Josie's first road trip

My parents-in-law drove Caleb, Josie and I on a five-day trip up to Reno, Nevada. Our main reason for going was to visit Caleb's grandmother, who turns 90 in December. She was thrilled to see us, and especially to meet great-granddaughter number 12. We also got to do a bit of sight-seeing up and down Highway 395, as well as stay in historic Virginia City in Nevada. Here's a few pictures from the trip.

On our drive up, we stopped at a park in Bishop for lunch. Josie had a much-needed reprieve from the car seat.



Josephine was a pretty good traveler. She spent a LOT of time in that car seat, and only really lost it once.

Grandma Fate (Caleb's mom's mom) with her great-granddaughter. They're just 89 1/2 years apart in age. Grandma was thrilled to get to meet her.

Me and Caleb in Virginia City. Its a preserved old Western town, complete with regular shoot outs, guys dressed in cowboy gear and enough saloons to quench the thirst of the entire state. We had a nice day wandering around town and enjoying the local fare. Caleb's aunt and uncle live just outside town, up in the mountains, and we got to stay with them. Its a beautiful setting.

Relaxing in the hotel in Bishop on our way home. We'd left Virginia City around 9:00 a.m., met more of Caleb's extended family at Lake Topaz for a while (Caleb even did a little water skiing), and then headed to Bishop. We tried to see Bodie and Mono Lake on the way, but arrived at both spots after they'd closed.

Caleb and Josie in Bishop. We'd just visited the Galen Rowell gallery. He was a prominent photographer of the High Sierras and other iconic California scenery.

our trip to Washington

I finally have a few pics from Washington to post. Well, more accurately, I finally have time to post them. Since we got home last week we've been focused on the baby's room ... cleaning things out, prepping for painting, and painting. There's been no time for anything else. We're still not totally done, but we're getting there. I'll post THOSE pictures when we finish.

I'll let the pictures tell the story of our trip.

When we arrived on Friday morning, we got our rental car and spent the day in Seattle. We ate lunch at a lovely little cafe overlooking the Sound at Pike Place, walked through the shops, got hot chocolate at the first Starbucks ever, walked to the Space Needle through a shady part of town, and spent time wandering through the gift shop. It was a cold day, but sunny and beautiful, so we put up with the it. Besides, I got to wear my new cherry red maternity coat.

Pick axes for door handles ... we could only be one place ...

Because we're us, we couldn't go to Seattle and NOT visit the REI flagship store. Its a huge store. REI on organic steroids. They had a whole corner set aside for kids, complete with a tree house they could play in. I had a tough time not wanting to buy baby sized hiking boots and socks. So cute! Can't wait to take the baby camping.

David and Rachel and Timber.

On Saturday, David and Rachel took us to a nearby lake. We spent an hour or so ambling around the entire lake. Again, it was a beautiful and sunny day, and though cold, the walk kept us warm. We were so fortunate to have such beautiful weather! And we experienced one of the fun parts of the outdoorsy Washingtonians, their love for dogs! There wasn't a soul at that lake not walking at least one dog. We could definitely do Washington. Maybe then I could get my Great Dane.

On Sunday the five of us (David, Rachel, Timber, me and Caleb) took the ferry to San Juan Island. We spent the day driving around the island, all of us dreaming of having summer homes there. We saw goat farms, sheep farms, and one farm with a giant camel. Every piece of property seemed to have its own lake and land enough for gallivanting about as though you were a character from a Jane Austen novel with nothing better to do but gallivant.

We went to the whale watching site on the island, where in the right season you're supposed to be able to see Killer Whales. The right season is June through September. So awesome. If only it had been summer.

We didn't see any Orcas, but we DID see eagles ... close enough we could practically see the whites of their eyes! (If eagles have whites in their eyes.) Check Caleb's blog for pics.

David and Timber. Like man, like dog?

On our drive back to Seattle on Tuesday to catch our flight, we took a scenic drive called Chuckanut Drive. It followed the Sound for several miles, again a beautiful day. We passed an alpaca farm as we drove, and I wished we'd had time to stop. Some of the best yarns come from Alpacas. And I love yarn.

Overall it was a great trip. It was relaxing and a great time with David and Rachel. Can't wait to go back ... maybe when the Orcas are coming through.

red rock canyon

Instead of Trick-or-Treating, Caleb and I headed off to the desert for a weekend camping getaway with his family. We went to Red Rock Canyon, just about a 3-hour drive from home. Growing up with the father that I did, Red Rock Canyon and I are no strangers. Its one of my dad's favorite places in California, and anytime we happened to be driving by on our way to some place else, a stop was mandatory. There's nothing there but, well, red rock. There's no gas station, no convenience store, its not even a real rest stop ... but for my dad, driving by without paying homage to the beautiful desert scenery with a stop and a wander down a lonesome trail would have been sinful.

However, for all the stops I've made, until this past weekend I'd never actually camped at Red Rock Canyon. And though I don't know if I'll ever appreciate it the way my dad does, I've begun to see its merit in a new light. It is truly a beautiful desert landscape, with various kinds of rock and mineral painting the hillsides all shades of red and green. The unique shape of the cliffs, formed over centuries of tectonic movement and erosion is also a feast for the eyes.

Our trip started Friday night with an uneventful drive. We set up camp when we arrived and went straight to bed. I woke up at one point in the middle of the night to rain falling on our rain fly, more an annoying noise to try and sleep to than anything else. But then, in the morning, the rain started in earnest. Caleb's parents had brought their trailer, so we had a nice, dry place for eating and talking and playing games and knitting. We figured we'd just wait until the rain let up a little and then go out and explore. Well, the rain didn't let up until about 4:00 in the afternoon. It stopped a couple times for about 30 minutes, and we took advantage of those times with short strolls around the campground.

Once the rain let up in the afternoon, it didn't come back. And though it had driven us inside most of the day, it was a nice relaxing and restful day. I actually wouldn't have changed it. Sunday dawned bright and clear and beautiful, the way only a day after rain can. Caleb has the better pictures, but I have a few here for your perusal.

Despite my first real Red Rock experience being a wet one, I must admit, as I take my own kids on camping trips throughout California, I'll probably carry on the tradition my father started and force my own kids to stretch their travel-weary legs at Red Rock for a moment of desert reflection.

We hiked around this area late Saturday afternoon, after the rain had finally let up. There was NOBODY else there and we were able to let the dogs off their leashes to run free for a while. One of my favorite things about the desert is the lack of people you tend to find there.

Andrew, Pam, Caleb and Bob.

Wylie and Lucy. Lucy wanted so badly just to play, but Wylie is a bit more mature and pretty much just did his best to ignore Lucy's constant and annoying puppy nature.

Ah, heaven for Lucy ... miles and miles of dirt and sand in which to dig!

The tent took in its fair share of rain and sand and mud in just two days. At the end of the trip, the easiest way to clean it out was to simply dump everything out the front door.

Lucy and Wylie, confined to the trailer for the moment.

Sunday dawned clear and beautiful.

Joshua trees. Not everyone finds Joshua trees beautiful or interesting, but I do. I think they're among the more fascinating trees you find in California, each one so distinct.

Like I said, Caleb has more pictures (and better ones). They also prove that I was on the trip as well. I'll post some when I get a chance!

it almost killed me, but i made it

Its 4:20 on Sunday afternoon. I'm home from the mountains, I've showered and cleaned up, even started laundry. And now my bed and a nap are calling me. But the weekends' events are still fresh in my mind. So, although I'm silly with tiredness and achy all over, I want to get this down while its still somewhat fresh. Here is the short version, at least.

I've never had trouble with altitude sickness before. Yes, the climbs are tough, but I'm usually able to focus on just putting one foot in front of the other and slowly but surely making my way to the top. However, this time I also had to battle faint waves of nausea rolling over me and a headache I'm sure even others could see pounding inside my hat. Every step above 13,000 feet was a chore, and there were moments, as I waited for the nausea to pass, I didn't think I'd make it.

White Mountain is the third tallest mountain in California at 14,246 feet tall. I just HAD to reach the top, even if it killed me. And I did! My dad and I, together, slogged our way to the top, one step at a time. We met up with Caleb and Dennis, who'd been hanging around at the top about 45 minutes by the time we reached them. But the point is we reached them! I had to choke back a sob of relief as I laid down my pack and sat down. It was several minutes before I could even take in the scenery around me, as I waited for my stomach to settle once more. We ate and we rested, which helped a bit, and then we had no choice but to head back down the mountain. That was a chore once again, but the downhill is taken care of more by gravity than willpower. And so, though painful, we began our slow descent. With every foot we dropped in elevation, the nausea and headache slowly abated, which along with gravity, made the going a little bit easier.

This was certainly a different trip than I'd ever experienced. Maybe the fact that this is often referred to as the "easiest fourteener" in California threw me off a bit ... just because its the easiest doesn't mean its easy. Just because its a day hike, doesn't mean it won't be a long and painful day. Just because you've never been affected by the altitude before doesn't mean it can't happen today.

Bottom line though ... I made it ... as did Caleb, Dennis and my dad. Here are a few pictures ... click on any one to see the rest of them.

Me and Caleb. It was 37 degrees when we set out at 6:20 a.m.

Dennis and Caleb (in the orange hat) on the trail.

Dennis, Caleb, me, Dad. We made it! Those are the Eastern Sierras behind us. It was a beautiful sight.

Dennis, Dad and Caleb. This was our last rest stop on our way back to the car, just 2 1/2 miles to go! Our round trip total was 15.4 miles.

Dad, the morning after, enjoying his breakfast at our campsite.

White Mountain

I hope everyone had a wonderful 4th of July! I spent this 4th a little differently than usual ... I was up early and on the road to the White Mountains by 8:00. I had lunch in Lone Pine. Dad showed us the famous arch in the Alabama Hills. We drove up to the campground, where we set up camp at 8,000 feet, then wandered through the Bristlecone Pine Forest, where fireworks are strictly forbidden. (The Bristlecones are the oldest living things on the planet, some dating over 4,000 years old.) We eventually fell asleep on a moonless night, only to awake before the crack of dawn for a 15-mile round-trip hike to the top of White Mountain, the 3rd tallest mountain in California, and my third "fourteener" to climb. In fact, as you read this (if you're reading it on the 5th) I am hiking ... most likely trying to ignore the pain in my feet and the fact I hike slower than all three of my compatriots with whom I came. My dad is here, my husband is here, and friend Dennis is here. As usual, there is an element of extra pride that rises up within me at being the only woman on this trek.

I hope I make it. I'm a little less physically prepared for this hike than I was the other two I conquered. However, I am more than mentally prepared, which I believe is more than half the battle. I love standing on the tops of these mountains. The view is never less than spectacular and breathtaking. The feeling of accomplishment is a high all its own. And there's nothing quite like the silence of landscape above the treeline, on a trail few follow. Peace and tranquility are more present here than anywhere else I have been. And I love peace and tranquility.

Even though my feet feel like they've been attacked by a meat tenderizer, and tomorrow the very act of walking will be a chore, there is no place else I'd rather be. I'll have the real story upon my return, with hopefully a few pictures.

white mountain weekend

This weekend my husband and I, along with my dad and a friend of ours, are heading for the hills! We're camping in the White Mountains for two nights, and spending one whole day attempting to reach the summit of White Mountain itself, the third tallest mountain in California at 14,252 feet above sea level. It will be Caleb's and my third fourteener, and that reason alone motivates me to get there. I found a few pictures online that give a glimpse of what our weekend will include. Unfortunately, White Mountain doesn't appear to be a very pretty hike. But the view from the top should be spectacular. Well, and the Bristlecone Pines, the world's oldest living things, are fascinating in themselves.

Last night my cousin asked me what it was that prompts me to climb these mountains, and I realized the only answer I could give her was "because its there." I've never considered that a valid answer before, but the feeling of accomplishment that washes over me when I've completed a hike like this is better than most other highs. There's definitely beauty to behold and I definitely love the silence of such a deserted place ... but its really because the mountain itself simply demands to be conquered. I don't look forward to the pain of a hike I've only half-heartedly trained for, but everything is worth the exhiliration of simply reaching the top. I hope I make it.

White Mountain.

Bristlecone Pines. Yes, what looks like a dead stump of tree is actually still alive. What's even more amazing about these old trees is the inhospitable terrain in which they live. They are the ONLY things that grow out of this particularly dry and rocky soil, and they live well and long. Some of these trees are over 4,000 years old.

finally a few pictures

Well, we're finally home. Its crazy how fast the last 17 days flew by. Feels like just a wink of the eye, a snap of the fingers, a bullet train in Japan (sorry, I was running out of metaphors ... and I'm still on some kind of Europe time, which means my body feels like its 1 or 2 or 3 in the morning right now (depending on if I'm on Dublin, Prague or Vienna time), and I sat on a plane all day and watched 3 1/2 movies, and subsisted on airplane food (which actually wasn't that bad) so my brain is a little bit mush ... please bear with me).

We arrived home about 2 hours ago, and since then we've started laundry and unpacked a bit ... which was easy, since most everything got thrown in a pile on the kitchen floor waiting for its turn in the washer (yes, our washer/dryer is in the kitchen). And now the thing we're most anxious for (besides sleep, which my eyes are starting to demand rather loudly, but so far my brain has had the strength to deny) are pictures. We want to see our pictures! I've only had a chance to download the ones that were still on my camera from Prague and Vienna, so those are what you'll see below. And its only a few ... there will be more to come soon. You might not be as anxious as I to flip through them, but flip through them you will. And you will enjoy them.

See how tired I am? I'm starting to demand you enjoy my pictures from Europe. Perhaps now is a good time just to put the pictures up, and let the blog rest until tomorrow, when it can be approached with more alert and less aggressive behavior. Its the jet lag, I tell ya. I promise to be more amiable tomorrow.

Caleb and Heidi self-portrait, a square in Prague behind us (unknown Cathedral ... known Square, but at the moment my brain can't remember which...)

Caleb and Heidi in Prague, the city behind us. Isn't it pretty? (Yes, I got a bit sunburned ... hadn't counted on such warm weather, but we sure enjoyed it!)

Caleb at Shonbrunn Palace in Vienna. We actually really enjoyed our time in Shonbrunn, despite the apparent look of irritation on my husband's face.

Another self-portrait, this time in Laab im Walde, the small village we stayed in outside Vienna.

the last day

Today was our last day of sightseeing. Its weird that 2 1/2 weeks should go by so quickly. But oh the things we've seen and done! It has truly been a fantastic trip. I can't wait to share more pictures with you all soon. Tomorrow is a travel day ... first a 4 1/2-hour train back to Prague, a quick lunch somewhere around 3:00, then back to the hotel for the rest of our luggage, then a taxi to the airport, then a plane to Dublin, and hopefully by 11:00 we'll be settled in for the night .... only to wake up early to go back to the airport to board a plane for an 11:05 departure for Los Angeles. I think by the time I board that plane, I will be ready to go home.

However, we leave Europe with some fantastic memories. We sat in an Irish pub eating lamb stew and watching a soccer match with the locals, we hiked hills in Norway and saw Viking ships, we listened to a string quartet concert in Prague and had Winderschnitzel in a Viennese home. What a trip.

I promise to share more later, but right now our spaghetti dinner is ready!

norway won't let us go!

OK, we did finally get out of Norway ... but it required one trip into the sky, only to turn around when a previous problem that had already delayed our flight by 2 hours cropped again and the pilot had to turn around and return to Oslo. Much later, after a free lunch and much lingering about talking with other passengers, we finally boarded another plane, at the same gate that they had told us NOT to use just half an hour before, and were finally in the skies bound for Prague. We arrived here about 5 hours later than we were supposed to, definitely a bit worn out. But hey, if you ever need a detailed account of the Oslo airport, we can give you one (that includes the tarmac and various aircraft).

On such a note we arrived in Prague. It was too late on Thursday to do any sightseeing, which turned out to be OK. Uncle Bob was right, Prague can easily be seen in two days, which is what we have done. It certainly is a beautiful city! If it weren't for the huddled masses who also decided to join our vacation, our time here would be perfect. Literally, at times it feels like Disneyland on New Year's Eve, less walking and more being walked as the crowds force us along.

This morning we bought tickets to Vienna, and we leave tomorrow morning on the 10:23 train. We're very much looking forward to going, being as how I speak a tiny bit of the language (unlike in Norway and Czech), and we're staying with friends! Well, friends of family anyway, and that's basically the same thing. We're looking forward to a home-cooked meal and a chance to tell someone else about all our adventures. They have been many!

Every time I get a chance to write something here I wish I had much more time. I haven't even begun to share about what a great time we had in Bergen! But I suppose it will have to wait. As will anything about Vienna, I'm sure. We can't hardly believe how quickly the last two weeks have flown. We'll be heading for home in just a few more days! We look forward to relaying so much more about our trip. I'm afraid you'll just have to wait until then.

Hope all is well with each who reads these unedited words of mine. We'll be seeing you soon!

city by the sea

Well, we've arrived in Bergen, Norway. This is perhaps the most beautiful little town I've ever spent time in. I wish I had pictures to share, but I don't at the moment. You'll just have to wait.

Our two days in Oslo were wet and rainy, and as I said before most of the city was shut down half the time we were there. But it was enjoyable to just wander the streets, and we even took long naps, which was nice (it can be tiring walking all day every day).

On Saturday we hopped on a train in Oslo that bore us all the way to the other side of Norway. It was a gorgeous train trip! It wound its way through picturesque village after village, with green hills and rushing rivers. As we made our way up in elevation we eventually reached what Norwegians consider a great height, nearly 2,000 feet above sea level. However, at that height we get what in America we have to be at 10,000 feet to see! There was deep snow covering EVERYTHING, and people out cross-country skiing and enjoying the winter wonderland. It was spectacular. We then descended back down toward Bergen and the sea, through more beautiful green countryside too beautiful to truly describe. Hopefully we're getting some pictures that will do it a little bit of justice.

On arriving here we went to our hotel and found it to be ... well ... a hovel. OK, it wasn't that bad, but the sticky linoleum floor and the dirty couch and the twin beds and the white walls didn't exactly exude romance and relaxation for our 5 nights here. Soooo, we found our way to the tourist center and decided to pay a little bit more and found another place in town to stay. And oh, what a difference a few dollars can make! We've ended up in a full apartment, run by a Norwegian couple, complete with a kitchen, a bedroom and a living room for relaxing. Its wonderful! We were pretty excited.

Well, there's much more to share, but not enough time or space to say it. So I leave you with this ... We will now be able to truthfully answer "yes" to the question, "So, have you ever eaten Fillet of Reindeer?"

More later!

we're sorry, Oslo is closed

Turns out Norway observes some version of the May 1 holiday, and we awoke this morning to a city mostly closed, save a few 7-11s and some restaurants. We weren't too bothered by the shut down, it gave us a chance to wander the city in relative peace, as there were few people out as well. We saw the city hall, the palace, and walked down by the harbor. Tomorrow we'll take a boat from the harbor across to the peninsula to the Viking museum. We WERE going to do that today ... but it was closed, like everything else.

Near the harbor sits a 700-year-castle built by the Vikings. We spent some time touring that today, as the grounds were at least open to walking around. That was pretty cool.

Norway is a beautiful country. Yesterday we unknowingly flew into an airport an hour and a half from Oslo. We had to take a bus into the city, which at first was a little annoying, as we'd already had a somewhat trying travel day (I will soon publish my list of reasons NOT to fly Ryan Air ... ever). However, the bus took us through beautiful Norwegian countryside, and our irritation soon abated (soon to be found again on arriving in Oslo, where people wanted to be helpful, but weren't too informative, resulting in a 2-hour endeavor to find our hotel ... just a few minutes' walk away).

One of the towns we passed through on our drive to Oslo was Stokke, the same name my sister is soon to take on as her own when she marries. Hans and Amy, it was perhaps the most picturesque little town I've ever seen, complete with an old fashioned church and steeple sitting on a green hillside. You must come here some day and visit the land and town of your namesake.

Tomorrow we do a little more touring, and then Saturday morning we get on the train to Bergen. We're very much looking forward to seeing more of the Norwegian country. This is truly a beautiful country.

More later! (And sorry, no pictures of me with bad hair today. Maybe later.)

OH, and the knitwear here is truly amazing.

we're here!

Well, two days in Dublin and we've already seen so much! We were pleasantaly suprised to have very nice weather and no rain upon arrival. In fact, its only rained on us once, and that was somewhat light. We only took one wrong street on walking from the bus stop to our hotel, and were settled by noon on Sunday. We showered and cleaned up and headed out into the city in an effort not only to stay awake, but to start our sightseeing.

We ended up at Trinity College and took a 30-minute tour, which included a viewing of the Book of Kells. If you're not sure what it is, look it up. It was quite a remarkable thing to see.

After staying up until the late hour of 7:00, we finally couldn't stay awake any longer. We fell asleep exhausted but excited. It was a good first day.

Yesterday we toured the city on a tour bus, taking the whole tour first, deciding what we wanted to go back and see. We ended up walking through both Christ Church and St. Patrick's Cathedrals. What magnificent buildings! We've decided to talk to Rick (our pastor back home) and see what he would think about flying buttresses for the new church.

We did other stuff yesterday, but mostly what I remember from the evening was searching all over for a restaurant, but finding only pubs that served only drinks, and no food. As we got hungrier and it got colder and I got crankier, we finally ended up at an Italian restaurant eating pizza. It was good, and warm, and filling. Yesterday we managed to stay awake until 9. Go us!

(Please forgive the brevity of this post, by the way. I'm on a weird keyboard and trying to go quickly to avoid crazy prices. The dollar sucks.)

Today we spent the morning doing a little shopping and then headed to the Guinness Factory. They have a great museum, showing the history of Guinness and the process of making the beer. And at the top of the museum is a viewing room, one of the highest points in Dublin. We could see miles of the city. Oh, and we were given some Guinness to try. Still don't like beer.

We the headed into the main part of the city to catch a bus that would take us out to a castle just outside the city. This was a 3-hour tour (no Gilligan on our buss), and involved lots of driving through the countryside. We saw some beautiful spots, and if we had more time in Dublin there would truly be much more to see.

Tonight we're on the hunt for a true Irish pub for dinner, perhaps some more shopping (so far we haven't bought anything), and hopefully staying up until at least 10:00 (jet lag has been hard to get over). Tomorrow we have the morning in Dublin and then we catch a flight to Oslo. Its ineresting, yesterday we went through a museum that outlined the history the Vikings have had in Dublin. Essentially, Dublin itself was settled by Vikings 1,000 years ago. It'll be interesting to head to Viking homelands tomorrow, direct from the places they once conquered.

Hopefully more to come soon!

On the plane, over Dublin. It was 10:15 a.m. here ... but our bodies were thinking it was only 2:15.

Outside the Book of Kells exhibit.