Pretending to be a local in Santa Barbara

The tides are still messed up. I like the days when there are two high tides and two low tides. Today is the second of two days where there are only one high tide and one low tide. I was planning on leaving the hostel this morning and checking in somewhere else this evening, but a hike below cliffs during unpredictable tides does not seem smart, especially since I don't know if there are any bailout points. I look forward in my maps and realize I have another major obstacle to negotiate...Vandenberg Airforce Base, which requires a 70-mile detour on Highway 101 right after some hit-or-miss hiking days along the coast of the Los Padres National Forest (where tides must be below 2.4 feet in order to walk the beach...and there is no real other option). It is possible that I may take a bus or train through the base, to nearby San Luis Obispo or to Morro Bay and prepare myself for some extraordinary hikes in those areas. As I make my way farther north, the terrain gets harder to navigate in a safe fashion...there are more cliffs and less access points. My worry is that I will not be able to escape rogue waves and high tides if I accidentally misread my tide charts. For today, I am staying in town. I am doing my laundry, booking hostels in the near and far future, and looking at maps and bus/train schedules. I amble through town and check out the store fronts (shopping has no real appeal when you don't have a place to put anything if you buy it). I eat a healthy lunch at the Natural Cafe (whole grain toast with feta cheese, pesto, sprouts, eggplant, and red peppers). I wander the beach and contemplate what life must be like in this city, then I tire of sitting alone on the beach and make my way to the grocery store to purchase some PROTEIN (okay, mom!) to go with the organic potatoes and carrots I bought at the farmers market on Tuesday (I grabbed an assortment...purple, golden, and orange carrots). Then, I was back to the library to book a $84 flight from Seattle to Manchester, New Hampshire in late April on Southwest Airlines. I know I said I would never fly with them again, but the price was good and we are only making one stop (Chicago). Yay! It has been a relaxing day, but I wish I were hiking. I will just have to grab some extra miles tomorrow! Then, I am off to the hostel, where I chat with new friends, and cook my orange, yellow, and purple carrots in a stir fry with tofu, onions, and new potatoes. I end my day with a peaceful walk around the harbor with friends, before we all retire to our beds for the evening.

Why do they put all these military bases in such beautiful areas? Public access would be a better option.