Yosemite National Park

After many conversations and half planned trips, Andy and I finally went to Yosemite. We couldn't leave California without visiting Yosemite, no way! We chose a beautiful weekend to go, the weather was mid 60s, sun was shining, blue sky (some haze unfortunately), it was all around nice. The 3 hour drive from the Bay Area went by quickly and we soon found ourselves in some of the most majestic scenery we have ever seen. The mountains were covered in green pines while white waterfalls flowed off of rocks. It was like a moving picture from a magazine. We could hardly believe what we were seeing, it was quite surreal.

We spent the day driving through the park and hiking on small trails. Unfortunately though, we had two things working against us, our dog, and the tourists. Dogs are not allowed in the park, so it was hard to do much with him there. On top of that, there were hoards of tourists. I know Yosemite is a popular park, but wow, I was not expecting so many people. The scenery was incredible when you look up, but when we looked down all we could see were people. How disappointing! I'm sure if we didn't have our dog with us we could have jetted off on a wilderness trail and avoided the tourists...next time I guess.

After a day in the park and full realization that all of the campgrounds had been booked months in advance, we left Yosemite and headed to Stanislaus National Forest. This National Forest is right next to Yosemite, but while Yosemite doesn't allow dogs and is filled with tourists, the National Forest is the complete opposite. We had the whole place to ourselves and our dog could run off his leash as he pleased. Perfect!

We gathered our packs, laced our boots, and headed out into the National Forest to find a place to camp for the night. We found a great trail along a river where we eventually found level ground to camp on. Camp was set, dinner was made, whiskey was drank, and the sound of the river lulled us to sleep. It was perfect! The next morning we hiked out, grabbed breakfast on the way home, and then promptly discovered that Andy had gotten poison oak ALL over his body...I mean everywhere! Since we are from VA where we have never seen poison oak, we didn't know what it looked like. I'm sure we were camping in the stuff! Luckily I am not susceptible to poison oak or ivy, but poor Andy was miserable.

It was a great weekend overall, despite the tourists and poison oak. I would highly recommend visiting Yosemite, just not in the summer when it is overrun with tourists. Also, if you plan on camping there, make sure you reserve a campground months in advance... and don't bring your dog.

Strong Arms Saturday!

This Strong-Arms-Saturday is brought to you by a throw back adventure. I recently came across this picture while packing. Last time I lived in California it was in Los Angeles at my grandparents house. (Sometime around 2007.) When my dad came to visit he took me to Joshua Tree National Park for a day of rockclimbing. We did a 3-pitch climb and boy did I feel accomplished when I reached the top. It was fun to find this picture while packing up to leave California for the second time. While I can't seem to put roots down here, this state sure is full of adventure!

What exciting things do you have planned for Saturday? Feel like snapping a picture of your own Strong-Arms-Saturday, send me a picture and I'll post it along with a little story and a link to your website or blog (if you have one):  E-mail Me!

Strong Arms Saturday!

This Strong-Arms-Saturday is brought to you by hiking and camping! Over Memorial Day weekend Andy and I headed out to Yosemite National Park and Stanisalus National Forest. We enjoyed the views, ohh'ed and ahh'ed all the way through Yosemite and finished up with some off-trail camping in Stanisalus. It was great to be outside and we had wonderful weather all weekend. Yay for our beautiful country!

What exciting things do you have planned for Saturday? Feel like snapping a picture of your own Strong-Arms-Saturday, send me a picture and I'll post it along with a little story and a link to your website or blog (if you have one):  E-mail Me!

Redwood Trees!

I have come to realize that the redwood trees of California are just about as representative of the state as the dramatic coast line. Really, this state does not skimp on beauty! Unfortunately these huge trees don't just line the highways, instead you have to go find them. Near San Francisco there is a national park called Muir Woods and that park is known for their redwoods trees. The famous redwood trees in Muir Woods seem to attract all sorts of hoards of tourists though. Let me just say miles of tourists! I mean they get dropped off by the bus loads, and if they drive in they park for miles and miles. Andy and I checked out Muir Woods one weekend and immediately drove away. I am not one for enjoying nature in a woods crowded with people. No thank you! So after our failed attempt to see some redwoods we did some research and discovered Butano State Park about equal distance away from San Francisco, but south rather than north. (Mill Ox Loop trail is known for redwood trees.) When we arrived at the park there was not a single soul in sight! I mean we had the whole place to ourselves. I have no idea why Muir is so crowded and Butano sits empty. No matter though, we enjoyed the large majestic trees in a quiet forest all to ourselves. They sure are beautiful trees.

Santa Cruz

Ahh Santa Cruz, the easy going town of beaches, sunshine, and great Mexican food! Andy and I have been to Santa Cruz a few times now and we can never seem to get enough. The sun is always shining and the beach is usually filled with sunbathers. Somehow Santa Cruz is always warm enough for laying on the beach in a bathing suit. (Quite unlike other Bay Area beaches!) The town is only 1-hour south of the Bay Area, but it has a completely different feel to it. To me it feels more like the East Coast...or even Southern California. I love the beach culture of volley ball, laying out, sand castle building, the fishing pier, and a boardwalk full of entertainment and rides. If only it were slightly closer, we would probably spend all of our weekends there.

Coastal Strawberry Picking

Last week we had two German Airbnb'ers staying with us. They stayed for two weeks, so we got to know them well. They were a great pair of 20 year old guys curious about the US. Their first weekend with us we decided to take them out to do something that they wouldn't normally be able to experience through public transportation. The Bay Area public transit system is really great, but it doesn't allow for things like exploring coastal Highway One. So Saturday morning we loaded into the car and set out for Highway One with our final destination being an organic strawberry farm right along the coast. It was a foggy day, but lucky for us patches lifted here and there for us to see the coast. At one point we stopped and got out to admire the view. Andy and the German guys ended up finding a small trail leading down the cliff that would allow us to reach a deserted beach, so we went. We had to lower ourselves down a rope along the cliff to reach the beach, yikes! The German guys loved it! After climbing down the cliff, frolicking on the abandoned beach, and then climbing back up the cliff we continued on towards the strawberry farm. We had a lovely afternoon joking, picking strawberries, and stuffing ourselves full of the sweet red fruit. At the end of the day Andy made his mom's strawberry pie recipe and we all enjoyed healthily large slices of it. Gosh, I love strawberries, beaches, and visitors. It was a fantastic day!

Our two German Airbnb'ers

A surfing good time!

A neighbor that I grew up with in Virginia lives in San Francisco and recently we reconnected. How cool! Her husband is a huge surfer so they offered to take Andy and me surfing. We met them in Bolinas Bay, north of San Francisco, at a surf shop. It was a cold, wet, foggy morning and as Andy and I left the house I grabbed my camera and thought that maybe I would sit this one out and take some pictures. When we got to Bolinas I had decided that it was not my day to surf. A foggy rainy ocean looks so much more intimidating than a sunny one. No matter, everyone else was on board with surfing, so wetsuits were zipped up and surf boards were picked out. We walked out to the beach and despite the fog and bad weather it was bustling with surfers! I picked a dry spot under some trees and next to a wildly colorful mural and happily snapped away with my camera. Andy was able to catch some waves and had the time of his life! Luckily I have the pictures to prove it. Now if only I can get my butt out there next time...

Strong Arms Saturday!

This Strong-Arms-Saturday is brought to you by abandoned beaches. Sometimes on weekends that we don't have any plans we just drive. This particular Saturday we drove down Highway One taking in the crisp salty air and admiring the coast line. I love a good abandoned beach without a single soul on it. This particular beach was huge but did not have easy access or parking, thus no one else was around. After making our way down a cliff, we enjoyed frolicking on the beach and having it all to ourselves. Pure delight!

What exciting things do you have planned for Saturday? Feel like snapping a picture of your own Strong-Arms-Saturday, send me a picture and I'll post it along with a little story and a link to your website or blog (if you have one):  E-mail Me!

California vs. Virginia

This post has been formulating in my head over the last two months, but I haven't been able to put it down in words. Last night I lay in bed wide awake writing the post in my mind. It was a great post, well thought out and nicely written. I was awake, but too tired to actually get out of bed and write the post down in my computer. So here is my next morning attempt at putting my thoughts down as words.

People always say don't compare it's not good. Even Andy says it. I know that comparing is not good, but it happens anyway. It happens and I let it happen, so whatever! Since moving out to California it is in constant comparison to Virginia. Not saying that either is better, but there is always something here to remind me of Virginia...or even DC, which inevitably makes me homesick and I start to compare.

When Andy and I lived in DC and Virginia it was normal, comfortable, it was where we grew up and had spent a lot of our lives. After getting married I always figured we would move somewhere else and start new in a place that neither of us had been before. I thought we would make new friends, form a great group of like minded people, and go on a lot of adventures. That did not happen though. We spent our first three years of marriage in DC and Virginia.

They were great years though. We had lots of close friends surrounding us and we did all sorts of fun things. Yes, the area may have been the same as from our childhood, but our friendships were blossoming and there was always something going on, from parties, to cookouts, to random Easter egg hunts put on by our friends in the center of DC.

Then the job offer from California came. It was everything we had hoped for, only three years late. Our life was good where we were at, but the idea of being in a new place with a new exciting life seemed more important. So Andy took the job, I closed my chocolate business, we said goodbye to dear friends, and we moved out to the Bay Area.

Our first few months here were great. We were more focused on adventuring and seeing the area than anything else. Because of that, friendships were not made and community was not built. We also live in Oakland rather than San Francisco, which makes us feel isolated from everything that is happening. Most of the people we know are in SF, so it is frustrating to be across the Bay, which is close yet far at the same time.

So here we are living our "dream" life in California, yet all we can do is think about Virginia/DC and everything we used to have there. We push forward and try to make California work, but it is a slow almost excruciating process. I am discovering that friendships are not easily made in your late 20s, most people already have their solid friend group at this age. Yes, there are meet-up's to go to, but the actual friends made are far and few between.

California is the great land of sunshine (for that I am thankful), but I find myself missing the Virginia rain. I have never craved a heavy rain storm this much before. California has majestic beaches, wonderful wine, and endless parks of hiking to explore. Virginia though, has rolling green mountains, rivers for rafting, and loads of great friends. So the comparison continues... while we figure out where we fit into the grand scheme of everything...