by Liz

Our seventh and last rest day of the trip has been spent beside the sand dunes of Oxnard. They are ten steps from our bedroom door and just over the top of them we can see the sea, from an unusual vantage point as it’s at eye level – the house is a few feet lower than the beach.

We started the day with a swim. Well at any rate, we went in up to our knees and the waves crashed over us spraying us with freezing water. It didn’t look terribly safe or inviting so after what we thought was a reasonable time being sprayed, we retreated, and found a plate of baked goodies outside our front door, left by our host with a friendly Good Morning message. 

We went out for breakfast, as is our tradition on rest days, and enjoyed hot croissants outside the local surfers cafe. On the way home we found sea lions barking and playing in the marina and spotted a little hummingbird having its breakfast.

Today’s main pleasure was welcoming Philip’s school friend Aran and his partner Beth for lunch. They came laden with gifts of local wine, English chocolates and interesting startery things like puffed waterlily seeds, a first for all of us. The table tucked beside the dunes made an elegant setting for a feast with friends and we shared the goodies from our host and enjoyed the lines of pelicans that flew over us. Along the beach, the nearby park marked on the map turned out to be a restricted access zone with rocks and a shipwreck but we saw graceful terns diving on the other side.

I’m writing this sitting in a rocking chair looking out at the dunes. Philip has carried a chair to the top of the steps leading to the beach so he has a beautiful view of the ocean in the evening sun. At the end of this gentle day we have leftovers for our supper, a sunset to watch in an hour and a 68 mile day to prepare for tomorrow, with the added lure of dinner out with friends I’ve not seen for 38 years.

Additional notes

Rest day in Oxnard, Ventura county, CA.

Weather: Cool, overcast. Sunny later on.

Things we did: We attempted to swim. I called my mother. I had a long chat with Jenny after breakfast while Philip washed the bikes. I wrote up yesterday’s journal. Aran and Beth came to lunch. Afterwards we walked down to the sea then along the road to find a park marked on the map, that did not exist. Wandered back along the beach. We showed them the bikes and they left about 5.30pm. Philip had a sleep and I wrote my journal and the blog. Philip sat on a chair he lifted to the top of the steps so he could see the sea better. I left Helen C a voice note. Watched the sunset on the beach.

Breakfast: Delicious, toasted croissants at the Strandwich, a surfers’ café.

Lunch spot: On the terrace outside our bedroom beside the dunes, a feast of good food and company.

Lunch, made by Philip: Macaroni cheese with big tomatoes. Strawberries with Ben and Jerries chocolate mousse pie ice cream and the baked goods left by our host. Dinner: Leftovers. Mango, banana and yogurt for pudding.

Wildlife: Pelicans flew over the beach and sea frequently. Sea lions at the marina. A hummingbird feeding in a front garden on the way home from breakfast. Beautiful terns were feeding on the other side of the restricted zone. One dived vertically into the sea and out again.

Plants: Just the ones in front gardens.

Things we saw: A shipwreck.

People we spoke to or saw: Aran and Beth. Such good company.

Incidents: The headache I had yesterday was still hanging around in the morning but it cleared up during the afternoon and I was relieved to be feeling fine again by evening. A failed attempt to swim – it was far too rough. The surfers’ café did not serve tea! Tension in the camp this morning, fine later. The BBC headline is that anti-immigration protests in LA, where we’re heading tomorrow, are being dealt with harshly. Aran and Beth’s train to get here was cancelled and they had to take an Uber, a two-hour journey! We set out to find a park on the map and instead found ourselves in a restricted access area with big rocks, a shipwreck and a vandalised sign. Preparing for tomorrow’s 68-mile ride with dinner out at the end of it, and wondering if the troubles in LA will affect our plans.

Shopping: None.

Accommodation: Our little house on the beach.

Today’s sound: Sea lions in the marina.

Today’s smell: Coffee at breakfast.

Special moments: Woke at 7.45am! to find Debbie’s blog comment about her childhood memory of hummingbirds hovering to drink from her mother’s cocktail. Finding a plateful of baked goods with a note that read ‘Good morning!’ on the bench outside the back door. Aran and Beth’s visit. They arrived with a rucksack packed with thoughtful gifts including Bendicks chocolates from the UK. I hope they were interested because between us we told them everything about our trip so far! I really liked them both, especially Beth who was a treat, very natural and sweet. Feeling better again – realising after they left that my headache had gone. Getting some rest today. Writing in a rocking chair in front of the doors looking out over the dunes. Watching the sunset.

Positive experience from my journal: Liking Beth so much.

Appreciation from my journal: Enjoying today’s conversation.

Social media reply from Francisca Blackman: ‘I believe you can put all your experiences in a book!’