Beau's Blog

Shinkansen from Kyoto to Tokyo
May 10 – 9:18am

Oh there goes Mt. Fuji! Outside of human powered travel options, I can’t think of transportation I prefer more than the shinkansen. Hopefully it’s good for reflecting on experiences from a couple weeks ago. There’s a lottt to cover. Here we go!

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Apr 23, 2023 | Disc Golf & SLO Smiles | 155 miles driven

The day started with Matt, Dad and me heading into Camarillo to pick up bagels (a throwback to the tradition of getting bagels at Posh Bagel in Los Gatos before heading to Santa Cruz for disc golf or other fun). Afterwards, we enjoyed the perfect socal weather eating outside.

We then made the 2 hour drive north to Santa Maria to play Waller Park disc golf course. The massive park was ideal for both disc golf and ordinary park-goers. Perfect blue skies with a gentle breeze accompanied the bright green grass and healthy trees. I am grateful California had its very wet winter because the brilliant green colors it has now are not to be taken for granted. We meandered through the delightful 27 hole course, enjoying the mix of wooded and open holes, both short and long. It’s no wonder this course is rated a very impressive 4.6 on Udisc. I tried one of Matt’s FDs and loved it so much that I traded him my Instinct for it. Matt also tried my Tactic and loved it. It’s fun to see how different people with different strengths enjoy the same activity – his power meant he could get much bigger throws with it than I can. By the time we finished disc golf we were famished and went to our favorite go-to move: burritos! Afterwards it was time to say good-bye to Matt and head up to San Luis Obispo.

Dad and I cruised up to SLO and checked into our Airbnb – a cozy yet spacious wine cellar room. I had forgotten what the accommodation was so when our host told us where the wine cellar was, I nearly said “oh that’s cool, but where are we staying?” Next we drove over to my cousin Elias’ apartment – he’s savoring the last of his time in SLO as a senior about to graduate. I haven’t spent much time in college undergrad housing lately so the nostalgia instantly brought me back to my prior life in college. We hatched a plan for Elias to show us his favorite spots around campus and after a quick 4 minute drive, we were there! The highlight was scampering through the architecture graveyard, taking in the endless green hills that surrounded us. What a wonderful way for current students (and even visitors) to feel a connection with past students as well as for students’ work to be valued in the community. It’s a short hike from campus – just far enough to feel out in nature.

Perhaps the best part of the afternoon experience for me was feeling my cousin’s pride in his school and joy in sharing it with Dad and me. As it got dark, we went downtown to find some dinner. It turns out SLO at 8pm on a Sunday in April wasn’t too happening. That said, the first couple restaurants Elias showed us were the exception – packed with 30min+ wait times. We ended up finding a modern Peruvian place and shared a delicious seafood paella.

At dinner we talked about The Ice Cream Conspiracy, a podcast Dad and I listened to on our long drive (Haagen Dazs and Ben & Jerry’s are two premium ice creams that generally stay away from each other’s flavors… is it collusion?) so naturally we hit a grocery store and bought a pint of mango Haagen Dazs and a pint of Half Baked Ben & Jerry’s. Those are very different flavors and I expected to like Half Baked more but the mango was the winner for me. I fell asleep, appreciating another varied day.

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Apr 24, 2023 | Gotta Love The California Coast | 223 miles driven

Dad and I enjoyed a slow morning. We went to a local park to eat breakfast and grab some rays but then I thought – we have a little time, might as well check if there is any disc golf close by. Sure enough, less than a mile away was another park with a course! So off we went to Sinsheimer Park where we ate more PB&H sandwiches for breakfast and got in a few holes. The course was nothing too special but featured fun low ceiling shots amidst beautiful greenery. This short experience was a perfect example of making the most of a little flexibility in the schedule. Next, we picked up High St Deli subs on the way to grab Elias as we made our way to another of his favorite spots in the area, Morro Rock. Relaxing with my dad and cousin, feeling the cool breeze on my face, eating a tasty sandwich, looking out onto the ocean, all on a Monday off work – I couldn’t help but pause and appreciate the moment. We wandered along the rocks taking our time to absorb the beautiful blues of the sea and sky.

At one point, the famous cinnamon roll place in Pismo Beach came up in conversation and discovering that Elias hadn’t been before, we had to go. We made the half hour drive and before we knew it, were sitting on the pier looking out onto the Pacific, getting our sugar fix.

As a little kid, I’d come through Pismo Beach on the way with my parents to visit my great grandparents in Santa Barbara – from these experiences, I remember the cinnamon rolls and a massive swing set. It turns out the swing set in my present reality was way smaller than my memory suggested. Less than a month later on May 12, Elias texted me this picture of the swings getting destroyed – sad.

After that, we drove back to SLO on the overland route on 227 for a change of scenery that we all enjoyed. When not in a rush, I strive to opt for the unfamiliar path. We said our farewells, content with packing in some of Elias’ SLO favorites and even some new experiences over the course of our short visit.

The two and a half hour drive up 101 north to Santa Cruz went smoothly. It’s funny how relative our experiences are. Normally a drive of that length would feel sizeable but after 15 hours on the road a few days prior, this drive felt trivial. After catching up Katie, my dad’s girlfriend, on our adventures and a little resting in Santa Cruz, I felt keen to get out for a run. It had been over a week since my last run (a Boulder farewell/delayed 31^st birthday celebration full day out on trails). I did a little loop out to the beach and felt grateful to spend time at the ocean yet again.Spending time alone and being able to spontaneously determine my exact route felt right.

Next up, Dad and I drove his new Model Y (wow!) to Taqueria Vallarta. This is THE post disc golf burrito spot (back in 2006 after a round at De Laveaga disc golf course, Matt, Dad and I came here and watched Zidane headbutt away France’s chances of a World Cup victory). We picked up super burritos, came home and the three of us had a perfect Californian meal accompanied with an awesome hazy IPA from Fieldwork. Feeling satisfied and tired, I had no problem falling asleep right after dinner.