Day Eleven: From the Desert to the Pacific
What should have been a straightforward drive from Joshua Tree to Santa Barbara turned into hours of traffic—a true California experience.
We started the day leaving the high desert, where it was 95 degrees, and made a stop in Palm Springs for some retail therapy and an amazing lunch. From there, we drove toward the coast, descending through **valleys lined with miles of citrus trees—**lemons or oranges, we weren’t sure. The road was flanked by towering mountains, the landscape changing with every mile.
Then, at last, we reached the Pacific Ocean. It felt like a lifetime ago that we were standing at Pawleys Island on the Atlantic. What a journey across Route 10.
AC still wasn’t feeling great, so she stayed back to rest while Kelly and I took a walk along the ocean. Almost immediately, I heard the sound of seals barking and followed it to the harbor, where we sat and listened to them for half an hour.
We ended the day with a sushi dinner, attempting to stay awake for The Bachelor finale—but exhaustion won.
