of beers and slept in my car that night...


Double Rewind

Day #950 * Hike #1214 * New Track #943
Rocky Peak Park - Simi Valley, CA
Sunday June 23, 2013
My Tripometer: 1.5 Hours * 3 Miles * +750 Feet

I was out in Simi Valley and decided to hike at Rocky Peak for only the second time in my life. I ventured up the same trail that I took last year but this time I continued further back and trekked along a different course. This place is more massive than I thought. I did what I could and then came back. Sorry no pics for this one...

Monday & Tuesday were duplicate hikes at Arroyo Verde

Wednesday I claimed New Track #944 along some of the fire scorched areas off Potrero Road. I took this way home from work en route to Port Hueneme before my night shift at Chill Out. I pulled off the road at an obvious turn out and hiked along the dirt roads which I took pictures of a couple months back. Only tackled about 1.5 miles...

Thursday & Friday were more duplicate hikes at Hueneme Beach and the Lighthouse.

In preparation for Whitney, I am failing miserably. As I write this post today, I have exactly 1 month before I strive for the summit. I'm holding a heavy weight of 222 pounds. This is no good as I stand at 5'10". Too much work, not enough activity, too much food, and beer?