After yesterdays hike through O’Melveny Park, California, I have a new found respect for the mountains and the desert. Of course I understand that we are always at the mercy of nature, but I found myself really tracking my paths while hiking. As gorgeous and as breath taking as the trails through these mountains were; I realize that one wrong turn or encounter with a wild animal could turn a peaceful hike into a potentially dangerous situation. Nonetheless, it was a peaceful hike indeed. To be able to see the vast acres spanned across the mountains is liberating in a way.
There were parts of the trail where you could see that there had recently been a brush fire. And yet there was nothing but shrubbery growing back through the ashes. Trees that seemed destroyed by the fire were blooming on the few branches that were spared by the blaze. I found a stream along the trail that flowed between where the earth had cracked and split in two. And it amazed me that, water, flowed in this dry desert-like climate. A reminder of how nature always finds a way to re-grow and sustain its balance.
When I started playing around with the idea of a blog, I honestly had no idea where to start. And now that I am here, writing my first blog post I realize.. that I’m still not quite sure where I am heading with this. But I mainly figured I’d start a blog to document and share all of the beautiful adventures that my four legged venture buddy, Juno, and I, Dee, go on daily. If it weren’t for her I’d probably be a potato, if we’re being honest. I hope you guys find as much peace in indulging in some of the pictures of each unique trail.
Since I can remember, all my family and I have done consistently is travel. So it was only a matter of time before I felt the buzzing of adventure underneath my feet. Last year I decided to make a change and move from the Mid-West to the West Coast. Without being exactly sure what I would find there, other than nice weather and overly glamorized stories of the city. Once I made it to the west coast, and the first couple of months it proved to be one of the hardest challenges I’ve had to experience. I admit, the move kept me in an unbalanced space for a very long time. Until I decided that I would do, what I do best, which is to go explore.
I’ve always found solace and balance in the outdoors. While I prefer to get lost in a forest, I’ve become very humbled by the desert as well. Juno and I have had several encounters with Rattlesnakes that have shook me to my core. But I realize I have to respect nature for what it is. We are in wild animal territory after all.
I almost didn’t make it to the park. I turned from the smooth, paved street onto a red dirt road, that was as narrow as to let one car pass at a time. I felt as if I were driving through a red forest. By the looks of it, it seemed as though the people living here had isolated themselves to this beautiful hidden place. Which I totally understand, as I too, was in search of solace between green paths and muddy narrow pathways.
As I was driving on this mud-forest street, a car comes towards me from the opposite direction. I pull to the side of the street to let them pass and ask them if the parking lot is farther up. Yes, they say. I keep driving for a couple of minutes at 10 mph as the street is proves to be muddier along the way. Another car comes the opposite direction of me, I slowly pull to the side and ask him if there is parking even further up. And he says “Yeah its really clean up there. Don’t worry you wont get stuck.” As he pulls away in his Giant Jeep x Extra Thick Tread Tires Outdoor Edition. Well great, I thought to myself. Either my tire is going to pop at some point or I will, in fact, get stuck. Just when I thought I may turn around, I turned the last corner and pulled into a perfectly clean, paved parking lot with a few open spaces.
It was still morning when I came out to hike. The paths were shaded and cool, still damp from last nights dew. I’ve never seen red earth before. It was dry, yet more mud-like than rock. Colorful birds I’d never seen before sang their bird songs in boastful delight, as the wind rustled the trees alongside the birds.
After climbing to an elevation of 2000 feet, it began getting harder and harder to catch my breath. I continued on for a little while longer, until I had finally reached the other side of the top of the mountain. After 2.5 hours of hiking, thinning air and the views turning from mountains and forests into an overview of the city; the sun was now in the middle of the sky, giving no mercy and little option for shade. I figured it would be best to start heading back.
As we were making our way up the mountain, gaining elevation with each step, I couldn’t help but continuously say “oh my god”. I was astonished, being able to witness some of the most beautiful views I’d ever seen. It was insane for me to realize how tiny of a speck we are as humans on this earth. And as always, it was a liberating feeling. To be up on such a high altitude, taking in the open vastness. All of it was beautiful. I felt like a tourist, pulling my phone out every other minute to capture a picture, but even the photo wouldn’t do the real life sight any justice. The varying sizes of rocks and mountains, all portraying their own shades of red and orange. I see why they call it Red Rock Canyon.
Once I had made my descend more than halfway down the mountain, I spotted a side trail that I decided to explore for a couple of minutes. It actually turned into another half an hour exploring of the side trail. The ground was a pastel red. It was decorated in bushes of wild sage and succulent-like trees. A little spring ran alongside the trail, though the trail was still as dry as the desert.
As I made my way back down, I encountered many others taking in the sights. All on a solo adventure of their own, pausing here and there to take a look over the edge. I wonder what goes through peoples minds when they stop and breathe for a moment and interpret everything around them while taking in what nature has to offer.
June at the topAttempting to climb a giant rockRed RockBeautiful TrailsAn overview halfway through the hike
Dusty Paws Wander 