super hike

SO,

Last week between vomiting fests I took a hike.

I walked across the San Gabriel mountain range from Inspiration point to Mill Creek Summit fire station. According to the official Pacific Crest Trail Maps this is 51 miles.  According to my handheld GPS it is more like 56 miles.

I did this in the interest of training for my sierra hike across the High Sierra Trail and in the interest of completing the Adventure 16 PCT challenge which might win me free shoes!!!

I walked hard, packed light (35lbs) and enjoyed it all.

http://caltopo.com/m/756N


http://www.everytrail.com/view_trip.php?trip_id=3179811

I pushed myself to the dehydration point, walked further than I thought possible ,and was tired beyond belief. In other words I came close to the total amount an experienced PCT hiker makes in 2 days. I intended to push myself and I succeeded. I don't have the callouses of a PCT hiker so I have been paying for it ever since with  blisters,  but I am proud of myself.

Next week Teresa goes to Anaheim and we all go to Colorado!!!!,

Till Then-

RSTZA.

Santa Cruzing

So,
     This week we went camping at Henry Cowell Redwoods State Park in Santa Cruz California. It was a beautiful campground covered in oak trees and green shrubberies, naturally growing blackberry thickets and TONS of poison oak...
     Anywho we arrived on Tuesday and the weather was amazing. We set up camp and walked around the campground to check things out.

That night we had a nice fire despite all of the wood they sold me being a bit too damp to burn well. It was still good enough for Reeses smores which are as good as you think they would be.
During the night the fog rolled in since we were so close to the coast and when it hit the really tall trees it turned into drops which pattered on our tent all night. Coming from the 100+ degree desert we didn't really plan too well for this.

  The next morning the fog burned off around 9 am and we set out to the famous Mystery Spot. The next available tour was at 11:30 am so we took a quick hike through the forest. The forest was big and lush and green despite the drought.

The famous NorCal Banana Slug.

Then we took our tour of the Mystery Spot. It was fun, our tour guide was funny and we had a good time.

The guide included the kids in the demonstrations.

After a stop back at camp for some lunch we headed out to a nearby beach for some fun now that the day had warmed up.

After the beach we went back to camp and had our friends Brandon and Lenore Skinner bring their kids up for some smores and campfire fun. Eventually things petered out and we tucked in for the night. Zoey had lost her second tooth during the Mystery Spot tour and the tooth fairy managed to find her even though she was wrapped up in a sleeping bag 200+ miles from home.

We packed up the next morning and headed home. I think everyone would've loved another day except Sam. It was a really fun trip.

Till the next Adventure-

RTSZA

About that tease a few weeks ago.

So,
    At the beginning of the may we scheduled a door installation with the Home Depot. They had a guy come out to measure the frame. We have an abnormal door frame size so we'd need to special order that part which would take 2 week. When the door got to the store then we'd set up the appointment. Well about a week and a half later the door arrived in the store. We got a call from the company set to install it and they told us they were booked solid for 2 weeks so they would come on June 9th between 12 and 2pm.

June 9th rolls around and I am sitting and waiting. At 1:55 I get a call from a teenage girl saying they won't be able to make it out there that day. Would I like to reschedule (no! but I don't really have a choice now do I?) for the 11th? Fine I say. Click.

2 hours later I get a call from done right construction in Bakersfield 2 hours away. They say that they just got the job from Home Depot and they can't come out until the 15th between 12 and 2pm.
 After a strange conversation it comes to light that somehow during the last 2 hours the previous company is no longer working with Home Depot so these guys are taking the job.


Today they called us at 11:30 and said they were out in front of our house, where are we? Well, our window wasn't until noon but we're on our way.

Any who...

old door.

New door exterior:

Interior:

House with new fences and new door: (obviously next up eventually is the trim.)

For comparison before fence and door:

TADA!

RTSZA

Aiden Graduates and Zoey Turns 6

So,
   School's out for summer. Last week Zoey finished kindergarten Teresa finished for the year and Aiden graduated from preschool.
    On June 4th Zoey turned 6. She wanted to go to the pizza place with games so we went there. We also went to Toys R Us and bought a delicious Coldstones Ice Cream Cake.

Zoey had a great birthday. She is a super smart occasionally kind, mostly wonderful child.

On Saturday the Grovers came up to see Aidens graduation. It happened to be the first time the thermometer topped 100 degrees all year, and the ceremony was outside. wooh.

The kids sang 3 songs, waved ribbons, strummed guitars and performed well.

Aiden in the middle walking out.

Receiving his diploma.

and a hug.

Both of the kids went to this preschool. Miss Emmy and Miss Elena, the teachers there, were really great.

We ate cupcakes huddled inside in the cool air then left.

Now that summer and the heat is here we are devising ways to escape it as soon as possible.

Till next time-

RTSZA

Paint job family outings and Singing.

So,
    Adding to the list of things that have been accomplished in the house:

You can see the new lights and the paint have been completed.

The family took a hike to Eaton Canyon Waterfall along with the rest of Los Angeles.

Tradition now to have Aiden take a family selfie.

Pretty falls, lots of people.

While there we also tried our hand at geocaching or as the kids know it "Treasure Hunting!!!"
People hide all kinds of stuff all over the place and then put the GPS coordinates online for people to use in finding the ""caches". We picked a few easy ones and the kids were really into it.

This box had stickers and a notepad for signing and pins etc...

For mothers day Zoeys Kindergarten put on a concert. Aiden and I attended.



I've also been hiking a bit lately. There was a month missing in the hiking schedule so I'm trying to make up for it. I took a great 18 mile hike through the Los Padres National forest. It was surprisingly rugged and wild out there. Then yesterday I completed the 11 mile 4,400 ft gain Mt Baldy loop with a side trip to Mt Harwood. That's 29 more miles off of my year long goal.

Coming up we have the end of the school year for everyone.

Till Then-

RTSZA