Asbestos..........Free!!

Good afternoon!!

We just got back from our hike at Crystal Cove State Park in Laguna Beach! The trails we followed are highlighted in pink on the map. It was a 3-mile loop :)

This hike was rigorous from the start! No joke - the first half was all uphill!! We reached altitudes of 400 feet. And people were crazy enough to bike it. There were quite a few more people on the trails than we're used to, but they were all very nice!

Luckily the second half (Poles Trail) was a steep downhill descent or flat walk... right up until the very end, where we finished out with another climb.

Each of our hikes have been more challenging than the last!! I really enjoyed this hike, especially because of the beautiful views of the Pacific Ocean.

We've decided to skip our hike next weekend, since HaLLoWeEn is on Saturday! Check back the weekend after to see where the City Girls have ventured off to next!!

T

Bears and Iguanas (i.e. Quails and Baby Lizards)

Hi Friends!!

The Topanga State Park was easy to find thanks to Erin's trusty GPS!! And getting there was just as fun as actually hiking! Topanga Canyon is adorable, nestled in the beautiful Santa Monica Mountains, Topanga is home to only 5,441 people. The community seems very bohemian - cute markets, antique shops, and cafes are about all you'll find in this town.

A curvy road up leads to the Park, where parking was $10 and you can purchase a map for $2 (the map was NOT useful). We ate a little breakfast at the picnic benches before beginning our hike. We saw a few deer before embarking on our hike - very exciting!!!

Musch Trail was fantastic! It was a great interval workout, and the trail was constantly changing. We'd be walking through a wide open meadow, then on a narrow path surrounded by trees, and the incline was ever-changing. We completed the 3-mile hike and stopped at Hidden Treasures antique shop on the way back!

It's safe to say I was a little jumpy - I screamed when I stepped in horse poop, I saw a bear, which was actually a bird-like creature we later determined to be a quail, and I tried to sit on a rock only to discover it was already occupied by an iguana (or tiny lizard). I also got bit by a red ant. But that's what it's all about!!

Ohhh the exciting real-life adventures of two city girls climbing the Santa Monica Mountains in our Bvlgari and Chanel sunglasses :)

Tune in soon for our next hike -- Crystal Cove State Park in Laguna Beach, CA!!

Pictures from our 2nd hike at Topanga State Park

Hello Adventure Lovers!!

So this past Sunday, Tracy and I ventured out to Topanga State Park for our 2nd hike (of what we hope is many many more to come). Just like Malibu State Park, Topanga was breathtaking!! As you will see from the pictures below we were surrounded by beautiful rolling hills, grassy meadows, and a plethora of wildlife! These pictures were taken along the three mile long Musch Ranch Trail...

On our way back down the mountain we drove through the small town of Topanga, the cutest town ever with mom and pop shops everywhere including my new favorite store, Hidden Treasures. This place was awesome, they buy and sell used clothes and antiques and have some of the coolest vintage wardrobe ever! As you can see from the picture below, there was no way we were not going to stop in and check it out. If you're ever in the Topanga area, stop in and take in the wonder of this Hidden Treasure.

Backpacking: An extended form of hiking in which people carry double the amount of gear they need for half the distance they planned to go in twice the time it should take.

-Unknown

See you next hike,

E

Pictures from our 1st Hike at Malibu Creek State Park

Hey Readers!

So here are some pictures from our Hike on Sunday. As you can see Malibu Creek State Park is GORGEOUS!!! But don't take my word for it, see for yourself...

(Tracy by the infamous M*A*S*H sign)

(This is where is started to get really rocky and narrow!)

(We couldn't believe how HUGE this tree was.)

Now that I think of it, Gorgeous doesn't even begin to describe this place, it was more like breathtaking mixed with gorgeous. Anyway, I am pleased to announce that Tracy and I have picked our next hike! This Sunday we will be visiting the Topanga State Park, trekking our way through "the world's largest wildland within the boundaries of a major city" (www.parks.ca.gov). So look us up next week as we tell you all about our latest adventure and share with you our awesome pictures (courtesy of me and my awesome picture taking abilities, LOL)!!

Do not go where the path may lead, go instead where there is no path and leave a trail.

—Ralph Waldo Emerson

Just be careful not to get eaten by Lions, Tigers, or Ticks!

-Me

Lions, Tigers, and Ticks - oh my!

Hello world!!

Erin and I created this blog to document our outdoor adventures! We're "city girls" and lately we've had this itch to explore areas unknown [to us].

We embarked on our first hike this past weekend at the Malibu Creek State Park. Parking is $12 for all who choose to follow in our footsteps. The hike was pretty easy to navigate. There were a few signs to point us in the right direction, but for the most part we picked trails and hoped they would lead us to the site where the television series M*A*S*H was filmed. The hike was a round-trip 5 miles, and it was BEAUTIFUL - I couldn't stop saying "I can't believe we're in California right now."

Notes for next time:

• Don't lock yourself out of your house without cell phone and money
• Don't take any shit from a McDonald's employee
• Bug spray might be a good idea
• Workout shoes
• Watch out for bikers on beach cruisers
  
• Bring a horse, and watch out for their poop
  
• Let me walk in front, because hearing me trip over rocks is less funny than watching it

So until next time, hiking newbies --

life's a climb, but the view is great!
(credit to Hannah Montana: The Movie)

T