30% to $195! (hiking all stars cont.)

So we're now $58 in to our $195 spend on the California State Parks Annual Pass.  Mind you, this is $58 in 11 days!!!  Something tells me we're going to FAR exceed our $195 into the pass (and have many awesome stories along the way).

Added parks to gush about:

Topanga State Park (http://www.nps.gov/samo/planyourvisit/topanga.htm):

Topanga is beautiful.  Actually, that's an understatement.  The miles of views looking toward the ocean are breathtaking and the terrain is that of a hike in Arizona.  The paths are paved just enough to make you feel comfortable - but not make you feel like a weakling. There were definitely times we were "off roading" on some unpaved paths and even came across a section where there was a mountain lion trap (we're so badass).  It was the first time on one of these hikes my heart skipped a beat a bit.  It was 4:15 PM and we were 1,000 feet down - in which we trail ran to get there.  We had a long ways to go and the sun was looking to disappear, so we hiked it!  1,000 feet up to be exact.  Over a mile and 1/3 straight up.  We were sweaty and defeated, as we saw no waterfall but felt SO good about the work out we got, the photos we took and the awesome time we had together.

 Lots of cool photos to be taken!

 Gorgeous views for miles and miles...

 LOTS OF INCLINE!!

Not so amateur any more!

Crystal Cove State Park (http://www.crystalcovestatepark.com/):

How lucky am I?  I return from a hair appointment early in the am on Saturday to a pre-planned state park jaunt w my SPPIC (state park partner in crime) for a lovely Saturday afternoon.  Now we've hit El Moro many times (the upper canyon a bit farther south from Crystal Cove) but never hit the lower trails by the beach.  Ian really knew how much I wanted to get my "steps in" because with all this state parkin'...I'm on a 9 day streak at this point (and now, writing this - up to an 11!)  The lower trails were very nice, flat and really good for a recovery day - meaning a day in which you finish Topanga State Park less than 24 hours prior and your booty needs a bit of a break.  The trails are DOG FRIENDLY because they're paved and you can use the stairs down to the beach very easily.  There are beautiful tide pools to climb over, awesome places to take photos and had we had a packed lunch - we could have found great places to hang out and just enjoy the scenery.  We saw a California seal pretty close up on a rock right next to us which was very cool.  The entire trail from parking to end, down to the beach and back up was about 2.5 miles.  A shorter one than we're used to but one of my favorites so far for it's simplicity and ease.

 Crystal Cove'in it

 Ian is such a natural behind the lens :)

 Can you see the seal in the distance?

 Again, what an eye...

Tidepools!  So cool even though I fell in one haha

TOTAL $ TO THE PASS SO FAR: $58!!

Feeling so good leading into the NEW YEAR!

Hiking all stars!

So, 2015 is stacked up to be a great year.  With the annual pass to all the California State Parks Ian got me for my birthday, we're on a mission.  Not only on a mission to get the $195 worth of parking, but on a mission to see and experience new and interesting things in nature via the CSP's!  This weekend was the start of what I imagine is a whole bunch of nature hikes and new steps we'll be getting in during the new year!

Torrey Pines State National Reserve (http://www.torreypine.org/):

What a beaut!  Lots of little inter-winding trails which lead you everywhere, down to the ocean and large cliffs.  There are some stairs, some hidden tree tunnels and lots of ways to go from trail to trail, which is unique as this isn't always the case with state park trails.  The views of the ocean were expansive and vast.  They seemed to go on for days.  I could have just sat and watched the ocean forever. Definitely will be returning to Torrey Pines again this up coming year.

Palomar Mountain State Park (http://www.palomarsp.org/):

So after a day at Torrey Pines, needless to say - we were ready for a cocktail...and another, and another.  Downtown San Diego is just too fun! So little sleep and a bit of a headache made me just want to eat a big brunch and go shopping but my counterpart was my main motivation (awesome!) to get some more steps in at another state park.  Since we were down in San Diego, we decided to check out Palomar Mountain.  SUPER AWESOME and super cold!  haha  We went all the way to the top via the paved road and parked in the state parking lot (bam, another $15 credited to our 'bank' and deducted from our pass money), and set foot on the trail.  I had two jackets on but when I embarked on the Boucher Lookout trail (which was inclined pretty nicely) I got down to a tank top - even though it was 44 degrees.  The views were expansive, the highest I've been in Southern California.  The sun was gleaming on the ocean far in the distance, it was dubbed "God's Golden Shores" in our mind and made us realize that this indeed was heaven on earth.  We saw deer and birds and descended down the mountain via the Nate Harrison Road (which only EXTREME utility vehicles can go down - as they put it).  Good thing we had the Tacoma!  It was one of the more amazing things I've done in a long time.  Sun was setting at the perfect moment, hangover gone as I had hiked it out on the trail and the second state park had wow'd us beyond expectation.  Bring on 2015!

TOTAL $ TOWARD OUR YEARLY PASS = $28!  WOO HOO!