A quick summary of California

We made our annual visit to Ted in California last week. Let me start with a story about not judging people. On the flight home I developed one of my instant dislikes (some might say this is my default reaction to people - but I'm not quite that bad) for the guy in the seat in front of me. This guy was probably about 6' 3", and was carrying a gut large enough that it should have had its own seat. He was wearing an Arlington County Fire Department t-shirt, though honestly, I think the only way this guy could have contributed to putting out a fire was by smothering it with his belly. 

Why did I take a disliking to him? First, every time he sat down in his seat he caused the seat, and with it my tray table, to rock at the level of severe turbulence. Second, when it was time to "de-plane", apparently he had a bag in the overhead bin two rows back and he just shoved his way through everyone to get back to his bag - including nearly tackling me - without so much as an "excuse me". 

Anyway, after the flight we're all at the baggage claim. I was standing right where the conveyor belt burps up bags onto the baggage carousel. My bag came out right after another, and so was stacked above the preceding bag, which made it impossible for me to grab, particularly from my position at the end of the carousel. Fortunately, another passenger who saw me struggling reached out and helped me wrestle my bag free. What a good Samaritan. And yup, it was gut man from the seat in front of me. I am so ashamed of my misanthropic tendencies.

Anyway, California was, as always, warm, sunny, expensive, and required a lot of driving.

Another anecdote: I drink only decaf coffee, and the only decaf my son had in the house was the remnants of the bag I had bought when we visited a year ago. So, when upon arrival we went to the supermarket to buy a few things I started to pick up a bag of coffee but he assured me that we could get much, much better coffee at this cool coffee place in Palo Alto. Sure enough, the Blue Bottle Coffee in Palo Alto is very cool - co-located with a co-working space in a converted old movie theater with Moorish architecture. But my bag of coffee rang up for $23. I noted today that the very same Blue Bottle coffee was on sale at Target for $13 per bag, which is still more than I usually pay for coffee, but within the bounds of reason. It just goes to show you, Silicon Valley people have too much money and not enough sense - no matter what the price, if it's cool (or whatever word the kids use today to mean "cool"), there's no limit to what they'll pay for it.

Moorish courtyard at the Blue Bottle in Palo Alto

Anyway, we did a lot of fun activities while we were there:

- On Tuesday we arrived, got ramen at the fabulous Ramen Nagi, got ice cream at Salt and Straw, which has "I'll pay through the nose because it's cool" Silicon-Valley-cool flavors like Smoked Mac and Cheese, and Pear and Blue Cheese (I've got to admit, their ice cream is really good). We also took Ted's lizard Sierra for a walk in her special bubble backpack.

Walking Sierra the lizard

- On Wednesday Valerie and I tried pickleball. I will mention that in Arlington, pickleball courts are a rare and highly utilized commodity; they do not go empty, even for a minute. At Stanford, however, Ted was easily able to book us court time. Valerie actually took a fall running for a ball and wound up sitting a bunch of the session out. I showed myself to be not too embarrassing for a total novice. After recovering from the exertion, in the evening we sat on the sidelines and watched Ted play ultimate Frisbee.

Pickleball with Ted

- Thursday I started my day with a run (cool mornings! no humidity!), then we went out to Pleasanton California, a not-surprisingly pleasant little town with cute shops. Ted got us to eat at Zachary's, a Chicago-style pizza place. Let me just say, Chicago-style goopy cheesy casserole is not pizza (Jon Stewart agrees with me on this one), but it was still good. Ted and I also took time to find an underground geocache while Valerie (the most sane of us, at least when it comes to crawling through tunnels for fun) waited nearby. And, we got soft-serve at some famous place where again, people line up to get ice cream. Fortunately, mid-day on a weekday there was no line, which was good, because the ice cream wasn't anything special. This was the second of a total of three ice cream desserts I got during the week - which is insane compared with my normal eating habits, but oh, well.

As if pickleball and Pleasanton weren't enough (and sufficiently alliterative), that evening Ted and his housemates hosted a paint night. An art teacher Frisbee friend of Ted's led us all through painting a night-time scene. To feed and lubricate the attendees we supplied a weird selection of stuff from Total Wine (Sunny-D coolers, Manischevitz) and got Indian pizza, a weird cross-breed consisting of pizza with Indian toppings.

My run took me past Levi's Stadium, site of next year's Superbowl

Awaiting our cheesy, gooey casserole

Geocaching

Paint Night results

- Friday Ted and I started the day with an eBike ride on local trails, then the three of us went out for coffee and pastries and yet another impossibly hip Silicon Valley place (The Midwife and the Baker). We played another round of pickleball on again shockingly uncrowded public courts in Mountain View, and in the evening Ted treated us to homemade hot pot. I liked it; Valerie was lukewarm on the hot pot.

Bike trail

Cyclist selfie

Cool pastries

Hot pot

There's a lot of property crime in the area - note two signs warning you about car break-ins.

- Saturday and Sunday we made a little overnight trip up north. Saturday, after stopping in Berkeley to have coffee at the very first Peet's Coffee (and eating lunch at an outdoor table while a mentally ill man screamed at us through the whole meal - typical Berkeley, apparently), we headed north for the Cotati Accordion Festival, an event which has been on my bucket list since I discovered its existence. Multiple stages of accordion music! A dedicated polka tent! Accordion merch! It was almost too good to be true.

At the original Peet's Coffee

At the accordion festival

Zydeco dancing

Open air accordion market. Perhaps this is the kind of thing Donald Trump means
when he says San Francisco is "not livable"

After a Mexican dinner we retired to a hotel in Petaluma, an unusually cool Hampton Inn housed in a vintage silk mill building.

- Sunday we got up and made the twisty, winding drive (Valerie wasn't happy) to Muir Woods, where we marveled at the giant redwoods. On the way back to Ted's place he insisted on taking us to eat at a burrito joint in the Mission District. He felt that the Mexican place where we had eaten in Cotati wasn't real Mexican and he wanted us to experience the genuine article (non-Latino Virginian transplant Ted feeling that he is an arbiter of true Mexican food reminded me of Street Eats). Getting to this place and then waiting in their foolishly long line took a bunch of time, and the burrito wasn't really anything special. I must admit that my opinion may be influenced by the fact that they had given me the wrong burrito, and I couldn't go back and fix the order since we had gotten the food to go. Where did we eat our burrites? Well, there was no nearby park or anything so we wound up getting sodas at a McDonald's - a branch of the chain which, like everything in the immediate area, was dominated by the mentally ill and unhoused! - and eating our burritos on the sly there.

At Muir Woods

Muir Woods

Muir Woods

Some big trees!

- Then, Monday morning we headed home on the flight with fireman big-gut, about whom I've already written.

A fun and action-packed visit. Always great to spend time with Ted!

A Photo Essay of an At-Home Adventure

Yes, this blog is about my adventures in the wilderness, but not all wild adventures involve leaving the house.

I went to make coffee this morning but I had trouble getting to the coffee pot. Someone (my son? his weirdo friend who has been visiting so long that I'm beginning to suspect he's moved in with us?) left some weirdo Asian instant coffee out on the counter, and my other son's electric kettle is there too.

Next, it was time to make lunch. I went to try and get my lunch bag from the hall closet but the door was blocked by many pairs of shoes - my sons', along with the weirdo friend from Detroit who may have moved in with us.

Then, it was back to the kitchen to make lunch. I already mentioned the mess around the coffee pot. The rest of our counter space was covered with other clutter including a gigantic Slurpee mug, our blender, and some ice packs which have been sitting there since last weekend. For the record, I bought those ice packs earlier this year. My sons are welcome to use them, but they need to learn to put things away.

I went to get a container for my salad and discovered that, as usual, whoever emptied the dishwasher just threw the plastic containers into the cupboard and slammed the door shut before the containers could all tumble back out. I had to spend some time straightening things out (this is the "after" picture).

with container in hand I set to making myself a salad. I went to throw out some vegetable trimmings and discovered that the trash is full as always. Someday I must get my family to watch a YouTube video on "how to take out the trash."

The good news is that they cook for themselves. The bad news is that they leave the kitchen splattered with all kinds of goop. Yesterday the floor was covered in home-made marinara sauce. Today it was some unidentified goop on the counter. I went to wipe off the counter, but the sponge was missing in action. I took some consolation in the fact that there were fewer dirty dishes than usual.

Somehow I managed to finish making my lunch. Before I left for work I wanted to check one more thing - whether I had the picture hooks I needed to rehang some pictures. Oops, my workbench is blocked by a large collection of pallets. I could swear that last week my son said they'd only be there a day or so until he dismantled them to reuse the wood for a reclaimed wood desk he's building.

Finally, time to leave for work. I take a quick look around my living room, which is polluted with large Pelican cases. There's also customized Segway parked there. I happily leave this place to go to the office.

Shenandoah Foliage Hike

On Saturday Valerie and I went for a strenuous hike in the woods.

Take a moment. Read that sentence again. And again. Now read this one:

On Saturday I went to a Bar Mitzvah celebration at the home of Abu Bakr al-Bagdhadi, the leader of ISIS.

Which sentence surprised you more?

Well, the fact that this hike happened and was in fact a big a success proves that anyone can change, so maybe there's hope for ol' Abu yet.

The circumstances were a visit to Ted down at JMU. His college sits in the Shenandoah Valley and it was pretty close to peak foliage season so we decided that as our big activity Saturday we'd do some leaf peeping. To tell you the truth, I had set the bar low in terms of what we were going to do - stop at a couple of overlooks, do a short hike up a fire road and then turn back.

After an unexpectedly delicious breakfast at Ted's favorite breakfast place and a quick stroll through the Harrisonburg farmer's market we headed for the hills. There was a backup of cars at the entrance to the park (I thought it might not be bad since we were entering via the Swift Run Gap entrance - far from any cities - but I was wrong). We got a nice surprise, though, when we finally got to the gate - the ranger waved us through the gate without collecting the entrance fee. What's better than peak foliage? FREE peak foliage!

We parked at the South River picnic area lot (mile 63). I figured we'd stroll the South River Falls fire road with a stretch goal of reaching the falls. I didn't bother mentioning the "real" trail, which I figured would be too strenuous. As it happened, on our way out of the parking lot we passed the trail head for the "real" South River Falls Trail. As we looked at the map some people came out and assured us that it wasn't an overly difficult trail. And so off down the trail we went!

Well, it's true it wasn't a killer trail, but it had a lot of elevation change for a non-hike who only recently took up walking - and only on flat, paved trails. Plus there were stream crossings, switchbacks, and rough tread in places. Valerie did really well!!! We wound up hiking the whole South River loop - out on the South River Falls trail, stopping at the falls overlook, then continuing on to where it hit the fire road. From there we took the fire road back. As it happens, this particular fire road isn't that much easier of a hike than the trail, so the way back wasn't a piece of cake either. We made the climb back at a slow pace and skipped the opportunity to do the last little bit on the Appalachian trail, opting instead to hike up to Skyline Drive and finish up on pavement.

Stream Crossing

Along the trail Ted made fun of us a lot for our slow pace, frequently skipping ahead down the trail. I don't let that sort of thing bother me - I can always write him out of the will :) Plus there have been plenty of warm days when he's collapsed into an exhausted lump at a point where I've barely broken a sweat (heat is the penguin's Kryptonite).

The scenery was as grand as expected. Brilliant hues, leaves of all colors all around us. The day was crisp and sunny. Everyone finished the hike happy and a little bit worn out - in a good way.

Perhaps my favorite foliage hike ever, because I did it with my family.

Ted, Out Ahead

Henry and Harpers Ferry

My brother came for an all too rare visit this past week. Thursday was a nice crisp fall day and so we headed out to Harpers Ferry, WV. I figured I'd give the Brooklyn boy a drive in the country, a glimpse at some early fall foliage, and a taste of the Civil War history that is so pervasive in our area.

Our first stop in town was the historic confectionery shop. It's not just a candy store; it's a candy museum! The place has candy arranged by historic era and was staffed by a VERY enthusiastic woman who was happy to (couldn't have been prevented from?) tell us the history of candy as class struggle, international trade force, etc. Henry bought some bourbon chocolates. I like a museum where you can eat the exhibits.

From there we wandered up through town, continuing uphill towards Bolivar. Beyond the historic park area it's a pretty little town with some nice old houses. But hilly. When we had had enough of strolling uphill we started back down, stopping at an overlook with a commanding view of the town and the confluence of the rivers. The overlook sits between two shuttered hotels, a decaying grand building and well maintained motel-like structure. I can understand that there isn't much business for such places (I think these days people would rather stay at the nearby chain hotels) but they sure would make cool destination hotels - a yoga retreat center overlooking the Potomac, or something like that. Another idea to file away for when I win the lottery ...

It was close to lunch time when we made it back into the commercial part of town, but we decided to soldier on with our hiking. We crossed the bridge over to Maryland and started up the C&O Canal towpath with the intention of hiking at least part of the Maryland Heights trail. As we hiked the towpath we saw a number of groundhogs scurrying about - they're kind of cute, and didn't seem to mind seeing their shadows.

We made up to the base of the Maryland Heights climb but decided that, having already hiked up and down some hills on the other side of the river, we were more in the mood for lunch than climbing another trail. I came up with the idea that to make up for not hiking, when we left we'd walk back to the car rather than taking the shuttle bus. Heh.

Back in town we had a nice lunch outside at a restaurant, then went a few doors up and had some amazing caramel pretzel ice cream. Then we began the walk back to the car. And we walked. And we walked. The trail back to the car was almost two miles, ending with a long climb up stone stairs. Coming on top of the walking we had already done it seemed like a very long trek, and we were happy to settle into the car for the drive home.

A Swan Song for Brooklyn?

It's not as cold as I expected as I step out the door of the Sheepshead Bay Comfort Inn. I'm at the southernmost end of Brooklyn, an area exposed to outer New York Bay and the ocean beyond. In the summer this can result in a nice cooling breeze. In the winter, it can mean a biting wind. I indeed feel the wind as I step out from the shelter of the hotel and begin my run up Emmons Avenue. It's blowing hard enough that I squint my eyes a little in response. I'm dressed right, though, and so it doesn't bother me.

I make my way up Emmons Ave, past the abandoned Dunkin' Donuts and the half completed condos. The bay opens up to my left as I pass the fishing boat docks. A few people mill about. The morning fishing boats have already left and the stores aren't open yet so there's not much reason for people to be out and about, however being New York there's always someone around. My run takes me down through Sheepshead Bay, over the footbridge that crosses the bay, then down through the relatively ritzy neighborhood of Manhattan Beach, and ultimately to the campus of Kingsborough Community College, known locally as "K on the Bay".

On the way back I notice the ducks in the water have been joined by a number of mute swans. I don't come to Brooklyn expecting to see wildlife so it's a pleasant surprise to see these beautiful creatures adding a touch of grace to the otherwise gray and murky scene.

Friday night I had dinner with a bunch of old high school friends, none of whom live in Brooklyn any more. Few of them ever make it back here. I have been coming back here to visit family all these years but may soon be in the same boat. Now that my mom is gone I don't whether my dad will continue to live here. My connections to the old place are fading. One of these trips could be my own Brooklyn swan song.

[Photo from http://www.planetware.com/]

Lake Anna Family Campout

About once per year I convince the family to go camping. That’s long enough for them to forget the details of the last trip, and so they agree. Actually, Ted would camp every weekend, particularly if he got to drive to the campground. It’s Valerie and David who need convincing – anyplace without WiFi or A/C is indistinguishable from Guantanamo Bay in their eyes. This year we headed for Lake Anna State Park. The park added camping just a few years ago, and it’s quite nice campground – large sites, clean bathhouses, lots of trees. As a compromise we booked in a camper cabin rather than a tent site. That way Valerie would have a somewhat real bed and a ceiling fan.

The ride down was a challenge. We hit enormous traffic. The drive, which is under 100 miles, took over four hours. I was coming down with a cold and started to get really tired in the stop-and-go traffic. Valerie took over driving and I promptly fell asleep for the rest of the ride down I95 – good thing, actually, since I think it helped my energy level for the rest of the weekend. Checking in was easy; dinner was a feast of hot dogs and chips. Ted and I took a walk in the dark down to the lake – really pretty. Friday night I slept like a log. Valerie, deprived of her Tempurpedic mattress and air conditioning, tossed and turned.

Saturday AM I got up somewhat early, despite my cold, and hit the lake for about an hour of paddling. I came back to the campsite to – surprisingly – find everyone awake and waiting for breakfast (most of our supplies were in the car, with me). Teddy cooked pancakes “Scout Style”. I think these were, in fact, “Ted Style”, meaning that rather than make normal size pancakes he made the huge, pan-sized pancakes. I think he likes the novelty of making such huge pancakes, but in fact it’s hard to get them fully and evenly cooked. Still, who can complain about his eagerness to cook breakfast? I drew cleanup duty, which included scrubbing the “Ted Style” mess out of the pan and prep dishes. We spent the rest of the day at the lake. Having grown up going to ocean beaches, I still maintain that lake beaches aren’t “real” beaches, but over time I have grown to appreciate the relaxation of not having to worry about the kids, because there are no waves, no sea creatures and no undertow. In the late afternoon we headed back to the campsite. D & V hung out while Ted and I nabbed a couple of geocaches located a short walk from the campground. We also kept passing by a site near ours that was stuffed with 20-somethings having a grand old time (not too wild) on a group campout. I told Ted, “this could be you and your friends in a couple of years.” He likes envisioning that sort of thing – his grown-up future. Saturday night we had an enormous campfire, again courtesy of Ted. S’mores were made, of course.

Sunday morning I got up even earlier, so I could get my morning paddle in without keeping the rest of the family waiting. Another nice hour-long paddle, plus some bracing practice. This time I was back just as everyone was waking up – well, Valerie claimed never to have fallen asleep the whole night, but in fact she must have dozed off for at least a few minutes since she was just waking up when I got back to the cabin. Then we packed up and hit the road – with Ted behind the wheel on the twisty roads leading back to I95. I thought he id OK, except for drifting off the road here and there, but by the time we pulled into the Thornburg McDonalds, Valerie was at her wits end. That was the end of Ted’s driving for the day.

Was it a successful trip? By our family’s standards, I’d say so. Yeah, there was some friction here and there, but overall we had a good time, particularly when we were down at the lake. Now I’ve got to wait a year for them to forget so I can suggest it again.