T.O citizens mix it up with Santa Monica trails
If you search “Thousand Oaks” on Google, the Oaks Mall is not the first thing to pop up. In fact, many visitors are attracted to the Ventura County suburb due to its location right in the middle of the Santa Monica Mountains. With over 13,000 acres of open space and 150 miles of trails, finding an activity to do is easy, and there are no limits.
Created in 1977, the Conejo Open Space Conservation Agency [COSCA] preserves, protects and manages open space resources in the Conejo Valley. With only 13 staff members, COSCA depends heavily on volunteer programs, such as monthly trail workdays, Trail Watch and Adopt-a-Trail. Brian Stark, administrator for COSCA, considers conservation a lifelong calling. “The open space contributes to the natural beauty of our community and contributes to cleaner air and water,” Stark said. “Our mission for our trails recognizes a human need to interact with the natural world and to ensure future generations come to care about nature as previous generations have.”
Trail mix from a store typically contains peanuts, raisins, almonds, cashews and chocolate. Similarly, the trails in Thousand Oaks can be used for various activities and reasons, and though hiking is the most popular of the mix, mountain biking, cross country running and even photography take place on these paths. Students and teachers take advantage of their location. Keelan Nygren, junior, will be on the Girls’ Varsity Mountain Biking Team this spring, but her love for trails lasts year-round. Last summer, Nygren hiked Mount Whitney, and while that was of much more difficulty than anything in T.O., the end of a trail is many times similar. “My most memorable memory from that was seeing the views from so high up and [being able to see] everything,” Nygren said.
When he is not lecturing, Joseph Calaba, history and philosophy teacher, also enjoys spending his free time outdoors and has been hiking ever since he can remember. “Something that I really like about hiking and backpacking is that you put yourself out there, and you’re the [only] one that can get yourself home. It’s all on you to make sure that the voyage is finished, that the journey is done,” Calaba said.
Prioritizing hiking comes as a challenge for Calaba, as he often finds daily chores halts his love for outdoor adventure, which is why he savors those moments he can walk in the mountains. “You’re just in the perfect place at the perfect time to see a moment that only lasts for [a split second]. Seeing how a leaf falls, or the direction of the sun and how that reflects on some rocks,” Calaba said. “And that nobody else may ever get to experience that one thing.”
There is a shared idea between hikers, equestrians and bikers that being present and in the moment is key. For Stark, being slow and deliberate on the trails enhances his experience, noticing the little things happening in nature: which flowers are in bloom, which insects are out and which birds are present. “I choose to hike when I want a more intimate experience where I can hear the sounds and smell the smells of nature,” Stark said.
