Carlsbad State Beach to Del Mar

One of the things that has made the finish line seem more ‘real’ is the simple act of putting my walking clothes into the laundry bag at the end of each day, with the knowledge that I won’t be wearing them again on this journey.

Spotlights This Week:
Always: Hope Chapel Missions
Charity Spotlight: Desire Street Ministries
Church Spotlight:Gold Beach Foursquare Church – Gold Beach, OR

Today was supposed to have some lingering rain, so I packed the poncho just in case – it was cloudy, but there wasn’t a drop of rain. My route today took me through the pretty coastal towns of Leucadia, Encinitas and Solana Beach, with the beautiful Del Mar racetrack and various state beaches as scenic diversions.

Yesterday’s rain left some challenges along the roadway.  There was one stretch as I entered Leucadia with no sidewalks, and HUGE puddles that forced me to either walk entirely in the traffic lanes, or waaaaaay off the road in slick mud.  When neither ‘splash-n-swim’ nor ‘slip-n-slide’ seemed acceptable, I opted to go even further off the road and walk alongside the rail bed.  It was still muddy, but there were wayward rocks and pebbles from the tracks embedded in the mud that made it more stable for walking.

I was listening to The Fish on iHeart Radio and as I passed Cardiff State Beach, ‘Oceans’ came on. The beach was nearly deserted, so I took a moment to sit on the rocks and reflect on all that has happened in the past year and how very thankful I am to have had this experience.

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Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen. ~ Hebrews 11:1