Much Needed Meditation

So, it was Sunday, I believe when I most recently hit the trails. Definitely a last minute decision. All morning I thought that I would go to the gym, but then suddenly changed my mind. And with that change of mind, I promptly drove up the coast, through Laguna Beach, and then headed up to Newport Coast where I parked my truck near Bommer Ridge.

My feet hit the dirt about 2:30pm. And though the weather was warm, it was not terribly so. It was comfortable enough to run, which I did for the first few miles -- of course those first few miles were mainly rolling hills in the downward fashion.

The route that I chose was mainly rolling hills with an overall decline for about 4.5 miles, where I landed myself on the sandy beaches called Crystal Cove. That of course meant that the climb-out was to begin. You can’t get much lower elevation than where my feet were planted at the time -- at the edge of the Pacific Ocean (which even after 53 years, I’m still in awe). It was a lovely picture -- lots of colorful umbrellas, glassy green waves pounding into the shore, with laughter and all around fun going on 180 degrees.

I chose something completely different for what seemed like my usual loop at this park. I usually take Moro (or El Moro) Canyon back to Bommer Ridge. But that route has the steepest climbing toward the end of the loop. And I do not appreciate steep climbs toward the end of my route (though I do it to myself again and again!). What I decided on Sunday was this: climb up BFI (which is very close to the coast) and make my way to Moro Ridge. That way, my steepest climb would be at about the halfway point, instead of toward the end. This minor change took the agony out of what in the past has been a grueling 10+ mile loop. Steep inclines are completely bearable, and even enjoyable when I take them on with strong legs. Steep climbs are miserable when I am fatigued. Let me tell you . . . it makes all the difference in the world to take the big ascents on strong legs (big climbs on weak legs is for the birds!)

In short, this 10.5 mile loop provided much needed meditation. I didn’t think much about anything. Instead, I just moved about in The Now.

10.5 miles, 1,467’ elevation gain

Route: No-Name Ridge (called something else at the start in Laguna Wilderness, but I don’t recall) / No-Dogs / route to Pacific Ocean / El Moro Cyn / BFI / El Moro Ridge / Missing Link / Boomer Ridge.