Lake Sylvia

I'd been wanting to have a hiking date with Gil for a while.  We had originally planned this hike a week earlier but the smoke from forest fires was very dense and not healthy to be out in.  

The weekend before school started for Gil was our last chance.  Thankfully the smoke cleared, my parents were thrilled to watch Wesley for the day, and we were off.

The hike to Lake Sylvia followed Lyons Creek for a while and made for a lovely setting.  We made good time to the lake.  Another couple was backpacking nearby and it made me want to go backpacking very, very badly.

We explored on our own above the lake.  There was no trail but that didn't stop us.  The alpine meadow and the views were stunning.

We found a small pool with the clearest water.

We found a big rock in the shade and had our lunch.  This was a really pretty bug that joined us.

Another wonderful adventure on a perfect day.  Not a lot of adventuring for the next little while; our next task is to get through another semester of school.

Bassi Falls

Lack of work stress is a wonderful thing.  I didn't realize how much it affected my health, my mood, and my relationship with my family.  I thought I would worry about what was happening at work and if everything was getting done that needed to be.  Not. At. All.  

Case in point: We decided to adventure once again yesterday.  There is a very popular hike to a waterfall on the Eldorado National Forest and we decided to check it out.  There were so many things I saw on the drive to the trailhead, at the trailhead, and on the hike that were cringe worthy but I simply thought it's for someone else to worry and stress about.  I enjoyed myself thoroughly.

Not a lot of water at the falls this late in the season but it was still a beautiful day and Wesley did great hiking, though he spent a lot of time on Gil's shoulders this time.

We found a little pool away from the falls and the rest of the hikers, stripped the Wee Lad down to his birthday suit, and let him play in the water to his heart's content.  He loved it.  

We moved to a different pool and Gil and I took our boots off and soaked our feet too.  It was cold!  There was a big smooth slab of granite with algae growing on it and a very small amount of water passing over it.  Gil held Wesley's hands and let him "slide" down the algae.  The Wee Lad thought this was great fun and we did this for quite a while.  (Poor guy has a few little scrapes and bruises on his bum but it doesn't seem to bother him.)

We found a nice shady spot to enjoy our lunch before hiking back.  

 I love the High Sierra and I love hiking with my two favorite boys.

Big Trees State Park

Another adventure!  My friend Andrea loves Big Trees State Park located a few hours south of us and invited us to go walk through one of the Giant Sequoia groves.

Standing on the stump of one of these trees you get a sense of just how big around they are.

Wesley was not content to stay on the trail or look at the trees.  Instead, he was very interested in the rocks and sticks and brush to climb through off the trail.  He was covered head to toe in dust by the time we had lunch.

Lunch included his first ever Doritos.  He was a big fan.  Thanks, Andrea!

Point Reyes National Seashore

I am not a spur-of-the-moment girl.  Not at all.  I like to plan ahead.  I like to have advanced notice.

So when Gil said one Saturday morning after our now traditional Saturday morning pancakes that he wanted to give his car battery a deep charge, "let's go to the coast," I surprised myself by saying, "Yes, please!  Let's go."

Within a half hour we were ready to go but the battery was fully dead and we ended up getting a new one.  We still decided to go.  Our destination was Point Reyes National Seashore, just north of San Francisco.  

I love this picture!  My two men, hiking down the trail. (I know, it's a little hard to see them.)

There were plenty of sticks and rocks and sand for Wesley.  He was in heaven. 

We hiked around an estuary with the goal of reaching the ocean.  However, after a few hours we came to a trail sign that said it was another two miles to the true coast and that we'd already done about four.  Wesley walked most of it himself.  He has the makings of a great hiker!  We decided to turn around and drive to a beach access instead of hiking farther.

Wesley loved, loved, loved the sand.

Gil, as any good father, dug a hole and put Wes in it.  Wes loved it!

It was a wonderful spur-of-the-moment adventure.