With yoga pants and running shoes on, and a bottle of water in my hand, I head for the trail to walk anywhere from 2.5 to 5 miles on the Portuguese Bend Reserve.
At 6:08 am, the path appears empty and gloomy with the heavy marine layer blocking the view of the sea. Downhill on Burma Road, a firebreak route along The Portuguese Bend, my mind races faster than my feet. A job naturally takes the mind from itself, onto the task at hand. In the absence of employment, I have to work extra hard to stay focused. That’s one of the reasons I chose to hike every day, to exercise my senses as much as my body, and give my mind a rest.
View of the Reserve the Eagle Nest Trail
I observe the layers of superficial sediments on the wall on my left, the reason why the Portuguese Bend Reserved is protected from construction. The canyon goes from the end of Crenshaw Blvd at 700 ft over sea level past Palos Verdes Dr. South to the ocean. I feel for vibrations under my feet. Will the ground suddenly slide from under me? Not today. My nose brings the scent of the coastal sage and my ears the peacocks’ mating calls downhill towards Narcissus Drive.
At the top of the Eagle Nest Trail, on my favorite spot, I sit down to meditate on the past week, what I have learned. Distractions will happen, but with specific goals and a clear plan of action, I’ve managed to continue editing my book and developing a marketing strategy for it. When I finished, the fog has dissipated and I can finally see a cargo ship crossing the channel. Morning has fully broken.
Look out point at the top of the Eagle Nest Trail
With determination, I go back up hill taking pictures flowers, their colors greeting me sparsely on the trail and abundantly on the street on my way home.
Black-eyed Susan
