Two out of five ain't bad

Took some photos while Kristin was here visiting; it was great to get them in the lens again. And we got a bonus when Travis' girlfriend Autumn agreed to sit for me, too. 

P.S. the kids aren't always so solemn- those were just shots I liked.

Mo and Bug

Travis

 

Kristin

Autumn -- Travis' girlfriend

The ballad of Dusty and Andrea

 We kicked off the wedding of Brian's cousin Dusty by helping make pies for the reception. Dusty's sister Melodie is the Pie Queen but 30-plus pies were too much even for her. We started before 9 a.m. (and Melodie started way before that) and we didn't stop until 1 p.m. (and Melodie was still at it).

 Yeah, it was hot and sticky and B jumped into  the ice-cold McKenzie. On purpose.

Lots of family at the wedding and the setting was lovely, a riverside fishing lodge set up with multiple cabins, hiking trails and gardens. 

We, led by Jess and Shiori and Leah -- who brought the house down dancing every song -- closed down the place, staying until the DJ shut down for the night.

Clear Lake revisited

 Well, the Fates conspired against us and we didn't get to do a big group campout this year -- so many irons in the fire. But we did hook up with Dan and Julie and brood and Leah/Shiori for a few days of camping at Clear Lake along the McKenzie River.

We had not one but two hiking surprises -- namely hikes that turned out to be much longer than expected. Jess and Josh and I took off around the lake on our first afternoon, while Brian was at a cousin's bachelor party. It was hot, very hot, but the lake was lovely, dipping into the woods and coming out into fields of lava rock. 

The lake is distinctive; full of glacial water, bone-chilling cold and clear like glass. Our lake-circling hike was so long and hot that Josh impetuously jumped in for a very, very, quick swim. 

Then we gathered the whole gang for a seven-plus mile hike (supposed to be five miles) along the McKenzie. Same deal, different day. The hike was great, in a wonderful section of forest -- but long, very long. 

 We didn't see any other hikers until the very end. It was a very popular trail with demented mountain bike riders who like to torture themselves. 

I mean, you know, dedicated cyclists.

Our goal was Tamolitch pool, 'Blue Pool' by locals. Also crazy cold, also had a Hole jump into the water, only this time it was Brian. 

This family is nuts. 

And he crosses the finish...

August was a big month for Brian. 

He didn't get to go backpacking on the Pacific Crest Trail but he did meet another, newer, goal -- participating in a sprint triathlon. 

Brian trained for months; he was already a great swimmer but he wanted to work on his form and build up his running and biking skills. 

The day was crazy hot but he had a great swim leg and a good bike leg. His 5k run time was longer than his goal (it was like 95 degrees by then) but since his other times were good he made his overall goal. 

Jess and Josh were there as race volunteers but they were there for Brian's transitions and at the end, I was there to take photos for the paper and we rounded out the  cheering section with Aunt B and Josh's friend Sean. 

We were very proud, it was an amazing accomplishment.

The Trouteholes Go Californian -- Episode 7

 We saw little of Santa Cruz, beyond the boardwalk and the beach. We didn't have enough time for anything else, a shame because Santa Cruz has plenty to offer.

 We walked the wharf of course, Santa Cruz's being quite long and full of businesses -- and pelicans. This seafood store, Stagnaros, was a familiar sight. It's where my mother bought the makings for her cioppino, and bouillabaisse and all the other wonderful seafood-based dishes she made that I refused to eat as a picky kid.

 Jess, Josh and Brian took a surfing lesson and had a blast -- declaring it the most fun of the whole trip.

 We ended the visit with a few leisurely hours on the beach; it wasn't terribly warm but it was pleasant and the crashing waves, squealing children and squawking birds presented a perfect experience.

The Trouteholes Go Californian- Episode 6

 The Santa Cruz Boardwalk was a big hit with everyone, as I knew it would be. A classic (and rarely found anymore) beach amusement park, the Boardwalk contains a good mix of old and new. 

I spent a lot of time here as a kid and was very excited to share it with my kids. 

 The Giant Dipper, a 100-year-plus wooden roller coaster, was a blast -- even for me, the coward who avoids most coasters. No upside down, no gravity-defying stunts, just very fast hills, dips and banks. 

 We spent two afternoons/evenings at the Boardwalk, trying to get the most out of every ride, every corn dog.

The Troutehole's Go Californian - Episode 5

 

So we had to spend a bit of time in my old hometown, mostly for nostalgia's sake because it's not a typical tourist place. This is my old house, where we lived after my folk's divorce and we moved from Palo Alto. It's called Aptos, a strange name Jessie was immediately enamored with. Within Aptos is an unincorporated area known locally as Rio Del Mar and it's that section that's along the beach. 

The beach there has one fun oddity, something we all called The Cement Boat as children but the state called The Cement SHIP. It's proper name is the Palo Alto and it really was a concrete ship built during a steel shortage. It was moored off Aptos as a floating nightclub of sorts, then it was run aground and a pier was built out to it.

Over the years it has fallen into disrepair and eventually people were no longer allowed on the boat itself for safety reasons. But the pier is still used for fishing and it's still attached to the ship.  Meanwhile, all the local seabirds have taken over the ship, creating a avian metropolis that gives off an odor you would not believe. Josh, Jess and B only stuck around a moment, I persevered longer to take some photos -- but not long.

  

After Aptos we drove next door to a quirky little town called Capitola. It is tiny and funny and charming. 

It has a storybook little waterfront with funky little cottages, a little river running into the sea, with railroad trestles crossing them.

Like every town on the bay, nearly, Capitola has a fishing/boat pier and it is lovely to stroll and watch the boats bobbing at their moorings in the bay.