North Torrey Pines

On Sunday I had a long walk at North Torrey Pines. Becoming more and more americanized it has been some time since I took a walk. Still foot-disabled but yearning for some activity I decided to take a long walk. I also ate too much so it was a good idea to walk it off. 

At first confused about where to go, Mission Beach, The Cove, La Jolla Shores, Encinitas, I decided to take advantage of the free and available parking spot I already possessed at TSRI. Falling out the lab I took a turn north on North Torrey Pines Road along the scenic route passing young golfers busy with their tournament into the Torrey Pines State Reserve. 

This Park is relatively small but pretty and the planners did a wonderful job designing the trails in serpentines, so one would walk a long trail by actually covering only a small distance. I was amazed by all the joggers that did not only take the challenge to climb up the steep hill to the reserve but were also running under the burning sun. On the look out for ever new wild flowers and warmed by the sun I made my way down to the beach. 

At first I doubted that I could make my way back to the Gliderport at the shore because the tide was high, but as always there was a hidden way that opened up just around the corner. So I took of my shoes and stepped into the cooling ocean to make my way back.

All the locals might know that between Torrey Pines and the Gliderport is Black's Beach. For all the non-locals, this is a nude beach (or clothing optional). Making my way towards the nudes an older man comes up to me to warn me of what to expect and recommending to watch the ocean and not the population at the beach. To his guess there were mainly homosexuals. I told him, that I would not think so, being hit on at this beach (fully clothed or in a bathing suit) a few times before. Now he probably felt bad, because he suddenly realized that I might think he was also hitting on me, but maybe that were only my thoughts. Because of my previous experience at the beach, a bunch of naked man walking up to me to talk, asking for pictures and even giving me and my friend a miniature american flag as a souvenir, I never even anticipated that Black's Beach was mainly used by the gay community. For me the majority of visitors there were old naked man hitting on young girls (the majority of people there are indeed male). But who knows what that old men's experience was. Because I grew up in East Germany, which enjoys the prejudice that everybody is a nudist swimmer, I would not really mind the nudes. Also I am pleasantly surprised to find such a thing as a nudist beach in a country that lists people as sex offenders so easily. However, not in the mood for any nudist chatters I took the old men's advice and watched the ocean instead.  

When I arrived at the Gliderport I had to take the challenge of climbing up the cliff. When I just wanted to climb up, two teenage boys made their way down, gesticulating and vocalizing that they were happy to still be alive. I remembered the first time I made my way down there, turning around after 80% of the trail because I was too scared to make the rest. Full of awe I admired the surfers that maneuver not only themselves down these steep cliffs but also their boards. However, this day I had to go up, which is challenging on the physical strength but requiring less virtuoso balancing. Still I had to use my forelegs a number of times to make it up the hill and finally arise red-headed on top. 

Happy because of having used my time so elegantly I returned to my premium parking spot to drive home to relax from my venture.