Escape with Linda Ballou as she takes you on her favorite power-packed outdoor days along the sun-splashed California. Let your spirit free strolling long stretches of sand in solitude. Breathe deeply of the restorative energy of fern forests shaded by towering redwood giants. Get the rust off your soul and find harmony in nature. When you are done with your hike, tuck into tasty treats at a sweatband friendly eatery Linda has tested personally. A GREAT tool for travel along the beautiful Pacific coast. Linda Ballou, an experienced hiker and outdoors woman, enhances her stories with with lovely descriptions and photos. I urge readers to download the e-book to their phone. I give it the highest star rating! Review by Bonnie Neely-Founder of Real Travel Adventures MagazineLinda Ballou has written an invaluable resource to the trails in California. Her stories make you feel you can reach out and touch the birds or smell the flowers at each location. Loved it. Author, Robin Hutton****Purchase the e-book on Amazon, or I-Tunes. Use the free ap to download it to you phone. Now, you will have live links to trail maps and restaurants in this book.****For more travel adventures with Linda Ballou go to www.lostangeladventures.com I am inspired to get off the couch and experience the joy of the natural beauty so close to home. Any couch potato can enjoy the vivid descriptions the author shares without leaving home, but why not go out and see it up close and personal. It's a pleasure to be able to have the maps right with you on your phone, and be able to choose where to go by clicking on the Table of Contents. Margie Burrows Linda Ballou has done an amazing job of identifying not only the best hikes from LA all the way up to the Russian River, but she has made it informative on so many levels. Not only will you discover the best hikes, and yikes there are so many, but where to go afterwards to grab a bite, and dine well. As if that was not enough, she also gives you a taste of the history which many people including those who grew up here do not know. As a lover of hiking myself and LA, I have found my nirvana. Thank you Linda Ballou for giving us this giftDr. Skyler Madison- Creative Writing Coach Mountain Messenger News-Editor, Flavia Potenza This 89-page paperback invites its readers to discover 32 day trips along the Pacific coast where "Power-packed outdoor days restore the soul, rejuvenate the body, and clear the mind. " Nearly half the book covers the first 14 hikes in Los Angeles' Santa Monica Mountains on a journey that starts at Malibu Lagoon and continues to the redwoods. Ballou's familiarity with the terrain alerts hikers to easy-to-miss trail turnoffs, predatory parking enforcement (Point Dume--Bluff Trail), and Lake Cachuma, where "If you sneeze, you will miss the entrance...." She alerts you to migratory bird-watching opportunities in the Pacific Flyway, and advises caution swimming off the Malibu pier, where, if you're not run over by a surfer, "tropical storms coming from Baja...send ten-foot waves curling to shore with a thunderous crescendo." Ballou also refers to the 2018 Woolsey fire that "scorched many of my favorite trails. I have replaced them with hikes further up the coast and made notes on the ones I believe will recover in a season." "Montecito's Hidden Gem" (Hike No. 22), just south of the Romano Creek Bridge, remained intact after the 2017 mudslides. Its trail system, maintained by the residents, "meanders through the backyards of their mansions." Another hidden gem is Montana de Oro, along the Central Coast, where "the sea is more energetic and dramatic," not good for swimming but a picnic lunch from the Back Bay Cafe, may be in order. Did you know about the Whale Trail along the Pacific Coast from British Columbia to California, with sixty designated viewing sites? Topanga may be where the "mountains meet the sea;" Rancho del Oso in Santa Cruz is where the "redwoods meet the sea." Perhaps Ballou's most historical and poignant account is about author Jack London's Beauty Ranch. She admires London and considers him "a kindred spirit." The ranch is maintained by volunteers because the state does not allocate funds to keep it operational. During the 2018 Camp Fire, volunteers rescued treasures and manuscripts from the cottage and museum. In its delightful simplicity, Ballou's personal touch unabashedly expresses her deep understanding and love of all that is nature . Pack this lightweight guide in your pocket. You'll feel like you've brought your best friend along. Adventure-travel writer, Linda Ballou, shares a host of articles and information about her travel books on her site LostAngelAdventures.com. You will find information about her novels and media offerings at LindaBallouauthor.com . I have lived in California most of my life, but Iam still a tourist discovering new sweet spots along the coast--and loving it evenmore. I have explored hikes from Los Angeles to the Lost Co