The Ultimate California Road Trip

It started on a sunshiny, but frigid winter day. We had packed out bags and loaded the Cim's car. Three young women in need of a weekend adventure.
I had daringly asked a Friday off (daring because it was my first time asking work off) three weeks before, and thankfully was approved to go. So after work on Thursday we piled into the car and we were off. With groceries we had bought the night before, road trip CDs provided by Cim and Megan, and a plethora of girl talk. The trip down was smooth and we made good time- listening to an incredible talk by Elder Maxwell, and updating each other on the latest 'boy scene'- or rather the latest boy dilemma :)... We hit California at about 2 am- Utah time. We marveled how well we had traveled, only to hit incredibly thick fog- the kind that London has on a night when someone is murdered in a Sherlock Homes mystery. Well we ended up with our own mystery.. how to get to Cim's sister's house... We got off at the wrong exit and spent an hour of driving back and forth, finally stopped at a gas station and asked a man, who didn't know English, where Chino was- he pointed and said Chino.. and so we went and thankfully found our way.

It was so delightful- Sweet Cim's sister bought us fresh strawberries for breakfast... I love California- through the whole trip I kept saying... It's January!! weather in the upper 70's, flowers blooming... it was so nice!!

We started our trip agenda with attending the Los Angeles temple. It was stunning. Each room is so large with brilliantly colored muraled walls. Never have I seen larger rooms in a temple- the size was truly impressive. As we were in the Celestial room Megan received a confirmation of her need to go on her mission- the spirit was sweet and it was so joyful- I felt we could have gone home from Los Angeles and the whole trip would have been made.


We left the Los Angeles temple and drove down to the Newport beach. The ocean was so lovely at sunset- the sky in delineated tiers of color of blue, yellow, orange, and red, reflecting off the ocean as the waves gently rolled in and the breeze blew the lighter sand across the beach. We left our mark by writing in the sand and taking pictures.


How lovely it would be to have beach side property.. I couldn't imagine how expensive it would be, but each home was so lovely, and the beach so inviting...

Cim was so funny, as we pulled out of the parking lot, we saw two young men passing us. She mused that if we were not LDS our lives would be extremely different- we would probably be going with those young men to a bar that night- instead we were on our way to the Newport temple.


It was a lovely small temple- a similar layout to the Louisville, Kentucky. I loved the cherry wood rounded doors and the beautiful furnishings. It was so beautiful- a beautiful seascape in the endowment room, lovely glass doors into the celestial room. Everything was so elegant- we peeked in the sealing rooms- they were breath taking- the way the light shimmered through the chandeliers- was gorgeous. From that temple I was thinking the importance of making the details of our lives beautiful. In our homes, our behaviors, our habits, the things we create...


We drove from the Newport down to San Diego, only as luck would have, we drove along in happy conversation, only to see a sign that read, "international border 15 miles"- we had missed our exit.. we were tempted to keep going- I have never been to Mexico, but considering it was late, we turned around and found our way to Cim's brother's house. Cim's brother's wife had made us dinner- we enjoyed their company and then we had the privilege of sleeping in the boys' bunk bed- I got the bottom.

The next morning we went sea kayaking!! It was so funny- poor Megan had to put her wet suit on three times.. first it was inside out, then it was backward... We walked down to the beach and waited for our guide. When the guide came he gave us about five minutes instruction on how to row etc... and then we pushed out. The waves were rather small so they were easy to get past- I was nervous that I was going to wimp out- that it would be an exhausting activity, but on the contrary, found it to be a lot easier then I had thought- I really enjoy kayaking, and I wasn't even sore the next after the 3 hour tour.

The ocean was a beautiful deep blue. We enjoyed seeing sea lions and birds- unfortunately no whales- maybe next time... the most charming was near La Jolla caves there was a rocky spot with sea lions laying out- as we kayaked past them- I felt like I was inside a zoo exhibit. The rock face was seemed to have large black spots on it, but as neared, we found the black spots to be dozens and dozens of birds- it was really a neat sight.

We were able to try kelp- it was actually pretty good.. kind of like salty cabbage?? we also were able to take a dip into the ocean about a mile out- never have a been out in the ocean that far- the water was refreshingly cool- after kayaking in the wet suit in the warm sun. And it was great to watch Cim and Megan get back into their kayaks : p.

After the tour we got an ice cream and walked back to the beach, we enjoyed the beauty- sent our footprints to Hawaii, like we use to do as kids, wrote in the sand again. It was just such a beautiful day.

We went home and got ready for the San Diego temple. Oh, it was stunning!! It is truly like a palace- the large winding staircase- with views up to the towers, the atrium, the celestial room- incredible. We did not want to leave. The seminary song that says the temple is the place I reach for heaven and it reaches in return was truly felt there.

Reluctantly we left. We met up with Cim's brother and two of his children-he was so kind and took us out to eat- we had fish tacos- quite delicious. We drove back up to Chino that night- got lost as we dropped off a package for a friend in our ward convert, but we made it.

We went to church in Chino. It was a great sacrament meeting- a missionary reported- you could tell he was great missionary. I was able to remember the pure joy of missionary work.

We had Sunday school in the car- one of the best I've ever had- really I was traveling with some of the best girls in the world!! We stopped in Beaver to watch the CES fireside- we doubled their Single Adults attendance... sometimes I am very grateful to live in American Fork.

As we were driving to our homes we felt pang of returning to daily responsibilities and 26* weather, but so grateful for "The Ultimate California Road Trip"- Jan 2009