Day 194

May 16, 2020

And the trails are open! I couldn’t be happier about this. Woke up early this morning so I could beat the crowds. After a slight vehicle malfunction, from lack of use I imagine, I managed to get there by 8 AM. There were, maybe, five other cars in the lot when I arrived. It was wonderfully quiet. All I could hear, for the most part, were the birds singing and the scurrying sounds of tiny wild life, mostly lizards I’m sure. I did chat with a very nice gentleman sitting at one of the overlooks. Turns out he is a camera operator. Gave me tons of equipment advice, most of which went right over my head but it was much appreciated. Ultimately, it was nice to have a conversation with a real live person, while standing about ten feet apart.

During the hike I ran into a few other people, they all had face coverings and would pull them on as we came closer to each other. We, respectfully, kept our distance. Overall people seemed to be very happy to be out. I opted for a very narrow trail that I figured most everyone would avoid, and I was right. Had the place all to myself. I am so looking forward to doing more of these. Though as I was leaving lots of people were arriving in larger groups that probably shouldn’t be together. Glad I left when I did. Back home by ten, in time for a FaceTime brunch with a friend. As close to normal as we’re going to get for some time.

Will Rogers State Historic Park used to be the ranch where the actor and his family came to relax. He began to develop the 186 acres in the 1920’s. In 1944, the ranch and all its grounds were willed to the state by his widow, Betty Rogers, when she passed away. She wanted it to be made available for public use. In 1971, the house was listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Of course, these days, the interior of the ranch is closed to the public. Looking forward to exploring the house once it’s open again.

This image is facing southwest overlooking the Pacific Ocean, and the city of Santa Monica.

Camera: Canon DSLR
Lens (18-55): 18mm
Shutter Speed: 1/400
Aperture: f/11
ISO: 400