Hiking Sibley Volcanic Preserve

 

 

No snakes on the trail this time. 

Thanksgiving 2013

 

 

 

Another successful Thanksgiving with the Martins, including Dave, Len, Mimi, Dan and HM. There was even time (and great weather) for a few heated games of ping pong on the front driveway.

Private tour of Anchor Brewing

 

 

 

 

Thanks to our friends in San Francisco who purchased the tour in their school’s auction, we got a chance to get a private tour after-hours (just like last year’s), with a few sips of beer to wet our whistle. 

Julie’s 9th Birthday

 

 

 

 

A birthday in two doses: a Saturday gathering with a few school friends to eat fried chicken and then play in Scandia Family Center in Fairfield (great group of girls), and then a quiet evening at home for cake and presents. We gave her an American doll and a nerf bow and arrow: one gift to play on her own, and one gift to keep up with an older brother. 

Little Yosemite Hike

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

This was our second time hiking to “Little Yosemite”, an area of the Sunol Regional Wilderness. The main trail was closed due to bridge replacement, so we hiked over the hills to get to the large jumble of rocks that had only a few sections of running water. As always, I was nervous seeing the kids jump and climb the huge rocks, but we left without a scratch. The weather this November continues to be warm and dry, with a thin layer of puffy clouds, however rain is forecast (finally) for next week.

San Francisco Zoo Trip

 

 

 

 

 

Arnold Trip, continued

 

 

 

 

 

 

After hiking around Lake Alpine, we went to the town of Murphy’s where everyone, including the dogs, was dressed up for Dias de la Muertas. We hit Twisted Oak, our favorite winery, (the tasting room lady made me hold the rubber chicken mascot), and we discovered Zacca — all enjoyed while the kids busied themselves on iPads. We then lucked into outside dinner reservations at an Italian steakhouse where we all had big steaks, except for Julie who had the noodles and butter, of course. The next day we visited Ironstone Winery’s gold museum and had lunch at the Railtown 1897 State Park before heading home.

Arnold Weekend

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The morning after Halloween, we took advantage of the three day weekend to drive up to Arnold and stayed two nights at the “Eagles Rest” house. Julie’s grade isn’t doing a Columbia State Park fieldtrip like Nate’s did last year, so we took her on the way up for horseshoe stamping, gold mining, saloon bowling, and rock climbing. The next day we hiked part way around Lake Alpine at the top of Ebbett’s Pass where snow and ice crystals were still in the shadier parts of the path.