End of the Road

This beautiful sunset at Arcata Marsh enveloped me on the last night
of travel in southern California. It was a fitting end to a spectacular journey!

Ready or not another semester at the University of South Carolina (my home institution) begins this Thursday (22^nd), signaling the end of my summer journey and my time meeting with COASST volunteers. While I am eager to greet my family and friends (and sweet Dog Harmony) back home, I find it hard to believe my time on the West Coast is coming to a close. I’m certain I’ll experience a period of withdrawal. Not just because I’ll miss the beauty of this place, but more because I’ll miss the people. I’ve now meet with nearly eighty COASSSters from the northern tip of Washington to the southern-most extent of the COASST range in northern California. They have invited me into their homes, walked with me on their beaches, and shared some incredible stories. How lucky I have been to experience all of that in just two short months. I leave with so many gifts, those of time (many COASSTers contributed freely several hours to the project), friendship, and inspiration to name a few. Purely based on the amount of folks that have so kindly offered up a bed to sleep in should I ever return to the area, I think I’ve got future vacation spots set for many years to come! The end of my summer research also means I’ll be wrapping up my random musings on this travel research blog. Look for a final recap towards the end of the week, with more information about where I go from here in my research process. Thanks to each of you who have followed with me in this journey by reading my blog. Even if you’ve gained just a portion of the fun, adventure, and knowledge I’ve accumulated throughout the experience, I hope it has been a worthwhile endeavor for you as well. Here’s hoping our paths cross again someday!