This Life Therefore: Camino Day 5 --6/23/20

Mussel Shoals to Carpinteria (and back); lunch at Rincon Point.

Representing to Pola de Allende to Berbucedo

After having two bonus holidays thrown into the regular rest day rotation (J's birthday and Father's Day), we hit the trail again on Tuesday. Having walked the coast of Goleta and much of Carpinteria, on Day 5 we walked the stretch between Carpinteria and Mussel Shoals. For all twelve miles we listened to the sound of the waves.

This cool morning was the first time I've worn a jacket on our camino. It was also the first day that I struggled with the way we have to do our camino walking out-and-back--retracing our steps instead of making the progress that walking from one town to another would mark clearly.

I like to see progress. Today the camino-en-casa seemed a little bit fruitless. We did have fun walking together, though, the entire morning but especially as we walked from Rincon to Mussel Shoals. We have driven past the walk/bike path here hundreds of times on our drives south. Today we got to be "those people" using the protected trail next to Hwy 101 walking for the sake of walking.

Before too long, though, we took advantage of the low tide to take our walk down onto the sand.

I also got to snap a photo of J just after I suggested a harebrained scheme for next summer. As usual, he tried to find a way to engage it respectfully in spite of its apparent absurdity. The struggle was real. It was hilarious.

He really is often up for my crazy ideas. The camino in the first place was a bit of a reach; a substitute camino around Santa Barbara made perhaps even less sense. And yet here we are, logging the miles. I'm thankful. Thankful for the time together, to look ahead together; and that we are a team.

Southern turnaround point

Heading north again we found our way through the bluffs up to Tar Pits Park.

Making my own Camino arrows (in seeping tar) as we go

Tar seeps on the beach

Hike?

We came from the other direction; he hadn't seen the sign

We again had to turn and make our way back to the starting point (we parked our car in the middle again today so that we could reload on water mid-hike).

Um hi there silent train. Surprise!

I never knew this trail existed between Rincon and Carpinteria! It was a lovely walk connecting two parks. On the way back I missed a turn and we did a bit of extra walking before realizing we were stuck on the side of a hill at a paragliding launchpoint. We don't fly and needed to retrace our steps: a discouraging discovery at the end of a long walk. Trying to see that episode as just part of the walk instead of a waste/detour is a gift that J has and I'm trying to embrace.

Here's the trail!

Today was a day of putting one foot in front of another:

One foot in front of the other, my darling
Lift up your face so the sun can shine on it
Frailty is a friend who makes you sleep 'til the morning
The mountain is high but it's floating on the ocean

--"Palm Lines," Lowland Hum

We are frail, but we are being carried along. Even when it might feel like we're not getting anywhere much. And it's a beautiful journey!