Sunset from Lizard's Mouth

Sunset from Lizard's Mouth.

A new friend of mine took me up to a place in the Santa Ynez Mountains called the Lizard's Mouth this past Wednesday to watch the sunset. Lizard's Mouth is in an area of sandston outcroppings that overlooks Goleta and beyond.

When I went up there the evening was a little bit hazy, making the ocean and sky melt together, undifferentiated. The Channel Islands looked like they were floating in the sky. The view of the mountains sloping down into Goleta was spectacular - certainly one of the best views in Santa Barbara I have seen so far. Lizard's Mouth is also easy to get to. Whereas most vistas require a decent hike to get to, the trail to Lizard's Mouth can be measured in yards rather than miles.

To get to the trailhead drive up the 154 and take West Camino Cielo for a few miles. Just before you arrive at a shooting range, there will be a brown sign on the left that says, "Lizard's Mouth," indicating the trail head. Follow the short path and there you'll be.

Although Lizard's mouth is a great spot to hang out and relax, it also has some darker secrets. I knew that the 2008 Gap Fire started here (accidentally by a 16 year old boy), but there is an even stranger piece of history tied to this place. In August 2000 Jesse James Hollywood ordered the kidnapping and murder of 15 year old Nicholas Markowitz as revenge for a $1,200 debt his older brother, Benjamin, owed him. Hollywood's henchmen went up to the Lizard's Mouth beforehand to dig a shallow grave. Later that night, after telling Nicholas that he was going home, the men took Nicholas up into the mountains where they bound him, hit him over the head with a shovel, and shot him nine times, after which they buried him in the shallow grave. The body was found several days later and police began making arrests. Hollywood, however, fled the country through Canada and then flew to Rio de Janeiro, Brazil with a fake passport. He managed to hide out in Rio de Janeiro and Saquarema until 2005 when he was captured and later extradited to the US. While Hollywood was in Brazil, all participants in the murder were convicted or made pleas. In 2006 the movie Alpha Dog, based on Jesse Hollywood and the kidnap and murder of Nicholas Markowitz, was released. Finally, in July 2009, Hollywood was found guilty of kidnapping and first-degree murder and was sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole.

I didn't know about the Hollywood case before I went up there. It is interesting how once you find out something new about a place it can totally change your perspective of it. I went up there for pure enjoyment, yet I wonder, had know about this story beforehand would I have been enjoying myself to the fullest or would I have been looking for the "X" on a rock that supposedly marks the grave site, thinking that this was the last view that boy saw - at least it was a nice view (<-- is that morbid?). I will certainly go up there again and I will be sure to monitor my own reaction.

All in all, the Lizard's Mouth was an excellent place to watch the sunset and spend time with a wonderful person, having great conversation.

Judge Assassinated by Militia in Rio de Janeiro

Well this happened a month ago, but I am happy to see US news picking up on it... better late than never. 


Judge Patricia Acioli, known as an advocate against police corruption, was assassinated by militiamen (basically off-duty police officers) in Rio de Janeiro. According to the story, militiamen "usurp the authority of the state. In this way, they are a danger that goes deeper than drug traffickers." I have to disagree. The militia does not usurp the authority of the state, but rather, they fill in a vacuum left by years of state neglect. I do agree that the militia is worse than the traffickers. The traffickers at least live by a code of conduct and they live in the communities where they work, whereas the militias enter a community, act with impunity, then go back to their homes and jobs (as police, firefighters, private security, even members of congress).


For example, when I visited a favela in Niterói I was told before hand not to use my camera because it would make me a target for robbery or worse. When I arrived at the school I was visiting the director told me that it was now safe to use my camera anywhere in the favela because the traffickers had arrived from Complexo Alemão after fleeing the police/military invasion and occupation. The traffickers instill a strict law to keep their territory safe for potential customers. Outbursts of violence usually only occur when rival gangs or police try to invade the territory.


Does this mean that the traffickers are good? Of course not. But I do agree that when comparing traffickers and militia, traffickers are the better of the two evils. Also, the UPP has been able to enter and occupy favelas controlled by drug gangs, but have been unable to occupy favelas controlled by the militia. Fortunately the government seems to finally be fighting corruption at the federal, state, and local levels. It will be interesting to see how all of this progresses.

REEF: UCSB's Aquarium and Touch Tanks

Kathy checking out the touch tanks.

After two years at UCSB I finally made it to the Research Experience & Education Facility - better known as The REEF - UCSB's interactive aquarium facility at Campus Point (map). There are a few small aquariums and seven large aquariums, four of which are touch tanks full of a variety of star fish, urchins, sea cucumbers, and baby swell sharks. There is also one tank with a grown female swell shark, who was about to lay eggs (mermaid's purse) when I visited. 


The REEF is staffed by informative UCSB marine science students. I easily spent 45 minutes getting my hands wet, asking questions, and learning some new fun facts.

Coast and North Goleta Bike Route

Only did a 10 mile bike ride today. I did, however, use the North Goleta route for the first time. Pretty nice.

See the map.

Beach and Foothill Bike Loop

Relaxing after my bicycle ride.

I've decided to go back to biking. I drive my car too much, it is great exercise, and it is fun! I went on a 15 mile bike ride (see the map) and it felt so good.... So exhilarating.

I left from my house and took the Coast Route past Goleta Beach to Patterson Avenue. Then I took Patterson to connect to the Foothill Route and took that until Glenn Anne/Storke Road. Storke goes all the way down to Coal Oil Point, winding past Devereux Lagoon - which very beautiful, but the road is bumpy. I took the nice, new dirt path that overlooks the ocean towards I.V., then stopped for a water and banana break at one of those nifty new benches. I took some time to read Favela on my kindle and watched the sun fall behind the trees before I headed home.

That beautiful ride was a nice addition to the seriously delicious breakfast at Alphie's I had with Kathy and the afternoon beach BBQ, followed by beach volleyball - or something that was supposed to resemble beach volleyball.

An overall excellent day!