Laguna Swim and Surf shop wants to be my pseudo-sponsor

It is 8 am and I feel refreshed and ready to hike. I pack my backpack and eat a protein bar in my hotel room. I check out by 9 am and take the bus to Doheny State Beach, a few miles back south, so I will not miss walking any of the beach. I then turn around on the beach and walk north to Dana Point. I make decent progress weaving my way through the complex Dana Point Harbor, until I realize at the Orange County Marine Institute that high tide is upon me, so I must take the alternative route in my guide book: Cove Road. Now, Cove Road is an extremely steep narrow one land, but two-way traffic road weaving precariously up a mountain side with several switchbacks...not exactly well thought out. I put on my oh-so-trendy neon orange crossing-guard vest for this hike up the hill. Unfortunately, just my luck: Cove Road is closed for construction. I must backtrack 2 miles out to the Pacific Coast Highway and walk the highway shoulder for a daily total of 10.75 miles to Gulf Island in South Laguna Beach. The highway isn't really what I was hoping for, but it is not THAT bad. For starters, the Pacific Coast Highway has sidewalks, traffic lights, homes on either side interspresed with very expensive gated home communities and luxury resorts. The highway offers incredible views of the mansions lining the terraces slopes of the Laguna Hills and an endless beach on my left. When I get to Laguna Beach, I explore an incredible walkway set up alongside a VERY expensive looking luxury resort. While there, I stop to take a picture of these three people with their cameras. As in only natural in these situations, we get to talking. I attract the attention of another couple. We discuss my trip. Two of the woman there, take my photo and say they will send it to me. I am planning on walking the remainder of the walkway to the beach, but the women tell me it will eventually dead-end. I turn around for the billionth time that day and go directly across the street and check myself into the Best Western. When I first inquire, I am told that $105 is the going rate. I start to leave...I can't afford that! Then, the woman behind the desk offers me $99. I ask "where in the area will I find less expensive accommodation?" She says she will give me the "discounted damaged merchandise cost of $89. I say okay. When she writes up the price she puts it at $81.95, which with taxes costs me $91.85. I get a second floor room (there are 2 floors). My room is actually a suite with a beautiful view of both the ocean and the outdoor pool below me. I dump my stuff in the room and go next door to the Albertsons grocery store. I buy my staples: chocolate soymilk, brown rice sushi, 2 kiwis, 1 hershey chocolate bar and 5 disposable cameras at $3.99 a camera. The cashier overcharges me, so the store gives me one of my cameras for free and refunds me the $2.50 for the other four. So basically, I just paid $16 for 5 disposable cameras...sweet! I drop my groceries in the hotel room and wander downtown pass the galleries and into the Laguna swim and surf shop. I ask for a tide chart of the area. The cashier laughs "what are you collecting them?" I explain my trip, he gives me some free stickers and a patch to put on my backpack...a sort of sponsorship with no benefit for me. hahaha. I stop at a 1950's dinner for a grilled cheese sandwich. The young hostess is enthralled with my Maine accent and won't leave me alone the entire time I was in the dinner (it was fairly empty in there). Eventually, I leave to take some some snapshots. Living life without my camera sucks....I must arrange to get a new one soon. I go to CVS, remembering that the hotel receptionist said I should pick up bear mace there. They do not have mace...and they officially think I am insane for asking for some. I am glad I don't have to face these people again tomorrow. I go back to the hotel and soak in the hot tub (it is just barely warm), because the pool water is really COLD. Then, I shower , eat my sushi, drink some soymilk and watch a VH1 documentary that Lisa "lefteye" Lopez from the band TLC was making in Honduras right before her death. The documentary actually ends with the camera dropping to the car seat, the breaks squealing, and the car hitting the tree...her actual death. spooky. I settle into my bed and get to journal writing and thinking about what I will see and do when I wake tomorrow. I can't wait to explore more of Laguna Beach and see Newport Harbor.

I get excited over the purchase of disposable cameras. When did that ever excite me before?