Big Laguna, Monument Peak Loop

Two hour drive... I started dreading it on Friday evening. Less than a year it would have been a normal drive to a hiking spot, somewhere in Yosemite or Kings Canyon probably. But now it seemed  like a long long drive. I guess you get used to good things quite easily and quickly. Yet, with the help of my friend, I decided to go.

I took the highway through Julian, a small town in North San Diego County that is famous for its pies. It was very early in the morning, so I did not get a chance to stop by to get a taste of what they've been bragging about. Next time...

The drive was rather boring and foggy in some areas. I reached the trailhead and was pleasantly surprised by the cool temperatures. Indeed, it was 59 degrees. The air was so fresh and crispy, and right at 8.06 AM, as the group leader promised, we started the Big Laguna Mountain Loop Trail hike.

The first part of the hike was on a narrow trail covered on both sides with healthy vegetation. I was glad I wore pants. Very soon we came to an open meadow, still green since there was a large pond at the base of it. It looked so peaceful and serene that I wanted to stop for a few minutes and just stare at this untouched beauty.

The group kept going, so we needed to keep up. Another meadow, this one filled with lounging cows, came next. One of the cows stood out to us. Look at those lashes! Naively, I hoped that this cow would live a long life. It's sad that humans raise animals for slaughter, but it saddens me even more when cows are stuck in a tiny fenced dirt-filled area with multiple stalls. This cow appeared to be happy (for the time being) and healthy grazing in the field filled with delicious grass.

As we continued hiking, the trail started to go uphill. The rocky ground did not make is easy, but soon enough we reached our first view of the land below and it was gorgeous!

As the climb continued, we finally started to get a better idea where we were at - on the right side there was Anza Borrego Desert State Park, sandy and yellowish-brown, and on the left side Cleveland National Forest, green and luscious. What an odd landscape!

We stopped at two of the peaks and started our descent along an undefined path. Eventually, we found the trail and finished the hike around 1.30 PM with a total of 11.5 miles and 1,500 ft elevation gain.

Mount Baldy via Devil's Backbone Trail

I wanted to do this hike for a while, and was waiting until there are no more reports of snow on the top of the mountain. Mount Baldy via Devil's Backbone trail is not an easy one. Well, let's be honest here, it is the second toughest hike I have ever done after Alta Peak.

It started out pretty good with slow and steady elevation gain. In the early morning, parts of the trail are still fully shaded, so it was nice to feel cool at least at some portions of the hike.

The elevation started to be felt almost right away. Usually pretty energetic in the first few miles, I felt out of breath at times due to higher elevation. I remembered how thin air gets closer to 8 to 10,000 ft, but the hike was worth it. The views were incredible from the very beginning.

Sap was flowing from the fur trees, seeping onto the cones and shining in the sun. It looked like they were covered in ice.

I soon came across a restaurant that was near the ski lift. It was too early for it to be open, but their bathrooms were fabulous!

The next section was brutal and straight uphill. It seemed like minutes were dragging like hours. My legs were killing me, and were weren't even half way there!

On the picture it looks almost flat, but angle it at about 45-50 degrees, and you'll understand my pain...

Finally, we were on top of the first hill only to be greeted by another section with more elevation gain. The hike was supposed to gain almost 4,000 ft from top to bottom, and I felt it.

The views distracted from how tough this hike was.

The last section of the climb was another brutal one. At some point I thought I ran out of water, but decided to finish hiking to the top. Heck, I've gone that far, I had to finish!

Luckily, as I reached the top I realized I had more water than I had thought. I ate my delicious granola bar (that was even more delicious after such exercise) and headed down. I thought for the first time that I would like to camp right there. How amazing would it be to wake up 10,000 ft above the sea level. Will add this to my bucket list...

The way down is usually much easier, but not in this case. The trail became very steep covered in sand so that traction on my boots was barely keeping up from letting me slide down the hill. My knees were angry from constant impact, and my muscles begged for a break. But noooo! I wanted to get down, and so I did.

First Time in Seattle - Day 4

My last full day in Seattle was meant to be less hectic. I started my morning with a cup of cappuccino and a vegan sandwich that for some reason I had to wait for a long time. Patience... Patience...

I took the train to Seattle Needle and headed north to Kerry Park, a tiny piece of land that you hardly can even call a park, maybe a small square, at best. The view from this little spot was quite spectacular...

I then took an Uber to Discovery Park, a real park this time with a hiking trail! I enjoyed walking along the dirt pathway, something that I have missed in Seattle. I am glad that even big cities have a small piece of land that is still devoted to nature. While it was within 10-15 minutes from Downtown Seattle and still packed with people, I could see myself getting lost there without seeing a soul for a while, especially on a Monday afternoon. 534 acres of beauty!

Old lighthouse

I later checked out another highly recommended destination Golden Gardens Park. While I wasn't as blown away by it, it was a nice beach destination for the locals. In the meantime, I explored the neighborhoods as I refused to take Uber and opted for walking... well, and eating... and more eating...

I was so tired that I decided to grab a smoothie and sandwich and get an Uber on the way home. My Uber ride turned out to be pretty unique. The driver just kept picking up other people on the way to my destination. An hour and a half later, I finally got to my AirBnb and was happy to take a shower. I wonder if anyone has spent in an Uber 1.5 hours...

My trip was coming to an end. While I enjoyed my time in Seattle, I can't say I fell in love with it like I did with San Diego or Southern California. My next trip in the area would be Mt. Rainier, and this time no city life, just hiking and hopefully cabin living :)

First Time in Seattle - Day 3

Sunday started with a pre-scheduled tour with Argosy Cruises, the fifth and last part of the CityPASS package. I arrived relatively early and was pleasantly surprised how few people were there for the first tour of the day. I finally picked the right time to enjoy an attraction, early in the morning (although it was not that early, the tour was leaving at 9.25 AM).

My overall experience was good. For one hour the guide shared with us some history of Seattle and elaborated on the importance of the ports to the economy. I thought it was time well-spent.

Mt. Rainier, not often seen from Seattle because of the weather

I then took an Uber to a brunch and met a few nice women. I later stopped by Seattle Japanese Garden. I can't say it was worth the $8, but since it was right in the Washington Park Arboretum, I couldn't just skip it.

I found dozens of colorful fish swimming in the pond and a few man-made waterfalls.

After half an hour at the Japanese Garden, I headed north towards the main part of Washington Park Arboretum. There is a nice paved trail both for cyclers and hikers (well, walkers, really...) along the whole north-south length of the park. It was really hot, and the pathway was primarily exposed, so I took multiple breaks and finally reached the end of the path by the water. Dozens of boats, kayaks, jet ski passed by...

I decided to check out Marsh Island across a long bridge pathway.

Marsh Island was indeed marshy. Most of the trail was muddy and slippery. It was rather peaceful there. I guess not many people venture out into the mud...

I finished my day having walked another 10 miles, but in the heat it felt like 20. Coffee, a takeout dinner and an average tiramisu dessert completed the day as I rested in my Airbnb peacefully.