Stormy Tahoe

I got a neat shot of Tahoe while helping Justin with his sampling on Sunday. It has actually rained here recently.

CA roadtrip, Day 6--final day

Ok, 6th and final day of the CA roadtrip!!

L: One last picture outside the tent cabins in Curry Village C: We saw about 6-8 deer near the parking lot munching on fallen apples. Nice rack! :o) R: We drove to a Giant Sequoia grove on the western side of Yosemite on our way out of the park...Mom shows the size of one particular tree

Check out this Giant Sequoia!

AND A GOOD TIME WAS HAD BY ALL!!

CA roadtrip, Day 5

On day 5 we got up in Sonora and traveled about an hour into the western entrance of Yosemite National Park. We drove through the park for about another hour to Emigrant Point where we met Justin. After eating lunch all 4 of us took a hike to May Lake.

L: Me at Immigrant Point C: Mom poses for a pic on the way up the May Lake trail R: May Lake with a mountain peak who's name I now forget.

L: Time to cool the piggies! C: Strolling along past May Lake, Mom found a hammock R: Justin and I gaze out at the view
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CbMykiK9Z-s

Dad and Justin had a little rock skipping contest...Justin needs some practice!

L: This is what was left of Bridalveil Falls...when the wind blew the falls just became mist C: A few of El Captain R: We hung out in front of our tent cabins in Curry Village...Justin and I demonstrate

CA roadtrip, Day 4

And back to the CA roadtrip. Sunday (DAD'S BIRTHDAY) we got up and went to church...crazy driving in San Fran. Good thing the church was less than 1 miles away! Then we walked back to Fisherman's Wharf to catch the ferry to Alcatraz Island.

L: Ferry C: Mom and I on the top deck R: View of Alcatraz Island

L: Another cool sign C: Mom and Dad show off the hardware for the audio tour we took (awesome tour, highly recommended over a guided tour) R: One of the triple-decker cell blocks

L: A typical cell C: Prison yard with a pretty nice view of the Golden Gate R: Mom and Dad pose with the sailboats visible from Alcatraz Island

L: After the tour we busted out of town back across the Golden Gate to Sonora, CA; just west of Yosemite National Park C: Clear view driving across this time R: And I forgot to post this one of the seals that live out near Pier 39...what a loud racket they make!

First snow

The weather-people said it would and it did...it snowed last night! Just up on the hills, of course, but a dusting all the same. I'd best polish up my snowboard, winter's a comin'.

St. Teresa's Basque Festival

Just a short intermission from the CA roadtrip report. Sunday was the St. Teresa of Avila Basque Festival...aka the church picnic that Justin and I attended. For those that don't know, the Basque were some of the first to settle around here. I am told they were originally from southern France and were transient sheep herders; therefore one of the main staples of their diet was lamb. I'm not a fan of eating lamb, so I passed on the lamb chops, but did partake in the Basque stew, which I'm sure had some lamb in there. Overall, the food was great and check out some of the entertainment!

Sheep and duck herding demonstrations!

And wood chopping contests.

CA roadtrip, Day 3

We woke up Saturday morning on the coast in Fort Braggs and promptly rolled up our pants for a morning walk on the beach. What I hadn't expected was how COLD the sand would be. My piggies were red and almost numb!

L: Dad and I just off the path from the hotel C: Awesome ocean shot that Mom took R: Mom and Dad

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rzuSAOa3-ME

Here's a video of the morning.

L: Dad shows off the muscles attached to a large beach rock C: Dad and I R: Then we had the Fort Braggs girl's volleyball team wash Libby up before leaving town.

L: The Golden Gate Bridge was SO foggy this is all you could see when crossing it. C: Mom and Dad in downtown Fisherman's Wharf R: Crazy robot street performer guy

L: View down the street while riding the cable cars C: All of us having dinner at a mexican restaurant in "The Canary", of Fisherman's Wharf R: View of the San Fransisco city-scape

CA roadtrip, Day 2

Friday morning we got up, and took a walk around the residential streets of Mt. Shasta City. In doing so we found a sign that said "Mt. Shasta, 14 miles". So we packed Libby up and took off up the road.

L: Got a new NF sign on the way up that road! C: View of the cloud covered Mt. Shasta R: Mom and Dad with the view overlooking the city

We then drove south through Redding, CA and took at road called HWY 36, that if you mention it to my Mom, she will get all stiff and then spit! hahaha It was 130 miles due west over the coastal range of bendy, windy, twisty road that it was hard to go over 35 mph on. Mom does not do well with those road conditions. But, on the L: HWY 36 produced another new NF sign for me! C: Before getting to the coast, we stopped and drove the 32 miles through "The Avenue of the Giants"...Redwoods, that is. R: View of the Avenue

L: Dad shows us the diameter of a fallen Redwood C: Libby drives through a tree! R: Libby had to fold her ears in!

L: The Drive-Thru tree's specs. C: View of a Redwood looking up R: Once we finally came out at the Pacific Coast

L: We found an awesome hotel on the coast and had to have an evening beach walk. This was the 1st time my feet touched the Pacific Ocean while standing on the continental U.S.