Rude Knocks, Amazing Kidlet’s and More Santa Barbara Sunshine!
We camped on the beach after yet another day of meeting cool, eager kids here in Santa Barbara!
I must mention that the night before, we were sleep interrupted by a middle of the night knock on the RV from a California policeman, not too happy we were sleeping on a residential street. We jumped from our slumbers, as a knock at 2:am has this ability. I go outside and am hit between the eyeballs from a flashlight beam brighter than the sun.
After telling our “friendly” midnight knocker what we were doing out here for the year and trying to explain that even though we were sleeping in “his neighborhood/territory” and not the campground, it wasn’t anything other than three people trying to sleep quietly after some very long run days. He didn’t get it. Instead, he read me the riot act of California parking rules and the resultant disdain he obviously had from us being part of this sentiment he felt for “people trying to sleep for free”, as he so politely put it.
So after sleeping in too many churches, WallMarts and you guessed it, neighborhood side streets to count for the last 10 months, we were on the move at 2:am to abide by our friendly, flashlight brandishing Policeman, here in Santa Barbara! Good times!
Luckily for our tired bodies, yesterday arrived with more events at 2 schools and an evening yoga/run with another Lululemon store. The first was in Montecito at Laguna Blanco Elementary and woke our sleepy eyes with a version of Jack Johnson’s song, “the 3 R’s” from the kids. This, after being welcomed in like returning hero’s by way of “Go Steph & Matt” and “Run For One Planet Goes Green” posters being waved from 90 cheering kids! We even got to share our now ready soil with their school compost and replenish our traveling worm bin with fresh soil, paper and more little buddies, the worms! Thanks Clara and kids, for a great time!
School event #2 started with P.E. teacher, Lauren from Caser Chavez Charter School, meeting up with us and running with 30 of her runners, from the schools track and field club. What a blast ripping down the streets of Santa Barbara with 30 kiddo’s all wearing Run For One Planet shirts! We even got to do two loops of the school field, as all the kids had made a football line to slap hands with us as we ran through to start our second presentation of the day!
Talk about feeling lucky to be doing what we’re doing out here. Every event with the kids keeps re-enforcing our belief in teaching kids about the Planet while they’re young. This way, they do what Steph and I call, “the trickle up effect”, teaching their parents and teachers with that instant belief in the cause and the intense eagerness kids have for something they believe in.
With just over 7 ½ weeks to go, we are passionate to keep our feet to the pavement in order to meet as many kids as humanly possible and share our tour’s message with these pint-sized eco-warriors. Thanks kids, for being the energy under our tired, blistered feet, lighting the fire in our hearts and being the wind at our backs. 17,000 kids spoken to and counting!
Our day here in sunny Santa Barbara ended at Lululemon. An unexpected sickness came over the organizer, which forced the cancellation of our run/yoga event, ended up giving us the pleasure of meeting franchise owner, Matt (who is a fellow Canuck gone south). Matt and his wife purchased this location and are one of only two franchises in the whole company. It was great swapping stories from the tour with Matt and store manager, Kim. As well, awesome to hear stories from Matt about Vancouver and all things Lulu-lore, here in sunny southern California!