2/13/2016

The end was inevitable. I tried hard to prolong my journey but the remaining miles were in double digit numbers. Ventura had been a great host. We had plenty of rest in two hotels. I enjoyed shooting the breeze with Carlos of the Best Western Ventura. The beach vibe permeated the town and it helped put me into a chill mood. My mom remained at the Best Western while Crystal and I occupied the room at the neighboring hotel. Both places made us feel welcome and relaxed.

After a hearty calorie dense breakfast, I took to the road. I headed inland and hit acres and acres of agricultural land. After a few miles of flat running I crossed a canal and discovered a small Cal State University nestled in the hills. The hill turned into a mountain with each step...

1/24/2016

After many days of clear running weather, the inevitable happened. The wet streets shined from the slick hydration. Water hit my face from various angles and I took to the road with my new protective rain gear. My mom had purchased these army green Frog Toggs from a sporting goods store in anticipation of this day. I was thankful that she had literally prepared for a rainy day. The material felt thick and stiff but it did the trick. I originally planned my route through the mountain to avoid speeding vehicles in wet weather conditions. The mileage was higher but I thought it might have been safer. After running a bit on my route, Crystal and my mom called to convince me to take the shorter route. They didn’t feel it was safe for me to run through a slippery and muddy mountain...

1/19/2016

As I make tracks across my home state I am reminded of why I love this place. California has a little bit of everything for everyone. The old brick mission in San Miguel gave the town a Spanish feel. I ran through farmland yet again to get to the town of Paso Robles. I was running towards a known destination so the miles passed in a flash on the back roads. My mind was preoccupied as my feet moved. I thought a bit about what I was going to say to the kids at the Boys and Girls Club of Paso Robles. I planned to speak to kids of varying ages at the same time. It would be tricky because I had learned the attention span and interests of kindergarteners differed greatly from those of middle schoolers.

I had a quick lunch at Applebee’s before rushing over to The Boys and Girls Club...