Gaviota State Park to El Capitan Beach State Park
August 24: Santa Barbara County Gaviota State Park to El Capitan Beach State Park. 11.8 miles We were joined again by Mike Lunsford, retired State Parks Ranger, who acted as guide. We left Gaviota State Park under a clear sky and with very calm seas. For the first time on our journey, we were heading east,…
El Capitan Beach State Park to the Goleta Pier
August 25: Santa Barbara County El Capitan Beach State Park to the Goleta Pier. 14.4 miles This morning we met our leader, Rob Almy, after we had already begun walking along the bike path in our camp at west end of El Capitan Beach toward the east, where we would have an access point down the…
Goleta Pier to East Beach.
August 26, Santa Barbara County Goleta Pier to East Beach. 10 miles Note from yesterday: sometime in the late afternoon as we reached the University of California campus, we began our 900th mile of this journey. Today was to be a lazy day with plenty of leisurely beach walking. However, it didnt start out that way.…
East Beach to Punta Gorda (Oil Island)
August 27: Santa Barbara County East Beach to Punta Gorda (Oil Island). 15.0 miles Last night the sun went down over land. We are indeed walking easterly now. At Carpinteria State Beach, we stayed in the “Bike and Hike” section of the park, which meant that we were unable to drive our van and trailer near…
Punta Gorda (Oil Island) to the Ventura Pier.
August 28: Ventura County Punta Gorda (Oil Island) to the Ventura Pier. 11.7 miles After spending the night at Emma Woods Group Camp, which is situated between the railroad tracks and the freeway, we went with our day leader Burt Elliott back to Punta Gorda to start our days walk. (We were to be joined…
Ventura Pier to Port Hueneme Pier
August 29: Ventura CountyVentura Pier to Port Hueneme Pier. 16.0 miles We started at the Ventura Pier and immediately detoured out onto it. At the end of the pier is a plaque honoring Don and Edna Mills for their work in helping to get the pier restored. Don is an active Coastwalker and one of the…
Pier at Port Hueneme to Thornhill Broome State Park
August 30, Ventura County Pier at Port Hueneme to Thornhill Broome State Park. 15 miles Shortly after our start, again with day leader Burt Elliott, we stopped at the recently completed memorial to the victims of the Alaskan Airlines disaster near Anacapa Island. Then we started along the broad beach, with firm sand due to…
Layover day in McGrath State Park
August 31: Ventura County McGrath State Park. Layover day Our day of rest and each successive one more precious than the last. As usual, laundry is a must-do chore for this day; laundromats see a surge in business as the Expedition passes through. By now the walkers are anticipating these days and trying to maximize…
Thornhill Broome State Park to El Matador State Beach.
September 1, Ventura/Los Angeles County Thornhill Broome State Park to El Matador State Beach. 11 miles Our start with Burt Elliott was under overcast skies at Thornhill Broome. After a short walk along first cobbley and then sandy beach, we took to our old friend Highway One, known locally as the Pacific Coast Highway or the…