We needed this day to regroup before we started our trek back up to Seattle.
Top on list for Jeff. Resurface the roof of the motor home because he was going to stop the leak we had one way or another.
![IMG_3449 IMG_3449](/posts/files/4d2f7f35-72be-497f-b8ed-d48ac7d7d545.jpg)
Top on the kids list. Swimming and a fashion show with all of the clothes that were given to us by a couple in Wyoming. You may ask why we were given clothes? I am still asking the same questions and have been pondering how to write about our experience with this couple without sounding too negative. But here you will get see the wool clothing that was given to us in case a sudden ice age hits.
![IMG_6202 IMG_6202](/posts/files/50490904-378f-4901-aca1-531b115e40b3.jpg)
![IMG_6205 IMG_6205](/posts/files/56c57941-c239-43bc-bdeb-baf5857dedd4.jpg)
Top on my list. Check out this place called Runyon Canyon. I made it there…well just outside the gate. There are no pictures to show of Runyon Canyon. The only picture I have of this day is the insurance car of the truck I backed into while trying to turn around. Always remember to shift the car to drive when moving forward. Reverse takes you to places you never need to be, especially when most of LA is watching you. I never did make through those gates of Runyon Canyon, next time. And the drive home… that’s a whole other story. People talk about the traffic in LA but for me I had a hard time keeping up with the insanely fast pace. Pure and simple… driving in LA sucked for me!
We are headed back north, with the sights and smells of Interstate 5 right by our sides.
This smell… like no other I have experienced thus far on this cross country adventure. It silenced my family of 6 as we all pinched our noses and held our breath.
![IMG_6254 IMG_6254](/posts/files/f8c09f3f-c0f0-4879-97f5-732f34217064.jpg)
A few more sights…
![IMG_6263 IMG_6263](/posts/files/a29f7e12-7ad9-4c40-8085-c580eb6c5040.jpg)
We are anxious to get back north where the water is fresh and lands are green and lush. But we leave here with a new attitude about clean water. As we saw dying farms and dusty dry lands it prompted much conversation around this natural resource called water. We take it for granted that when we turn our faucets on and water our lawns that water will always be there. California is hurting, farms are dwindling, farmers have no work. I don’t have a solution to this problem but what I do know is that this entire country relies on California for much of their produce. Praying for a miracle!
11/28/14
Our Thanksgiving plans were… well we didn’t really have any. We thought maybe we would be in Redwoods National Park or maybe the Oregon coast. We weren’t really sure how or if we were going to be cooking a turkey. After we decided to head south to LA to visit friends we knew Thanksgiving would now be celebrated there. But what we didn’t know was that we were going to be invited to my friend’s brother’s house for the big meal.
Thank you to John and Renu for opening up your beautiful home(of 2 weeks) to us for a Thanksgiving feast. And to my dear friend and Jersey girl Sherry for cooking. What a day?
Can you tell these kids had some fun?
![IMG_3426 IMG_3426](/posts/files/f96dc8bd-f5a4-4870-addf-79e8b6556f31.jpg)
![IMG_6161 IMG_6161](/posts/files/f45ff2b4-1f90-4ba2-a11d-9bda1d6d0a4d.jpg)
We got to hold a one hundred trillion dollar bill… yes please!
![IMG_6168 IMG_6168](/posts/files/a8b9d34d-a885-458d-8431-44eb1bdc3043.jpg)
And take a picture with an Emmy Award.
![IMG_6186 IMG_6186](/posts/files/6e3735ac-f5bd-4962-968e-61171cc46857.jpg)
And be reminded how thankful we are for good friendships!
![IMG_6174 IMG_6174](/posts/files/a13f991a-4e5f-4e09-a69a-7c1e0db19073.jpg)
11/27/2014
We figured since we were in the Santa Monica area that we would reach out to our friend Alex who lives there. He was excited to hear from us and just as excited to offer to take us out to lunch in Malibu…. he didn’t have to twist our arms, we were excited to see him and be treated to lunch.
![IMG_3370 IMG_3370](/posts/files/10ca5a8c-21eb-4c5f-b77c-80360ebeb805.jpg)
It was great to see our friend and we thoroughly enjoyed our time with you Alex. Thank you!
Hanging outside the restaurant. Note Makenzie, she is reading.
![IMG_3304 IMG_3304](/posts/files/9da94d53-96e1-4238-a87f-ebdcde6ac0ca.jpg)
Walking on the beach. Note Makenzie in the background, reading.
![IMG_6087 IMG_6087](/posts/files/57c66e57-7a69-4082-babd-f7fd56fbf634.jpg)
A little bit of cliff jumping. I love these pictures. Note Makenzie, you guessed it, she is still reading.
![IMG_3326 IMG_3326](/posts/files/7f9047cd-5ccf-45e5-8580-b1ec4b42c195.jpg)
Dipping our toes in the Pacific and Makenzie is still reading.
![IMG_6123 IMG_6123](/posts/files/1b0ec6fa-34ee-4a1b-bedd-734501f8da4f.jpg)
In every picture I have from this day Makenzie is reading but there were moments she took in the view and felt the frigid pacific ocean waters splash on her toes. This kid… I’m so in love with her.
11/26/2014
So when you get a message on your phone that your friend is flying from NJ to LA for Thanksgiving and you happen to also be in Cali but 7 hours away, what do you do? You remind yourself that you are currently living in an RV and that traveling is your way of life. Then you call that friend back and tell her that you will see her in 2 days.
So look who I found in Santa Monica 2 days later:
![IMG_7122 IMG_7122](/posts/files/be3c565e-776a-484e-afde-c9f1227a952c.jpg)
We were also loving the blue skies and the warm weather here in LA.
![IMG_3142 IMG_3142](/posts/files/553ba97a-7de3-4fc0-8dc6-fe3bc9aefb9a.jpg)
At some point some guy on the pier threw a snake around Koah’s neck and all the kids necks for that matter. It was a pretty sneaky way to then ask for a donation to help a cause that I don’t seem to remember the name of.
![IMG_3186 IMG_3186](/posts/files/80e822d0-5bca-4948-bdef-afad13c95972.jpg)
We also got our first taste at a trampoline park with our friends.
![IMG_3259 IMG_3259](/posts/files/83c23977-87bb-49de-b990-4d2a64d6e522.jpg)
This was a really great start to our time with friends here in Southern California.
11/24/2014
Much of this tour was focused on how hard Jelly Belly works to perfect the flavor of their jelly beans. We were told that there are scientists on site that extract flavors from, say an orange and work diligently to give an accurate, as most exact possible flavor of an orange in a jelly bean. So when I saw these flavors, I questioned how this was entirely possible.
We also learned that these jelly beans go through a long process and only make the cut if they are perfect. If they are not perfect they are considered a belly flop and get rerouted and then bagged to only be sold at a Jelly Belly factory.
![IMG_2967 IMG_2967](/posts/files/031ca36d-9e18-4bf3-98ce-cbe762d502e8.jpg)
They also have artists that take pictures and recreate the picture with jelly beans.
![IMG_2958 IMG_2958](/posts/files/b6dd89d8-ca19-4761-8446-ed4d60414569.jpg)
We thoroughly enjoyed this tour and left with jelly belly ache from all the free jelly beans we ate.
![IMG_2966 IMG_2966](/posts/files/78d75168-f26e-42f5-b6fb-483274f3c47b.jpg)
And yes, we were required to wear these hats.
11/20/2014
The original idea was that we would spend two days here, those 2 days were scaled back to one when a friend called to tell us she and her family were in L.A. (but that is a post for another day). And since we sat in traffic a long while trying to cross the Bay Bridge, our time here was short but sweet.
First stop: Lafayette Park- I had shown Koah a picture I had taken of this park a year prior. This was one of the spots that he requested we stop at.
![IMG_2989 IMG_2989](/posts/files/b720c936-b414-49a6-bd98-e354df6d1c20.jpg)
Second stop: Mosaic Steps
![IMG_2991 IMG_2991](/posts/files/2ef8e1cc-c373-4097-b9c1-f6964a5e0a93.jpg)
Third Stop: Lunch and Dessert on Fillmore Ave.
![IMG_2990 IMG_2990](/posts/files/524c9415-1974-4a85-a7a0-bd31e377fcba.jpg)
Fourth and Final Stop: Randall Museum. This museum had the perfect mix of activities for our family.
For the animal lover: An area of the museum dedicated to the animals.
![IMG_2851 IMG_2851](/posts/files/c571670f-d582-4380-9223-0540cc72bbec.jpg)
For the hiker: A short trail just outside the museum doors. The top offered some killer views of the city.
For the engineer: Build a skyscraper and see if it can withstand the shaking of the board it is built on, like an earthquake. This was tons of fun for all.
Construction Fail
![IMG_3319 IMG_3319](/posts/files/3928ee32-62f4-41e7-817e-d809f752a72c.png)
![IMG_2868 IMG_2868](/posts/files/265b140c-3458-458c-96ab-2c534530ffc7.jpg)
More lessons on plate tectonics.
![IMG_2859 IMG_2859](/posts/files/e58fc7ec-eb1c-4c1a-8e18-d80e412785ac.jpg)
For the my model:
![IMG_2886 IMG_2886](/posts/files/86234cdd-d451-4af0-8f4f-1f3372af7a5a.jpg)
I loved this little place. For a majority of the time we were the only people there. I don’t know San Francisco very well but this place seemed to be tucked away in a little place that not many people knew existed. I highly recommend this place especially on a clear day.
11/19/2014
We ventured back into old town mainly because we were told by a local to not miss the old hardware store. The kids were told that they had “old fashioned” toys that were out in the open to play with and also available for purchase.
I must say it was a cool looking hardware store, far different than your local Home Depot.
![IMG_3051 IMG_3051](/posts/files/90fae305-13cb-42cc-a379-663cfd46db6a.jpg)
As for the toys, I liked the fact that most were made out of wood. Many were the standard puzzle type games/toys that can be found just about anywhere. They were super expensive and the kids did not want to use their money here. It is funny how they think twice about their purchasing when it is their money involved, not mine.
Freya spent more time playing on this box (pictures behind her) than she did in the hardware store.
![IMG_3069 IMG_3069](/posts/files/d309ecd3-17d9-4f5a-a68b-1d19b97865cf.jpg)
We had some fun taking photos in a little park we found at the bottom of these stairs. This was the street level at some point in time, although the sign at the park didn’t explain when or why… or at least I can’t remember if it did.
![IMG_3070 IMG_3070](/posts/files/b9df32a6-3042-4917-ace3-ab6b197a5f12.jpg)
![IMG_3091 IMG_3091](/posts/files/db64235b-d40a-4fd4-a057-4cf768c7c9ed.jpg)
How could we leave the heart of the 1848 California Gold Rush without sifting for a little gold ourselves… well, fools gold. And if anybody was going to find it, it was going to be this guy.
![IMG_2795 IMG_2795](/posts/files/3967de80-3261-4235-9817-bdd38a4dccb4.jpg)
11/18/2014
I was very surprised how quiet this old town was. We stopped in the visitors center and the woman working explained that this was not at all unusual hence much of the vacant store fronts. But there were two store fronts that did grab our attention while we were walking and talking, learning a bit about the California Gold Rush.
#1
![IMG_2731 IMG_2731](/posts/files/2d3e3e11-b42c-4680-b3e3-85bdeda34e4f.jpg)
Need I say more… but I will. Upon entering we were told that we each could sample 3 pieces of candy. Sweet… no pun intended!! It was a long process to decide on just what 3 pieces made the cut.
While still deciding we were all offered a chocolate covered cricket. The general consensus…it tasted just like a Kit Kat.
![IMG_2744 IMG_2744](/posts/files/bb730c2f-6c8a-4ffa-b176-b9154bb120bd.jpg)
Store Front #2
![IMG_2793 IMG_2793](/posts/files/10023413-e121-4785-8c9f-a99ed8ae413c.jpg)
Danny shared his struggles with owning a small donut business, especially at this time of year when there are days that the cost to open the shop exceeds the profit he makes in selling donuts. Do stop here if you are in town, Danny makes a great mini donut!
Can you tell?
![IMG_2787 IMG_2787](/posts/files/72b19821-a5a4-42e4-b352-1e2dcbca0df6.jpg) Licking the bag. | ![IMG_2789 IMG_2789](/posts/files/f999fbb0-3824-47da-b26f-a49afe3d3bba.jpg) Licking fingers. |
![IMG_2785 IMG_2785](/posts/files/4f0521f8-eb85-4510-82cd-d79ef83b7309.jpg)
11/17/2014
![IMG_2337 IMG_2337](/posts/files/8671b0bb-a7bd-420b-b80b-85cff864fe1d.jpg)
![IMG_2304 IMG_2304](/posts/files/0d58c401-3124-427e-ad7c-b799c5ac54cd.jpg)
The Gum Wall- and yes, of course we all made our contribution to this sticky wall.
![IMG_2309 IMG_2309](/posts/files/53b2e406-1348-40e0-8cb1-3b89cd01244c.jpg)
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![IMG_2310 IMG_2310](/posts/files/e6a49a72-6aa1-46ec-89a8-5c95b0690706.jpg)
I’ve waited a long time, too long, to taste these donuts again.
![IMG_2305 IMG_2305](/posts/files/e911e50f-4431-4552-a7a8-5d907b5fe454.jpg)
![IMG_2320 IMG_2320](/posts/files/2be0f814-b9df-45c2-8622-5e232e197727.jpg)
The first Starbucks, can you stop the difference in this sign and the sign for all other Starbucks? I guess it is pretty obvious.
![IMG_2329 IMG_2329](/posts/files/11a5d156-8ce4-4391-9338-294fcfbfeb00.jpg)
It was a fun day out with the family. We had to give the kids an education on marijuana use, after there were several questions about “what are all these people doing?”
Until tomorrow.
![IMG_5604 IMG_5604](/posts/files/b2e94867-e06e-4dea-84cf-7bf8e6b3c576.jpg)
11/1/2014
This is a great hike for families. It about a mile through lush Evergreens to beautiful ice caves and waterfalls.
It was a brisk fall day but the sun was out so we were pretty stoked about that, these girls were ready.
![IMG_5829 IMG_5829](/posts/files/3e21b9e9-797d-4f94-aef5-c3df9fd62952.jpg)
Getting close…
![IMG_5883 IMG_5883](/posts/files/60eaba26-357c-43b0-a63c-2107de44f484.jpg)
We made it and then watched some ice climbers for awhile, talk about a workout!
![IMG_2530 IMG_2530](/posts/files/c6aa8ecc-067c-40c8-b8b0-39d4da5ce7fb.jpg)
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Jeff in his glory.
![IMG_2559 IMG_2559](/posts/files/5dcb7145-bad8-42d3-a2e8-e6051443d2c7.jpg)
![IMG_2547 IMG_2547](/posts/files/2419d417-8081-453c-8ef4-d472d7ce68c1.jpg)
One of my favorite pictures from this hike.
![IMG_5895 IMG_5895](/posts/files/96106e6d-8334-49ab-af9a-f613f4c445d9.jpg)
We didn’t leave before taking a few selfies.
![IMG_2576 IMG_2576](/posts/files/16c3dd0d-1e23-4f5d-b8b4-ac6259a2b4a7.jpg)
![IMG_2595 IMG_2595](/posts/files/548d0921-c056-466e-820b-1143c404d142.jpg)
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And what is better than grabbing lunch (literally grabbing) from a conveyer belt full of sushi. The kids loved this place, how could you not.
![IMG_2132 IMG_2132](/posts/files/3bd49de4-4b9b-4748-ad64-ed5e838555c9.jpg)
11/8/2014