A good thing to take away from our last trip.

In California, every now and then we needed a break. We went to several beaches, and one of the great things about the section of California that we were in was that the beaches are really distinctive. Many are rocky, but in different ways, although some are smooth sand. Near the hospice, there was a beautiful beach tucked snug below the secluded vacation homes of the fabulously wealthy.

Unlike Malibu, which we have driven through a few times on our trips between LAX and Santa Barbara County, the beach here couldn't be sealed off by jackasses who build their houses butt up against one another. The road leading up to Hope Ranch dips down to the ocean before climbing up to the big homes; therefore the beach is a lively place full of shell-seekers, surfers, walkers, kids, and people who simply want to gaze at the ocean.

The shore slopes almost imperceptibly into the water, allowing for waders to venture a great distance from dry land. My son didn't mind that he got soaked, or that the water was relatively cold (all the surfers wore wetsuits).

At a different beach we encountered a large concrete pirate ship with a cable swing attached. My son and I rode it together, much to the amusement of the high school kids hanging out by the ship.

The first time down, we fell off, which was extremely amusing to the kids, and of course to ourselves.

These photos reminded me that we aren't far from April, which is when we generally start making spontaneous trips to the Eastern Shore. It's only 2.5 hours to Rehoboth Beach, and you can make a good day of it if you leave early enough. We still have lots of ride tickets left over from last summer.