We skipped the swimming holes and went straight for the hills!

Aliso Trail, Santa Barbara

We aren't exactly sure if the swimming holes would've even had water.  Everything else is dried up, including the river bed here...which made for a nice Robert Frost moment.

I'd like to take a moment to thank the inventor of switchbacks. Freaking genius. Interesting fact: Switchbacks are uncommon on the east coast. Those New Englanders prefer to go straight up the hill! Weird. 

So up, up, up we went. And it was beautiful. 

You don't realize how far you've gone...

...until you see the other side of the mountain you've been climbing.