Sand to Surreal

Greetings! There’s magnificent sand dune preserve in Marina, CA. Running in the park felt like a workout and a half due to the thick sand, particularly moving uphill. TAs typical, I was out and the sun had not crested the horizon. To make the morning run a little more interesting the entire area was shrouded in fog. Thus, navigating the unforgiving terrain proved somewhat laborious.

Luckily, I was able to see the steep drop down to the beach in time to find a more gradual incline. I ambled down to the shore to where the damp sand was even more difficult to traverse. I turned around immediately. Once I climbed back up to the trial, the fog broke momentarily creating a surreal Twilight Zone moment. At this point, I noticed a bevy of others on the beach, including one chap waist deep in the chilly water fishing. I pondered how long he had been there. I continued to muse if the angler started his day fishing the way I did with exercise. What was next on his agenda, I wondered.

For us, it was a visit to the Steinbeck Center. I confess I have never read any of his work or viewed any adaptations on stage or screen. Nonetheless, I found the Center intriguing. Steinbeck’s works have profoundly influenced pop culture from common discourse to mixed media arts. Our next stop was Monterey where we spent time on Cannery Row, and toured the new Dali 17 Museum, which houses the largest single owner collection of works from the master surrealist.

Be inspired. Run.

Tom