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Movin' down the road


Walk/bike path along the beach - Huntington Beach


Busy little sandpipers - Huntington beach




Pier - Huntington Beach



Dog Beach - Huntington Beach

First thing this morning I grabbed a little clementine and went over the road to Crescent Bay park. I sat and watched the ocean and listened to the seal lions on Seal rock - they were quite vocal this morning. (seals are quiet - sea lions are the vocal ones. Also a bit of trivia...dolphins are the only other mammals besides humans who mate for enjoyment....two or three times a day...no wonder they look like they have little smiles on their faces!!) Anyway once again I digress....a lady was doing some exercises at the viewpoint. She asked me if I'd like my picture taken (just had my little camera sitting beside me while I ate my clementine) so I said sure so she got three of me in different places - one by the Seal sculpture. It was great. She asked where I was staying so I told her and she is great friends with the owner.

I checked out and got on the bus to go down the road to Newport Beach. The designated nut case was on board. I thought he was a friend of the lady he got on board with and was ranting to her about his ex girlfriend. But no she got off (quite relieved I imagine) and he carried on ranting about her to everyone. Never a dull moment on the OCTA bus. Anyway got off at the Newport Channel Inn - I knew I was early and due to the marathon the place had been full...so they stored my stuff and I went to the cafe next door for coffee and toast.

I then got the next bus to Huntington Beach. I knew the start point for the walk was north on Main St. so I was three blocks up when I spotted a post office...so I went in holding the door for a lady with packages. Got a few stamps and as the lady and I were leaving I asked her if she knew how far Yorktown road was - well she said I am going that way I will give you a lift! So she did...it was great. The people here are so friendly - I am always having chats with people and am never lonely at all.

I signed in for the walk and stamped my books and took off. I already knew the 10km walk was out as no way did I want to walk what we had driven...BORING. Normal strip malls that are anywhere. So I followed the 5 km route with about 2 km extra....Anyway walked down to the beach and along the path - well here it was the dog beach. And you know how I'd hate that!!! I thought my face would split in two I had such a grin on my face. I might have to go back again it was so much fun to see such happy doggies. I carried on along the path and ran into a fellow on a bike loaded down with all sorts of saddlebags, etc. - turns out he was on his way back to Denver after 7 months of cycling down to Costa Rica and back. He had no problems in Mexico or Costa Rica until he got to San Diego and was robbed.

Lots of surfers out and about...hubba hubba. Nice young men in wetsuits - gotta love it. I nearly asked a couple of especially nice looking specimens if I could take their photo but chickened out.

I walked the length of the pier and back - in daylight this time. It was cloudy today but it made everything kind of misty and dreamy - very pretty. Huntington Beach has to be seen to be believed - the beach is beautiful and white and just goes on and on. Not the rocks or cliffs of my beloved Laguna Beach but pretty for what it is. Of course this time of year the beaches are pretty well deserted - it boggles the mind to think of the summer and all that space full of bodies. I prefer it now.

I then went to Wahoo's Fish Tacos and had a fish taco and a shrimp taco. I had been wanting to try a fish taco and it was very good. So that was lunch/supper.

Looked in the shops a bit but other than that not much going on...it's mainly the beach there. I then started walking on the path - got as far as Beach Boulevard and the path still carried on. I could not see a sidewalk along the highway and thought oh dear I had better stop now so turned back on the sidewalk and got the bus. Well turns out the path carries on and then over the bridge and into Newport beach and turns into a sidewalk. I could have walked back here! I am going to try and do that one day if I have time....

Checked into the motel. It is noisier than the other place as am closer to the highway so the ear plugs will be coming out tonight! However it is a very nice room - big with all the mod cons and a flat screen TV. (you have to understand I stay in hostels a lot so having my own bathroom and lots of room is absolutely a treat) Not that I am a TV person - all these channels and nothing on but politics, stupid reality shows and sports. YUCK. I have left the TV on and thought what crap is this and it was a show called "Love and Hip Hop". Geesh! I have enough going on in my life I don't need to watch someone else's trainwreck of a life.

I went over to the beach opposite and it goes on for quite a while so more beach walking coming up. I can see the Newport Pier in the distance....

What can I say, I am still loving it here.....

Tomorrow rain is predicted...typical weather for this time of year. The locals have been saying this is unusually warm for this time of year. No complaints from me - after three weeks of no sun in Europe I am appreciating good weather on a holiday!!!!

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