Take Off Tuesday to Malibu

I take the 5 Freeway to the 134 West until the 101 North. I just want to be on the beach. I have my surfboard, ice chest, and tent.

I left Pico Rivera, Calif. and 1.5 hours later I made it to Sycamore Canyon Campground that is settled in the Santa Monica Mountains off PCH in Ventura County.

Canyon- Campground- Beach

I set up camp and head to the beach. My cousins are there, about 12 deep.  I spot them chilling under a few umbrellas with drinks in hand. I feel like I am walking into a commercial.

It is a slice of prime shoreline on the Pacific Ocean, the sand softer and rich in dark tones.

If you come out early in the morning while the fog rests in the canyon I feel like I am in Iceland. The pictures I've seen show black sand and cold water with white spray.

I dive in this morning. A rush of sensational fills all holes in my body and I close my eyes underneath the surface. I am weightless and blind in that moment.

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A small sandy bluff into some rocky terrain and then you hit the parking lot that sits against the canyon cliffs.

Sycamore Canyon host 51 camping sites with about 5 restroom facilities. The beach is a short walk under a tunnel. The hiking trails to the west lead into a barren burnt landscape from a past fire. The paths are challenging as the inclines steepen quickly.

Charcoal gray, white, red, and splashes of green come alive from the slow growth of sprouting bush. New beige and rust colored bark expose through the black branches.

My cousin Kaelynn, Jess and I gain elevation over a hill and start up a trail that expands only two feet wide. We relish in the accomplishment of making it up the trail to the peak.

A high ridge overlooking the sea, it reminds me of Baja California, Mexico. I am in Malibu I remind myself.

The fog and sun hold hands. They take turns gracing us over the course of three days.  I enjoy the two naps I get in the sand. My cousin quickly fills my time with sandcastles, Frisbee, and jumping in the waves.

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Bike rides, campfires, and good food, this is a summer vacation I could get used to. Short walks in the morning along the shore followed by meditation sessions.  The sand is a soft gritty kind. This is the type of observation I notice these days after being too so many beaches. I like the quality overall.

FRESH FRUIT

CHORIZO CON FRIJOLES

RIBS & TRI-TIP

PANDULCE

HUMMUS & VEGGIES

FRESH VEG FROM COUSINS GARDENS

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     A three-day two night is just what the doctor ordered. Sycamore Canyon is a great getaway, 20 miles north of Santa Monica, Calif.  Turn off the phone and turn on the adventure!!!