Christmas 2016

I had mentioned to Gil a while ago that I'd once taken Amtrak to Utah to visit my brother.  He was quite taken with the idea and we decided to take the train to Utah to spend Christmas with his family there.

My mother's cousin who lives in the Sacramento area dropped us off at the train station downtown on Friday.  We boarded and found seats.  A train may be a lot slower than a plane, but my goodness, those seats are so much more comfortable!

As we began the climb over Donner Pass, we were very glad we had at least decided not to drive.  This was a view of Truckee, CA outside the train window.

The only picture of us from the whole trip and I attempted some edits to make it a bit easier to see us... best I could get.

We arrived in Salt Lake in the wee hours of the morning.  Gil's mom picked us up and we caught a few hours of sleep.  We spent the rest of the day chatting and running a few errands before Gil's sister and her family, Gil's younger brother and his wife and her mother and her husband, and his younger brother all arrived at his mother's house.  We were quite tight.  We had a lovely meal and then a family gift exchange.  I think the highlights of the evening were the light sabers for the kids and a handmade nesting paper boxes from Gil's sister to me.

We went to church with Gil's mom Sunday morning then went over and played games and had dinner with his two younger brothers and his sister-in-law.  Monday we went and saw a movie then visited in the evening with his sister and her family.  When we arrived, Gil's sister was on the phone with the oldest brother, beginning to plan the family reunion for the summer.  Gil's mom is one of six and each year one of the siblings takes charge of the reunion.

Tuesday we laid low until our train later that evening.  It was an uneventful ride back to Sacramento where my mom's cousin picked us up again.

It was a lovely holiday.

With Reluctance

It was a long day.  It was a really long day.

It started around 8am when I left my apartment.  I drove into incredibly heavy fog which made it near impossible to see street signs, let along numbers on buildings.  Somehow I found the DMV.

Do you have your current drivers license? Yes!

Do you have your current car title? Yes!

Do you have your birth certificate or passport? No!

Do you have two separate documents stating you live where you say you live? Kind of....

Will a utility bill with my name spelled wrong still work? No!

(My first and currently only utility bill spelled my name wrong.  How?  I have no idea.  My service request was made on-line and I know I didn't spell my own name wrong.)

I then drove through the treacherous fog all the way back to my apartment where I searched for my passport.  I also found my signed lease, in electronic form only, and got that on a jump drive.  Then I got on-line and found a Kinkos and was off again.

I found the Kinkos and got my lease printed.  Thankfully the fog had lifted quite a bit and my second attempt at finding the DMV was much easier.

Do you have an appointment? No!

It wasn't bad.  Not as bad as some of the DMV waits I've had in Houston.  Less than a hour.  We started with my car title and registration.

Do you have your smog test? No!

Can you tell me where I can go to get a smog test? No!

I went as far as I could with the title and registration without a smog test, paid $182, then was shunted over to the drivers license desk.

Do you have your request form? No!  The other lady took it.

Have you had any traffic infractions since you've been here? No!

Why, then, is there an "X" next to your name in the system? Ummm...

Turns out I was given a temporary CA license number so I could get my government drivers license for work.  Thankfully it didn't take too long for me to figure that out.

Do you wear glasses or contacts? No!

Are you ready to take the written driving test? What?!

I took a 36 question test and passed the first time. (Did you know it's legal in California to leave a child younger than six years old in a car as long as there is someone older than 12 in the car attending him?)  I got my picture taken.  I paid $33 and got a temp license on a piece of paper.

I tried again.

Can you tell me where I can go to get a smog test?  No!

I was told to Google it.  I pulled out my 10 year old flip phone and my best "really?" face.  Still no luck.  I was told to drive around.

I stopped at two different gas stations and asked.  I have noticed this before but people in California are horrible with cardinal directions.  Horrible!  I actually think it's a skill many people are losing due to GPS, but we really don't need me going off on that topic at the moment.

I finally found a place to get my car smog tested.  For $68, she passed.  Way to go Little Car!  Not bad for almost 13 years old and almost 205,000 miles.

Back to the DMV.

Do you have an appointment? No!

I finally walked out of the DMV with new license plates and a temporary drivers license about 2pm.  My next stop was the local insurance agent to get that transferred too.  My rate in California is almost double.  I got home a little after 3pm.

With great reluctance (and maybe some tears) I took my Texas plates off Little Car and put on her new California plates.  It just doesn't look right.  There is a "Q" in the number, which is a small consolation.

It didn't help that lonely neighbor from downstairs decided to keep me company during this process and kept telling me how wonderful California was and how she was a Cali girl and how she didn't like Texas and how we all talk funny and there are too many horses, cows, cowboys, and dust.  

"You're a Californian now."

I turned and wagged my finger at her, looked her right in the eye, and said, "On paper, yes.  But in my heart, I am a Texan."

It was a long day.

So Accomplished

I found an apartment.  I like it.  I am excited to live in one place for more than six months.  However, the habit is so ingrained, I'm having trouble parting with my moving boxes.

I made my first major purchase for the apartment just before Thanksgiving.  Thanks to the wonder of Skype, Gil and I went on-line together and decided on a dresser.  Together.  I know.  This was big.

This was also my first Ikea purchase.  Other than the dresser pieces coming in three separate staggeringly heavy boxes, it was pretty slick.  I had to document the process.

(Please note there is no overhead light in the bedroom.  I had to use the closet and hallways lights, hence the dimmer pictures.)

Oh man, this was so exciting.  Three big boxes.

 Setting out the first pieces.

 Taking shape.

 This was easier than I thought it would be.

 Getting closer.

 Ready to flip and put the drawers in.

DONE!

I realize this was nothing like my one dear friend who went to the hardware store and got lumber and built her family a dining room table, but I really enjoyed the assembly process and am ready for my next Ikea furniture project.

Desert Hike

I miss the desert.  It has a beauty all its own.

I drove down to Las Vegas for Veteran's Day weekend and Gil and I went for a hike.  He drove us close to Hoover Dam, he pulled into this semi-secret parking area, and we were off.  The colors were grand, the geology exposed, the hike full of rock obstacles, and the company perfect.  The only thing I didn't like was the helicopter tours constantly flying overhead.  Ugh!  

 We hiked all the way to the Colorado River, below the dam.  We had lunch on the river.

 Looking up-river towards the dam.  You can't see it but you can see the new bridge.

 As we got closer to the river there were all sorts of hot springs and pools.  It was really pretty.

Although the west-side Sierra foothills in California are going to be our home for a while, I hope we will always be able to find a way to get back to the desert for visits.

October 29th

The days leading up to the end of October were cold and rainy.  When I started my new job at the beginning of October I had planned to visit Mariposa the last weekend of the month to see the children I worked with present their program at church.  The 28th was Nevada Day and Gil had the day off and he decided to come up for a visit.

We drove to Midpines in the rain.  We kept monitoring the weather closely and it looked like it would clear for a few hours Saturday morning.  Saturday dawned bright and clear and we decided to head into Yosemite one more time.

The sun rising over Yosemite Valley, Half Dome in the far distance, El Cap on the left, Bridalveil flowing on the right, and mist on the valley floor.  (I am homesick for this place...)

 We continued up the Glacier Point Rd which was closing later that afternoon in anticipation of the rain starting up again and this time bringing snow.  We hiked to Taft Point, a place neither of us had been before.  We had beautiful views of the valley.

Yosemite Falls in all its glory.

 El Capitan and the Merced River.  I wish I could say the reds are fall colors, but it's unfortunately dead trees from the drought.

 We spent quite a while up at the point.  I finally turned to Gil and asked if he was ready to go.  He wasn't.  He had other plans.  He took my hand, got down on one knee, and ask me to marry him.  I said, "Yes!"

We took a few more pictures.

 We headed back down to the valley and took more pictures.

Oh how I love this man.

Kate E. and Gil C.

coming Spring 2017

Who Is Gil?

I've gotten quite a few people asking me lately, "Who is Gil?"  I will attempt to answer that question.

Gil is strong.

 Gil is smart.

Gil is an excellent cook.

Gil can fix anything.

 Gil loves to surf, snorkel, SCUBA, and swim.

 Gil is kind.  (And he drives a truck.)

Gil is funny.  (He did these himself.)

Gil is many things, more than I have room for in my blog.

There is one more thing Gil is...

...my fiance.

Pate Revisited

 Do you remember back to the first of July when I posted about a hike I did for work down to a place called Pate Valley?  Do you remember how I talked about it being really hot, really exposed, and there being a lot of rattlesnakes?  Do you also remember I said I would never do that hike again?  Well... I did.  

My last hike of the season was back to Pate Valley.  It didn't seem so bad this time.  The weather was quite a bit cooler.  In fact, the temperature was 27* when Martina and I started our hike early the first morning.  We didn't see a single rattlesnake the entire trip.  We took our equipment down and camped in the valley for the night.  The river was quite a bit lower than our first visit.  Martina and I packed smarter this time, sharing a bear canister and tent, so our packs were lighter.  We'd had a whole season of hiking behind us and we were able to hike out two hours faster (two hours!!) than our first trip down to Pate.  Oh, and did I mention fall colors were starting to show?  Pate Valley is still one of my least favorite hikes, but at least I feel I'm leaving the park on better terms with that trail than I would have had I only hike it that one time.

Looking at the eastern end of Hetch Hetchy, looking very low.

 Some fall colors!

The week before my trip to Pate, I had my last trip up to Merced Lake to take down equipment.  Once I get up past Bunnell Cascade, the trail is one of my favorites in the park.  There were also some beautiful fall colors along the way.

 Not the best picture, but some lovely colors starting to show on the opposite shore of Merced Lake.

Miles

I've logged a lot of miles this summer.

I did a quick estimate and figure I hiked about 250 miles between the first of May and the end of September.  Not too shabby.  Most of those hikes were in long, 10+ mile days too.  I saw some beautiful places and enjoyed the Yosemite backcountry immensely.

I also logged a lot of miles on my car.  She rolled over to 200,000 miles Labor Day weekend as I made my way to the San Jose airport.  I wasn't able to get a photo of the 200,000 or the even better 200,002 (I love palandroms) because I was on the freeway, but pretty close.  She's been a good car and I'm hoping she will continue to be so for at least another seven years or so.

I start my fourth week in the new job tomorrow.  I've spent some time over the past few weeks getting acquainted with the forest and especially my district.  There are a lot more miles to explore out here.  I'm hoping to post pictures of my new home soon.  As always, fellow adventurers always welcome!

Fall Colors

I arrived in El Dorado County just in time for a spectacular display of fall colors.  The whole forest is full of reds, pinks, yellows, and oranges.  Absolutely stunning.

The house in the background is my temporary housing until I find a place to live.  Not bad.  This tree is right in front of the kitchen window.

There is so much more color to capture in my little neighborhood and up the canyon.  It is a beautiful place and I'm looking forward to exploring and getting to know this new area.

Family Visit

Last weekend I was fortunate to have my parents and Gil come for a last visit to Yosemite.  In some ways this was a last-hurrah for me before leaving for my new job.  I know I'll visit this park again, but for now, it was a chance to say goodbye.

Everyone arrived Friday night and though we were up late visiting, we were still up early Saturday and off to Tuolumne.  We hiked to Cathedral Lake.  It was a place I hadn't yet been and it was lovely.  The trail was really busy but the weather was perfect.

Stopping for a break.

We had lunch on the lake and enjoyed the views.  It was chilly up there, especially when the wind blew.

Mom and Dad with Cathedral Peak in the background.

Sunday we went to church and had a restful afternoon.  Monday morning Gil left for Las Vegas and my parents and I went up to Glacier Point.  It was a little hazy with forest fire smoke and the waterfalls were mere trickles, but it is still a beautiful view of Half Dome and the east end of Yosemite Valley.  

Pondering my park one last time from a comfortable perch in the Geologist cabin at Glacier Point. 

My parents left Monday afternoon.  It was a grand weekend and it went way too fast.  Now I'm in the mad dash to get projects finished at work and my life arranged and packed for my next big adventure.

Changes

My third summer season in Yosemite National Park is quickly winding to a close.  You wouldn't know it by looking at my room and the lack of packing taking place at the moment, though.  

Winter.  What is Kate doing for the winter?  I'm sure this is the question on all your minds.  Will she go back to Death Valley?  Will she go to another park?  Will she spend the winter in Houston again?  Will she work on an agricultural exchange somewhere in South America to improve her Spanish?

No to all of the above.  This winter holds a big change for me.  A significant change.

My first season with the park service was in 2004.  Over the past twelve years I have worked 14 seasons with the National Park Service in seven different parks and six different states.  I was able to celebrate the NPS Centennial last month in the Yosemite high country.  I wouldn't have had it any other way.

After 12 wonderful and fulfilling years with the NPS, I'll be turning in my hat and badge and hanging up my NPS uniform next week.  I will be saying goodbye to the Department of the Interior...

... and hello to the Department of Agriculture.  Oh my.  I have accepted a permanent job with the US Forest Service.  I start the beginning of October as a Natural Resource Specialist - Recreation for the Eldorado National Forest.

I will be moving to the Placerville, CA area, about four hours north of where I'm living now.  The job is permanent, which means no more moving every six months, no more limbo as to whether or not I have a job, and there is no furlough.  I'm excited and nervous for this new adventure which is fast approaching and immensely blessed.

Labor Day Weekend

The joke of the weekend was I flew from California to Nevada so I could drive back to California.

It was a wonderful weekend.  I was already scheduled for a four day weekend and was able to squeeze a fifth day out of my supervisor and it was grand.

I flew from San Jose to Las Vegas on Friday.  Gil picked me up from the airport and we hurried to campus.  He went to class and I went to the library.  The University of Nevada Las Vegas library doesn't quite have the feel or the smell of my no-longer standing Merrill Library from my USU days, but it served as a quiet place to take a quick nap and read until Gil got out of class.

We left early Saturday morning, headed for Newport Beach.  We made good time and arrived around 10 am.  We wandered the beach, looking at tide pools and watching the waves.  Gil is an expert at catching the little crabs that were hanging out in the tide pools.  I did put my feet in the surf but my goodness, that water is COLD!  The Pacific is definitely colder than the Gulf of Mexico. 

 The section of beach we were on was a CA state park called Crystal Cove and a favorite of Gil's.  There was a quaint visitor center, and lots of cute little rental cabins along one section of the beach.  There was also a shake shack where we got lunch and shared a malted chocolate milk shake.

 We changed into our swimsuits and picked a spot on the beach and set up the umbrella and put down our towels.  Gil went and frolicked in the water and I stayed in the shade.  That water is cold.  Gil had brought a kite and we enjoyed that for a bit.  I stayed under the umbrella and read my book while he put on his wetsuit and did some snorkeling.  It was a beautiful, clear, warm but not too hot, sunny day. 

We stayed the night in Redlands with Gil's cousin and her family and went to church with them the next morning.  The Redlands Temple shares a parking lot with their church building.  We also drove by the Newport Beach Temple on Saturday.

Monday we headed up into the Spring Mountains on the west side of Las Vegas to explore the bristlecone grove up there and to see if we could find the Rain Tree.  I know I've said it many times, but I love bristlecones!

A very sappy cone.  The sunlight made the sap really sparkly.  Lovely!

 We made it to the Rain Tree.  It was huge for a bristlecone.

 Out there somewhere, just barely out of sight, is Las Vegas.

I flew back to San Jose on Tuesday.  It was a lovely weekend and a great semi-last big adventure before school, classes, homework, reading, projects, and papers start in earnest for Gil.