Santa Cruz Chronicles - Just your average Saturday

08/18/12

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So far I’ve been in Santa Cruz for almost two weeks.  I already feel like I kind of know my way around town, not to mention the quickest ways to reach my destinations by car, bike, and foot.  Also, I can almost say that I’ve established some basic running routes, which (like ones I have back home) I’ll forever know how long they’ll take me to complete.  So far, there’s “North Harbor,” where I run along the coast (via East Cliff drive), past the Walton Lighthouse, near the northern tip of Monterey Bay, and back to my house via local surface streets.  There’s “Natty Bridges” (aka Natural Bridges), where I basically run to the end of West Cliff drive, and continue on the trail/street that winds around Natural Bridges state beach until it runs directly into the UC Santa Cruz Marine science buildings.  Then there’s “Forrest,” which is basically just me running up Bay street, onto the UC Santa Cruz campus and into the intermittent forrest trails where the deers roam and green is the only color you see.  Lastly, there’s always the “Pier” or “Wharf” run, in which I run down the coast alongside the ocean, to the end of the pier and back.  That run in particular is the shortest of my runs, and is particularly relaxing when I’m in the mood for solid views and an ocean breeze.

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Today was just your basic Saturday.  Except, the first of my housemates moved in, and we also had our washer & dryer installed.  Joy!  Washing my clothes in the comfort of our own home.  Who would’ve thought such a modern convenience could be so taken for granted!  Well, no more sketchy trips to the laundromat.  Although, it was getting to be quite the experience figuring out the minimal amount of quarters needed for one load to wash and one load to dry, and then having the town creepers asking if I needed any help.  Um, thank you, but (politely, of course) NO!  

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I’ve noticed that on weekends, there’s massive youth beach volleyball tournaments down by the Pier.  I think the tournament may be affiliated with some volleyball club teams or whatnot.  Even though I’m far more into running than I ever was into volleyball (in my volley days), I’m still very much intrigued by the sport, and will sometimes stop to watch a few rallies while on my run.  Some of the young kids are quite talented to say the least.  Similarly, many people walking along the bluffs right by the coast will stop to gander at the surfers out there catching waves near the old lighthouse and surf museum.  The waves surge into the coast line at the most bizarre angle, too.  It almost looks as though they’re going to run right into the cliff overlooking the water, but if you get right up along the edge, it’s easy to see that the waves are angled in such a way as to scoop them up, away from the rocks, and more towards the shoreline.

Until next time...