This Past Weekend

This past weekend was a lot of fun and is documented in the photos that follow this post. (Clicking on a photo will give you an enlargement. Use the back button to return to the blog.)
 
It started on Wednesday night when Ryan arrived. He had driven down from the Bay Area to meet Tom who was returning from an extended vacation in the South Pacific. Tom's heading off to start business school in Boston later this month.
 
Tom and Ryan were among my close friends when I lived in the Bay Area. They were students at MIT when I worked there.
 
We were joined on Saturday by two other MIT buddies, Darren and Robby. Both of them live in Southern California, which is great for me because we get to spend time together down here. 
 
Saturday was planned around a beach hike at the top of La Jolla that I found in a hiking book I recently bought.  La Jolla is a town in north San Diego county, about 40 minutes south of where I live in South Orange County. I had picked an entry spot mid way along the trail because of parking concerns. The spot I chose was at the top of a series of cliffs which is a popular spot from paragliders and hanggliders, The Torrey Pines International Gliderport. My friend, Tom, knew of this Gliderport because of his interest in gliders and because he had been admitted to a doctoral program at an institute near here.
 
Below the Gliderport is Black's Beach. Black's Beach is stunning. The water was crystal clear and at or above the 70 degree mark. The beach is sandy, as is the ocean bottom. The ocean is shallow so it's easy to walk out a long distance.
 
Black's Beach is also a "clothing optional" beach. We were surprised at just how many people took that option.
 
------------
A note on this blog: I'm using a few features here. Picasa is a photo storage and publishing program associated with Google which links to Blogger. The template I'm using was designed by my friend Douglas Bowman for Blogger.

Leaving the beach

We found an alternative climb back up the cliffs. There were steps, more or less. 

Day's End

Looking back over the beach 

Very Clear Water

Clear water, sandy ocean floor.  Starting at "6:00" going clockwise, you have: Roland, Ryan, Tom, Darren and Robby. 

Paragliders

Paragliders 

"I See Naked People"

So, we climb down this dangerous trail to get to the beach, and are immediately "affronted" by naked people playing volleyball.  

Robby

Robby completing the trail 

Down the trail

Darren and Robby lead the climb down 

Danger

Trailhead to Blacks Beach 

Black's Beach

The Beach. 

The Man Who Would Be "King of the Mountain"

Ryan takes a stand atop the bluff. 

Above Black's Beach

 
This is from the Gliderport looking down at Blacks Beach.