Perfect Trip: SoCal Day 10 & 11 Catalina Island

Catalina Island

This could be one of the best excursions to your Southern California trip. Long Beach is the gateway to this special destination: Catalina Island. You will have less than a five-minute drive to the ferry from any hotel in downtown Long Beach, but don’t miss your exit! It is on the left and one of the last before you get on the highway. 

Catalina Island stirred my interest as soon as I saw the old vintage postcards all over Long Beach of the “Casino,” which is actually a theater and dance hall built in 1929. As I started my weekly swing dancing ritual, it was not long until I heard about the magical nights when people from all around the country go to Catalonia Island for a night of glamor and dancing reminiscent of the glory dances. Needless to say, I was going to Catalina. I was persuaded to not go until my then-boyfriend could go with me the week I was leaving California. I reluctantly waited and ended up getting engaged on the island. You can find the story in my Wedding Bliss blog category. But let's get back to what you will be doing while you are there! 

Unlike anywhere else in the world, the zip line tour through the mountains of Catalina Island gives you a view of the ocean, gorgeous beaches, sweet Italian-looking seaside villages, and the surrounding forest. Even the famous Costa Rican zip line companies have taken tips and used the technology found on the Catalina lines. They are superior in safety and, in my book, view and adventure also. So start your day with a bang and go for it! Drop your bags off at a sweet little, non-chain hotel; we stayed at the Catalina Cottages. It was a lovely little escape, and I would highly recommend it. Avalon is the town you will dock in and likely stay in. This place is very small so bring your walking shoes! We walked to the zip lines from our hotel, and this gives you great ways to see the town. 

If you want to spend time on a beach, the one directly below the zip line will take your breath away. It is so tiny and precious. It gives you great views of the Casino and Avalon. The beach, while rocky, has fun crevices and creatures to poke at. If you decide to spend more than a day or two here, there are several remote beaches where you can camp out overnight if you are looking for a more rugged adventure. If this is your style, you should also spend an afternoon diving in the area. I could not do this, but here it is very nice and will be on my list for my next trip! 

Besides these primary activities, the island is buzzing with golf carts and bikes you can rent to explore this sweet escape.  But me, I am a walker. My fiancé and I walked this island and made an afternoon of it. The steep climb can sometimes be challenging, yet the top view is worth every deep breath. Once you are above the coastal hub, you can see how the locals live in their beautiful, cliff-hanging homes, driving their golf carts and loving the island life. I highly recommend you take off and adventure around the neighborhoods; this was one of my favorite parts of the trip. 

 

I cannot wait to go back! 

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Geography Awareness Week Participation

As the new adjunct faculty at TCU, in my first semester, I sought to restart the geography club for both majors and those simply interested in geography. To promote the club and to celebrate Geography Awareness Week, I spearheaded a Photography Contest held in the campus library with the help of newly elected Geography Club members. We had over 123 votes for each of the 6 categories. We considered the contest a great success! 

The Student Union contacted me after hearing about the great success of students and library staff. To my great delight, they have continued the initial goal of geography awareness by blowing up the winning photos for display in the student union. 

This was a great event to strengthen the geography club and was the perfect way to participate in Geography Awareness Week! I would love to see more of these campus-wide events nationwide to support Geography Awareness Week!

Below are the Winning Photographs and a short description. 

Physical Landscape 2nd Place  

 "When I look from the Sky" 2009, by Skylar Boyce-Dry 

The significance of this photo is that you cannot take it unless you are high above land. Also, the depth and beauty and wide range of colors and landforms that this photo possesses are very rare to catch in a camera.

Urban Geography 2nd Place  

Holyrood, Edinburgh (Holyrood Castle), 2010 by Maddie Martin 

The Holyrood Abbey ruins lie in Scotland's capital city, Edinburgh. It’s a historical establishment reflecting the rich gothic architecture still prevalent in the city today. Unlike most urban areas, Edinburgh has somehow managed to be a metropolitan city without feeling like one. In a constantly evolving world, this town can embrace the past and preserve what remains from centuries ago.

Urban Landscape Winner 

Bird's Eye View, New York City, NY, 2007 by Ashley Shin
New York birds unabashedly welcome tourists on top of the Empire State Building.

Human/Cultural Geography Winner

"Work in Progress, Kenya 2011" by Haley King

This Samburu woman who lives in the Matthew's Mountains of Northern Kenya is beading a necklace similar to the many she is already wearing. This art form in their culture is a never-ending work in progress for the women.

Rural Landscape Winner

Long Neck. Don't Care. Fossil Rim Animal Park. 2011, by Alex Mechalske 

The inspiration for this came from the Animal Park in Glen Rose, where you can appreciate the wildlife up close. The animals are unique and beautiful, and this highlights that beauty.

Rural Landscape 2nd Place 
"View of Venice" Venice, Italy 2008 by Kalli Fullerton 
Venice is one of the most famous cities of both the modern and ancient worlds. The locals, however, have been steadily leaving due to impossibly high housing prices and lack of opportunity outside the hospitality industry. Today, wandering the lonely canals outside the typical tourist's path, Venice feels more rural than urban. 

Geography in Action Winner 

"Lake Gatun" Panama, 2011 by Steven Goeken 

This photo was taken on Lake Gatun during a river adventure trip exploring the natural fauna and flora of the Panama Canal region. It shows TCU students learning firsthand about the issues and problems this area is experiencing today.

Physical Landscape Winner

 "Chagras River Mouth" Panama, 2011, Steven Goeken

This photo was taken at San Lorenzo, the primary fort protecting the lucrative gold trade on the River Chagres. This fort set the stage for many fierce battles involving the Spanish Crown and infamous pirates like Captain Morgan.

Texas Landscape Winner

"Caprock Canyon Glow" Caprock Canyons State Park, TX 2009, by D'mon Peeples 

When in Texas, expect the unexpected.  The drive along State Highway 287 from Amarillo to Fort Worth is a vast plain of flat, red land broken up occasionally by mesquite thickets and a few lean cattle.  But, take the exit just past Estelline, walk along the desolate roadside, and down into Quitaque Canyon at the head of Caprock Canyons State Trailway, and before you know it, red cliffs rise up around you.  Circling hawks, well maybe buzzards, but hawks sound more regal, ride the updrafts.  If you are lucky enough to get there as the sun sets, the canyon walls light up as if they are on fire before the sun disappears and leaving you in inky blackness with a million stars in the sky.

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