I Saw the Pacific Ocean!
Today was quite a bit different from yesterday...hehehe I didn't climb any mountains...LOL I attempted to go to Azusa Wilderness Park. However, when I got to the road it is on, the road was closed. I'm unlikely to attempt going again on this trip. I'm leaning toward the Arboretum for Sunday. But I'm unsure of even that. It is going to be hotter this weekend I think. Hotter than hot seems like an indoor kinda of day...LOL
Since Azusa Wilderness Park didn't work out, I set my sights on seeing how easy it was to get to Union Station. It was super easy to get to...hehehe I had concerns about driving into LA. I don't normally like to drive into major cities. Well, it wasn't too bad for me. Once I got to Union Station, I decided to drive by The Last Bookstore to get a feel for the area it is in. I didn't have any issues driving through that part of the city either. The city didn't seem very busy today. There weren't even a lot of people walking around. I noticed some of the parking areas around this part as well. It doesn't seem as bad as I thought it might be for me. It felt sort of like Indianapolis. It isn't totally the same...but I think I could manage it if I live here.
After driving by The Last Book Store, I set my sights on Santa Monica Pier. I really wanted to see the Pacific Ocean for the first time on this trip. I was able to get there pretty quickly and I was able to park right there next to the pier. As I approached, I was able to see the ocean. I was really happy to get to see it from the road...hehehe I almost decided to skip the pier because my only goal was to see the ocean...LOL But then I realized the pier was right there...so why not?!?...hehehe
The pier was crowded. And it was chilly...LOL I had to wear my jacket. I am so glad I brought it. I would have been too cold to enjoy it otherwise. It was so weird. Back near the hotel, it was around 90. At the ocean, it was 69. The cool breeze off of the water made it feel even chillier. When the sun came out, it felt better. But it was mostly overcast. So the sun didn't make much of an appearance there...hehehe
After I snapped some photos of the ocean, I had lunch at MariaSol. It's a Mexican restaurant near the end of the pier. I went with the Baja Fish Tacos. They were pretty good and I'd recommend them. The view from there wasn't great. I think that's because it wasn't on the edge of the pier. There is still part of the pier beyond the restaurant where people can gather. So the view was a sea of people...LOL
After lunch, I walked around the pier to take some photos and videos. With the hazy overcast weather, the photos weren't great. I didn't even take out my mirror-less camera. I just used my iPhone. I went down onto the beach and took some photos and videos under the pier. That was pretty cool. I had never been under a pier before...hehehe As I was on the beach, I realized my neck was being exposed to the UV rays. So I put my hoodie up. I looked like a thug...LOL That's when I got my thug mug out of there...hehehe
I went back to my hotel to recenter myself after driving around so much. I was doing fine. I just needed to take a moment to decide what I wanted to do next without trying to do so while driving. After the disappointment of Azusa Wilderness Park being closed, I just used speech to navigate on my Apple CarPlay and went where it navigated me to...hehehe So, it was time to get back to basecamp and regroup...hehehe
This is when I decided I wanted to redeem my teekit! For those wondering, a teekit is Dodgers merch I get as the result of a series sweep. I won't always do so when they sweep. But I wanted it to be a part of this trip if they accomplished a sweep near the trip. Well, they swept the Chicago White Sox last week. So I got a teekit! I went to Montclair Place so I could go to JC Penny. I ended up getting a nice polo shirt. I also picked up a nice Stetson hat to go with the shirt so I can wear it on my LA adventure with Chérie tomorrow. So I also have a new hat to go in my collection. Note, it is not a Dodgers hat. I didn't want to get a ball cap for my polo shirt...hehehe It would have looked fine. But that isn't my look. Maybe my next teekit will be a t-shirt and then I'll get a ball cap...hehehe I may end up getting a ball cap anyway, though. I do like those.
After the mall, I ended up at Uncle Tim's Thai House for dinner. The food was incredible! I'll probably do a separate post after my trip to showcase my dining experiences. But I thought I'd mention it now because that was part of this day...hehehe
Overall, it was another wonderful day. The only draw back really was the air quality was horrible. It was hazy most of the day and my sinuses were out of wack. I had tears in my eyes all day...hehehe And it wasn't from crying...LOL My sinuses were like, Gggrrreeeggg...what did you do?!? This is different than my allergies, though. It has been weird today. I wonder how locals do with this air. I'm glad I don't have asthma. I can't imagine what that would be like on a day like this! I do wonder if I would need medicated eye drops if I lived here...
I'm really excited about tomorrow! I'm meeting up with Chérie at Union Station and we will hit a few spots in the city. We will do Walt Disney Concert Hall and The Last Bookstore. I'm not sure if we'll do anything after the bookstore. Apparently the bookstore is an entire set of experiences itself...hehehe If time and energy permits, perhaps we'll check out Little Tokyo? Or maybe just call it a day after. The great thing is that we get to spend the time together. Our separate journeys in this life will be in parallel for a moment. We share our separate experiences often. But this one will be together, in person. I really love that.
The Dodgers just won against the Brewers! The start of another series sweep? And another teekit while I'm here? Here's hoping!!!
This adventure isn't going by quickly. I've managed to keep it slow and I'm enjoying every single moment. It helps that I haven't jam packed my schedule...hehehe I'm accepting ever moment as it happens and embracing what comes. I've never done this on a trip before. I'm at the half way point now. Only half! Wow! All of my past adventures seemed to go by so quickly. I also think it helps that I am taking the time to write about it. I'm not being exhaustive in my journal. But I am including enough to remember the importance of it all.
I leave you now with this hymn I sang on my drive today. May it Bless you in the way it did me today...
Take My Life
Take my life and let it be
Consecrated, Lord, to Thee
Take my moments and my days
Let them flow in ceaseless praise
Take my hands and let them move
At the impulse of Thy love
Take my feet and let them be
Swift and beautiful for Thee
Take my voice and let me sing
Always, only, for my King
Take my lips and let them be
Filled with messages from Thee
Take my silver and my gold
Not a mite would I withhold
Take my intellect and use
Every power as You choose
Here I am
All of me
Take my life
It's all for Thee
Take my will and make it Thine
It shall be no longer mine
Take my heart, it is Thine own
It shall be Thy royal throne
Take my love, my Lord
I pour at Your feet its treasure store
Take my self and I will be Ever, only, all for Thee
Take my self and I will be
Ever, only, all for Thee
Here I am
All of me
Take my life
It's all for Thee