38 and counting

Heading west from Phoenix, AZ, the city we affectionately dubbed 'the oven', to the California coast, the cool, crisp Pacific breeze greeted us as we jumped on board the Island Adventure to go explore Channel Islands National Park.  A visit to Santa Cruz Island marked the 38th National Park we have adventured in!  The day started with an hour boat ride from Ventura, CA to Santa Cruz Island, 20 miles off the coast.  As soon as we left the hustle and bustle of the mainland, we were met with the beauty of an abundance of marine life, including sea lions, seals, and humpback whales.  The boat docked at the island and immediately we felt a sense of solitude and relaxation.  We had only 5 hours to explore the island to be back in time to catch the boat back to mainland, so we hustled along and hit the trails!  No sooner than we left a busy boat full of school field trips and other visitors, that we were 'alone' on the island and hiking by ourselves.  It was amazing to not see many others the entire day as we explored the bluffs and caves of Santa Cruz.  This was a fabulous way to take a break from driving and stretch our legs.  We are heading up to Oregon from here...Pacific Northwest here we come!

Safe travels...Kate and Tracy