We finally arrived at the hostel in the afternoon. It’s the
first day, and we’re getting settled in. Before it got too dark, we decided to take a
jaunt down to the beach, which is located only a block and a half away from
where we’re staying. The following is a message brought to you by two lovely
members of the Caltech Y:

The hostel we’re staying at is located right in the middle
of Ocean Beach, a salty-aired California town straight from the pages of a storybook. As I am writing in my room, I can hear Jamaican steel drums outside my
window. All along the street are shops and indie cafes, and today the street
was blocked off for the weekly Farmer’s Market where you can buy fresh produce,
gorgeous flowers, and homemade crafts. We will be on the trail most of the day
tomorrow, but we will hopefully get a chance to explore the streets in the evening. During the day, we will be hiking the Tecolote Canyon to inspect
man-holes and the sewage system. The area we will be exploring is still in the process
of being charted, so I’m sure we’ll be in for some surprises. We’ll also be on
the look-out for animals as we help clean up the canyon.