By Linda Ballou NABBW’s Adventure Travel Associate

“I go to the forest to lose my mind and find my soul” ~~ John Muir

It is my extreme pleasure to share outdoor days that have helped me achieve balance in my life. 

So many friends ask me to take them hiking, but part of my pleasure is hiking solo. Being alone allows me to absorb the beauty of my wanderings and to take time to listen to birdsong and the chatter of the creatures great and small.

Which is why I take great pleasure in inviting you to use my newest book, “Lost Angel in Paradise: Great Outdoor Days From Los Angeles to the Lost Coast” to escape with me as I take you on my favorite power-packed outdoor days along the sun-splashed California Coast from Malibu to Mendocino.

• 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.
• Kickstart creativity while meandering among flower infested meadows listening to wind voices off a full blown sea.
• Get the rust off your soul and find harmony in nature.

Linda Beside Solstice Creek

When you are done with your hike, tuck into tasty treats at a sweatband-friendly eatery Linda has tested personally. You have earned your calories!

I implore you to explore and to seize your day in the “Beauty Way.” A state of harmony in nature the Navajo call Hozho. These daytrips can be enjoyed by anyone with a modicum of fitness and a spirit of adventure.

Carpentria Bluff Walk

Certainly, you can share these days with a friend. In fact, in some instances it is not advised to go alone.

I have added links at the end of each piece that provide detailed maps of a suggested outing and recommended eateries. There are additional hard copy resources at the back of the book.

You can download the book to your phone, or iPad with the free app Amazon provides in the Kindle store where you can purchase my book. This way you will have a handy reference with you when you need it!

Blow Hole Montana De Oro

Finally, be sure to visit – and bookmark – my new website www.LostAngelAdventures.com spotlighting my travels around the globe.

Nicholas Flats Back Canyon

Remember: In The Lord of the Rings, J.R.R. Tolkien wrote a poem which famously noted that, “Not all who wander are lost!!”

Happy explorations.

Linda Ballou Freelance Writer

Linda's mission is to experience as many beautiful places on our planet as she can before they are no more. Travel tales relating her experiences while kayaking, horseback riding, sailing, birding and hiking about the globe have appeared in numerous national magazines. She had great fun collecting travel stories, and profiles of people she met in “naturally high places” for her book, Lost Angel Walkabout-One Traveler’s Tales. Her latest book Lost Angel Unleashed is the third book in her Lost Angel Trilogy

Go to LostAngelAdventures.com for more adventures.

For more about Linda’s novels and media offerings go to. www.LindaBallouAuthor.com