There are times when I’ve got complex plans to puzzle together, or major decisions to make, and I need the perfect place for such deep pondering and epiphany.
When I need to get away and think, while ashore, there is a perfect place for me and I’m happy to share. It’s only about a 20-minute drive, up Hwy. 154 to Camino Cielo.
Once there, sometimes I hang a right onto East Camino Cielo and sometimes I hang a left onto West Camino Cielo. I find just what I need in either direction … spots where I can park, walk out onto the rim, find a good sitting spot, and get into my thoughts while looking over our town, our beaches, the seascape and the gorgeous Channel Islands.
It is perfect, and I recommend it when you have some thinking to do.
West Camino Cielo looks out over the airport, Goleta and beyond toward Point Conception. East Camino Cielo overlooks Santa Barbara, the harbor area, and all the way down the coast toward prominent Point Dume. Both directions offer expansive views and you can’t go wrong, no matter which way you turn.
A canteen of water and a sandwich or bag of jerky provide the staples for this quick trip. I’ve made the trip in a little over an hour, but ideally, it is good to allow a few hours so the sitting and thinking part can run its natural course.
That bird’s-eye perspective somehow helps clear my head and my thoughts. The scope of the issues I have to deal with are put in perspective by the grandiose viewscape. That view and that solitude help me think and help me make important decisions.
In fact, some of my most important decisions have been made on that mountain, while others have been made far out at sea where there is plenty of elbow room for the thinking process.
Secluded spots along the rim of the mountain are my favorites. It really helps to be away from the road and people when there is some deep thinking and soul-searching to do. I like to walk a way to find just the right spot. Somehow, I know it when I see it.
Once I sit quietly for a while the local wildlife gets accustomed to me and decide I’m not an immediate threat, so the critters go on about their business. I hear them scurrying through the brush, or flitting between the bushes and trees.
Watching the critters live their lives is a wonderful bonus. I love it when hawks soar silently, sometimes below my level on the mountain and I can watch them from above.
Next time you have some thinking, prioritizing or decision-making to do, I highly recommend Camino Cielo. Even if you are limited to your vehicle, there are wonderful places to park where you can overlook our wonderful home and habitat. But if you are able to take a walk, it gets even better.
— Capt. David Bacon operates WaveWalker Charters and is president of SOFTIN Inc., a nonprofit organization providing seafaring opportunities for those in need. Visit softininc.blogspot.com to learn more about the organization and how you can help. Click here to read previous columns. The opinions expressed are his own.
