Baldy

So,
   Last week I again tried Mt Baldy. The weather here was good. I drove down there and it started to rain on me. I left the trailhead with Buster in tow at about 8:30am. I had decided this time due to weather to try and do the Ski Hut trail (4,000ft gain in 4.5 miles one way) up instead of the Devils Backbone (5.5 miles one way). The Ski Hut is much steeper but shorter and there are no sketchy passages that would be difficult to deal with in inclement weather and with a dog.

It was steep.

The ski hut is the halfway point from trailhead to summit. We stopped for a break.

Most of the way up I thought that was the summit. It's not. It's not even close. It's a false summit about 1,000 feet below the actual summit. 

Eventually we made it up to the top. At the top it was incredibly windy and really cold. I was wearing enough layers but I didn't bring gloves so I tried to hang out and eat but we left once I couldn't feel my hands.

A 360 degree pano of the summit.

There were a few people up there when I arrived huddled in those rock piles trying to stay out of the wind. You can barely make out San Giorgino (tallest in SoCal) and San Jacinto way off in the distance. After a quick snack we headed back down the ski hut trail. The way down was still steep and ended up being really punishing on my right knee but it was pretty.

We came across 3 white tailed deer and a family on their way up to the ski hut. Apparently you can rent it out for the night if you reserve it way ahead of time. 

It had taken me about 2:30 to get up the mountain and about 3:30 to get down due to the knee issue but I did the whole thing and now I am waiting for my knee to get normal so I can go do San Jacinto.

Ryan

Veterans Day Weekend.

So,
   We had a 3 day weekend and nothing on our plates. We decided to break out of town. A friend had told us of a camping and fishing lake in Tehachapi (not too far from here) so we decided to make our way up there to figure out if it might be a worthwhile overnight destination.

It was a lovely day for a drive. We went through some prime wind power country.

The actual park/ lake/ campground wasn't great. The campsites had almost no shade and the lake was more of a large pond. They had a playground straight out of 1974.

We probably won't be camping up there anytime soon but there was another place nearby that would work as a camping destination if this was the fishing hole. Tehachapi Mountain park was the next stop. The campground is on a mountain slope and due to fire concerns no campfires are allowed so we probably wont be stopping there either but it was mostly empty due to the late season so we got out and had a jaunt.

We played for a bit, Teresa banged her head really hard when a car door (mountain slope) came crashing corner first into her head then we left.

A was not happy about this and decided to cry a lot.

Busters equivalent of an eye roll.

We had one final stop on the list and it was sort of the secret reason that we wanted all of these places to work out as a camping/ fishing destination. Red House BBQ! We had been there before and it was amazing so we were looking for excuses to get up to Tehachapi again. We were able to sit outside with the dogs. We ordered our food and some local kids came up to us asking about the dogs. Fine. Happens a lot. Then they wouldn't leave. Then they walked away only to come back. Then we got our food and I figured they would take the hint. NOPE. Still trying to talk to us. Yes I know what a Coke Can says!. Yes I've heard about your dog! Yes she jumps I get it! GO AWAY!! Finally T had the sense to kindly insist that they leave us alone. Most of us devoured our food. Aiden did not on account of being grumpy, tired and temporarily dumb. We left much less satisfied than the previous visit on account of local kids, and our kids conspiring to create a terrible eating situation.

 That was our weekend. Probably less exciting than having a baby.

RTSZAB

Halloween 2013

Last weekend we went to the Lancaster BOO-levard. An annual halloween celebration where all the downtown businesses hand out candy. The Grover grandparents joined us. Z was Strawberry Shortcake and Aiden was Jake from "Jake and the Neverland Pirates". There were tons of people and not free activities.

 Dancers dancing.

It was fun to have them up. Since halloween is usually such a bust around here we thought this would be as good as it would get. We decorated the house anyways and on the 31st we started the day by putting on Zoey's costume to go to her preschool party.

Somehow I always get to her preschool too early so the kids play in the yard. I'm one of those get there on time types.

schools look like prisons.

That is a sweet Unicorn costume.

We dropped off Zoey and our AMAZING fruit tray and left. She had fun at the party.

That night we got the kids dressed again for Trick or Treating.

This Halloween was actually ok in our neighborhood. There still weren't a ton of houses handing out candy but there were a lot of families on the street and kids running around having a good time. Let's hope it continues to improve.

That is all,

RTSZAB