Caliventure 2K17

The orange that streaks the sky when the sun is setting over the Pacific is my favorite color. I had shared this with Jacob one night during our tropical winter - in case you're curious, tropical winter refers to the winter of 2016-17 where we wore party story Hawaiian leis everywhere to help bring some faux sunshine to a long Wisconsin winter.

Tropical Winter 2K17

With this fact in mind, Jacob recommended we take a trip out to Southern California so we could enjoy a Pacific sunset together and I could show him all my favorite spots from the time I lived there. The trip got off to an auspicious start when a missing debit card was cancelled and then found under the suitcase, but the rest of the trip was a complete and total success. Day 1: Jacob's introduction to surfing culture - which is a real thing! We drove down to Huntington Beach to enjoy the waves and meet some friends for lunch. The day ended with an Angels game. And yes, there were Angels in the outfield, the infield, the dugout…

Day 2: Go Beach! We walked around my alma mater, featuring the big blue Pyramid where I cheered for the Long Beach State basketball and volleyball teams. The day also included a kayaking excursion, some fresh young coconuts, a hike around Dana Point, and ***drum roll please*** Jacob's first Pacific sunset in San Clemente.

Day 3: Newport shenanigans. We took the Balboa ferry, straight to the fun zone! After a lovely Ferris wheel interlude, we enjoyed the beach, and rented bikes to cycle to Newport pier. The day may have been cloudy, but the day was all smiles and sunshine.

Day 4: The grand finale. For our last day in So Cal, we ventured over to Crystal Cove. After a hike with an uphill climb that never seemed to end, we were rewarded with beautiful views and then hung out on the beach for the afternoon. Perhaps, more sunscreen was in order. We also stumbled into a place with magnificent margaritas and ended the day with one last Pacific sunset.