Get Sleepy: Sleep meditation and stories - Crossing Catalina (Premium)

Starting point is 00:00:00 Hi, Thomas here. You're listening to a preview episode. You can enjoy the entire story tonight by subscribing to our supporters' feed. There you'll get access to the entire back catalogue, bonus episodes, and more, and it's all completely ad-free. Click the link below to learn more and thank you so so much. Me and the team really appreciate your support. The thick morning fog laying atop the Pacific slowly begins to clear as the sun warms the crisp ocean air. The ferry engine rumbles steadily beneath you. Seagulls hitch a ride on the air current behind the boat. Perhaps they are headed to Catalina Island too, you wonder. As the ferry proceeds, a towering island begins to reveal itself through the fog.

Starting point is 00:01:19 You're still a few miles away when the whole length of the island comes into view. There are two bays where most people on the island congregate, a larger one to the south and a smaller one to the north. The larger one, off to your left, is your immediate destination. But the smaller one, called two harbours, which lies off to your right, will be where you end the day. You caught the first ferry out of Long Beach, California this morning, and you're headed to Avalon, the main town on Catalina Island. Nestled in a cove between two mountains rising right out of the ocean, this town is a much sought after escape from the hustle and bustle of life on the mainland. As the ferry draws ever closer, the Quaint Harbour Town comes to life.

Starting point is 00:02:30 Sailboats of every size and colour rock in the morning tide. Shops and houses reach down the sides of the mountain, all the way to the white sandy beach resting at the center of it all. As you pour into Avalon Harbour, the boat slows and edges up to a large wooden dock, a long one side of the cove. The seagulls who have been trailing the ferry from Long Beach divert toward the sandy shore in search of a snack. A gentle bump against the dock signals that you've arrived. You pick up your backpack, filled with everything you need for this adventure and step on to the dock.

Starting point is 00:03:28 A path follows around the edge of the harbour and leads you into the heart of Avalon. It's fairly quiet still except for the faint pattern clank of boats in the water. Only a few early risers are out and about, and search of a warm morning brew. The feel of this town is unique. There's an air of history everywhere, even in the modern shops and stores. You'd love to stop and try the restaurants and relax by the beach, but your day calls you elsewhere. You pass through the town and follow a narrow paved road that leads you up to the valley between the two mountains that corner Avalon. There's a small high school to your left, followed by a golf course, with a few deer munching on Duke of a grass. Then you see a sign. It marks the beginning of the Trans Catalina Trail.

Starting point is 00:04:49 This is where your adventure really begins. After a deep breath, you take the first steps onto the dirt path. The ground is dry but soft. Small clouds of dust below around your hiking boots with each step. Gradually you climb the hills that surround the town of Avalon, winding back and forth along the trail. In between patches of dense shrubs and craggy trees, you catch a glimpse of the quaint harbour below.

Starting point is 00:05:32 With each switch back in the trail, the town becomes a bit more distant and the view a bit more awe-inspiring. But nothing could prepare you for the view when you reach the top. Here at Hermit's Gulch lookout you can see down both sides of the mountain. Endless deep blue expands out in both directions. To the east, somewhere beyond the horizon, its southern California. To the west, the next spot of land is Hawaii. Under the shade of a crooked old tree, you take your backpack off and enjoy refreshing cool drink of water. You appreciate the climb you just made. From all the way up here, it feels like quite an accomplishment.

Starting point is 00:06:38 As the toughest part of your adventure today, you're glad to have it over with, early. You still have a way to go, but the remainder will be smoother ridges and valleys. After one more refreshing sip of water, you lift your pack onto your shoulders and continue on. From the viewpoint at Hermit's Gulch, you follow the path along a ridge line, which soon descends into a valley that covers much of the centre of Catalina Island. Quickly, signs of civilization begin to disappear. You're left with the rustle of shrubs in the wind, an occasional bird song, and the path of your feet on the dirt path. It's peaceful and your thoughts become quiet. you

Get Sleepy: Sleep meditation and stories - Crossing Catalina (Premium)

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