Christmas - December 2004
Last year was our first year getting involved with "Walk Through Bethlehem" at our Church. This
year we decided to help again playing the part of Mary and Joseph. Walk Through Bethlehem is a
really neat experiance where you encounter the sights, the sounds, the customs, and even the
smells of what the first century Bethlehem might have been like. You experience the arrogant
Roman Guards, the devious tax collector, the hard-working basket weavers, the talented metal workers,
and on and on. But along the way you learn about the history, the culture and the people in the
days of Jesus' birth. More importantly, though, you hear about the prophesies of a Messiah, a
baby that was to be born in the little town of Bethlehem. As you walk through Bethlehem you
discover what Christmas is really all about. You can go to the
Hillcrest Seventh-day Adventist Church Website
for more information about Walk Through Bethlehem.
The picture is of Michelle and I dressed up as Mary and Joseph by the manger. The donkey
you see in the background is real, all the animals in Walk Through Bethlehem are real. Here are some
pictures of Michelle feeding the donkey: Picture 1
Picture 2
Thanksgiving with the Rels - November 2004
For Thanksgiving my sister and Steve came down from Idaho to join us and stay with my dad and Susan at what
we like to call "The Palace" in Yucaipa, CA. The activities for the weekend included eating way too much on
Thursday, shopping like bargain crazy fools on Friday, going to San Diego Zoo on Saturday and Palm Springs
Aerial Tram on Sunday. Saturday at the zoo was a cloudy dreary day, but we had a lot of fun running around
trying to see everything. Jason initiated finding a zoo map and studying it, therefore he was elected our zoo
tour guide for the day. An unlikely position because he was the only one who hadn't been to San Diego Zoo before.
Somehow we managed to convince Dad to take the Skifari across the Zoo. Try as we might, we
couldn't even get him to talk to us or look back at us in the cart behind while we were suspended in the air.
I have a feeling it was because he had his eyes closed and was trying to figure out how it got talked this.
That night we hunted down some fantastic Mexican food and were serenaded with "La Bamba". On Sunday we headed to
Palm Springs Aerial Tram and went into Winter shock when we got off the tram at the top. It was FREEZING!!
Somehow Dad also managed to make it through this suspended-high-above-the-ground situation, however again minus
conversation and with his eyes closed. What a great dad, he'll do anything for his girls :)
So glad Melanie and Steve could come to spend Thanksgiving with us in Cali, we had such a great time.
Pictures ( View as Slideshow )
»Michelle
Wilderness Survival - October 2004
This was quite the trip. Jim and Becky, a couple from our church took a dozen or so of us on a
wilderness survival weekend. On this trip we brought the bare minimum, a change of cloths, a blanket to
sleep in, a pot to cook in, a knife, a water bottle, camera, TP, and that was about it. At the trailhead
we were given a couple handfuls of potatoes each for food and then we set out. After finding a good site
to spend the night next to a small stream Jim showed us how to build a basic shelter to stay in. We built two
fires in the shelter and had potatoes for supper. Jim showed us how to make chop sticks for eating utensils.
Then we laid down on piles of dead grass and slept, I spent most of the night stoking the fire. The next
morning we had the rest of our potatoes for breakfast. Jim showed us how to make a toothbrush out of a
piece of willow by beating it until it frayed out on one end. The natural toothbrush works good and
the willow leaves a fresh flavor in your mouth. Before heading back Jim showed us how to make fire with
just a piece of wood and a stick. There are two ways to make fire this way, one by spinning the stick with
your hands, the other by using a bow to spin the stick which is easier. I decided to try to make fire the
first way, spinning the stick in my hands. Michelle and I took turns spinning the stick and in just a few minutes
we had a smoldering coal. We carefully put the coal into a nest of dry grass and tender and lightly blew through
it until the nest erupted into flames! It was so cool, we were very suprised to accomplish this on our first
attempt.
The Proof ( View as Slideshow )
»Jason
San Jacinto Peak - October 2004
Ah, the last backpacking trip of the year. Together with our packs we took the
Palm Springs Aerial Tram from 2,643 feet to 8,516 feet were we
entered the Mt. San Jacinto State Park. After picking
up our permit at the ranger station we headed up the trail toward San Jacinto Peak. We hiked about
2 miles before stopping at a campsite and setting up our tent. We ate some lunch and then grabbed our day packs
and continued on toward the peak. Just before reaching the peak we came across a nifty stone hut that it looked like
many people had camped in. And then we were at the peak, 10,834 feet, 6 miles from the trailhead we had
set out on that morning at the top of the tram. It was neat to be up so high and see so far in every direction.
The trip down was much faster and upon getting back to our campsite we decided to just tear down camp and
hike out yet that evening. The last hour of our hike ended up being in the dark, thanks to our headlamps
we made it out alright.
Trip Photos ( View as Slideshow )
»Jason
Hikes with the Parents - September 2004
After the weekend trip to the coast as seen below, I took my parents on some hikes in the desert and in
the beautiful Sierras. On the first hike we started out at the Wiskey Flat trailhead in search of a water
fall but never found it. Instead we decided to veer off the trail and cool off in the Kern river. My
favorite photo from this hike is the one labeled "Smart Hikers". The next day we ventured out further into
the hot, dry, Mojave desert to check out Red Rock Canyon. We took this hike in the
morning before it got too hot. While we were there my dad saw a snake poking his head out of a hole in the ground.
During the afternoon we relaxed and ate our lunch on the side of a hill while we watched trains travel over the
Tehachapi railroad loop. Quite a thing to see a train pass over itself making that tight loop. After that we
relaxed for a day. On Saturday we drove up to Wishon to hike up into the beautiful Sierras. We hiked
about three miles in before stopping and eating lunch on a large flat rock beside a waterfall. It sure is
neat to relax by a mountain stream beneath the huge Sequias and listen to the wind and the water. On the
drive home after hiking out we saw a bobcat cross the road in front of the car. Pretty cool.
Wiskey Flat - Wiskey Flat Trailhead
| Dad and I
| Mom and I
| Mom and Dad
| Smart Hikers :-)
Red Rock Canyon - On the Trail
| Yep, that's me
| A Native?
| Red Rocks
| Joshua Tree
| The Sign
Tehachapi Loop - Seen any Trains?
| The Loop
| Long Train
| Sign (top)
| Sign (bottom)
Wishon - Trailhead
| Waterfall
| Makin' Lunch
| On the Rock
| Relaxing
| Hiking
| Trail
| Big Tree
| Sierras
Coast Trip with Parents - September 2004
My parents came to visit us for about 12 days in September. The first weekend they were in California
we went to the coast for the weekend. We stayed right on the ocean in Cambria where we could hear the
ocean when we stepped out our door. After checking into our hotel we went for a walk on Hearst Beach. We
hiked out on a peninsula, where the pictures for day 1 where taken below. Most of these pictures
where taken with my dad's awesome new digital camera, the photos are fantastic! That night we went out
to eat in Cambria in an old house made into an Italian restaurant. Good eats! Michelle and mom especially
enjoyed the hot chocolate. The next morning we got up with the sun and went for a swim in the pool at our
hotel, after which in response to mom making the accusation that my dad had never swam in the ocean, dad
went for a dip in the ice cold pacific. Check it out, the proof is in the picture. Next we took a tour of
Hearst Castle, the Neptune Pool is probably the most popular area.
After the tour we drove up the coast and showed my parents Salmon Creek Waterfalls. It was a great weekend.
Oh! I almost forgot about the Magnum. My parents got a rental car while they were visiting and what do they
show up in but a new Dodge Magnum. Very cool! I am happy to say we got to ride on that sweet set of wheels
all week.
Day 1 - Hearst Beach
| Hearst Castle
| Hole in Rock
| Bird on Rock
Day 2 - The Pool
| Dad in the Ocean
| Mom & Dad by Neptune Pool
| Neptune Pool
| Hearst's Main House
Egyptian Art
| Salmon Creek Falls
| Holding the Rock
| Michelle and Mom
| Me and the Parents
The Magnum
Desktop Wallpaper Birds on the Beach (1024 X 768)
| California Coast (1024 X 768)
Lake Lillian Loop Backpacking Trip - September 2004
This was our first two night, 3-day backpacking trip. We went to the
Ansel Adams Wilderness
near Yosemite National Park
and Bass lake. As always I was pooped and didn't think I could go one step further by lunch time on the day we were hiking in. The hike to our camp site at Lady lake that night was 5.2 miles. By the time we got to
Vandeburg Lake I was willing to camp there, however, we wanted to complete the trip as outlined in our handy
dandy backpacking book. Lady Lake was beautiful and there were a few other people camping there that night. I
happened upon our campsite while searching for a place to answer nature's calling. There was a campsite with
logs for benches, a fire pit because we were at a lower elevation, and nice flat stones for an awesome nature's
kitchen. Day two's hike to Lake Lillian was short and fairly easy - the way I like them!! We met several people
and a couple of rangers on our way to Lake Lillian, however that night at Lake Lillian we seemed to be the only people camping there which made us a little nervous. At one point during the night I was sure a bear was lurking
around outside our tent. Lake Lillian was worth every bit of the hike so far, it was gorgeous, more beautiful
than the lakes leading up to it. All the lakes in this area seemed to have a rock slide wall on one side of
them. That evening we walked around the lake to the rock slide wall, sat on the bolders and basked in the
setting sun. Because it was day two without a shower, we decided to brave the chill and go "swimming" in the
water - just long enough to get wet. Brinkley got in my way when I was trying to run out of the water and it
caused me a bit of panic. Much to my delight, I had the opportunity to use my new hammock that evening. Relaxing in my hammock with my sleeping bag seemed like a slice of heaven. Plus, it's a new rule of mine to use
absolutely everything I pack in, otherwise I suffered the extra weight for no reason and that is just not
acceptable.
Pictures (
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Desktop Wallpaper Lake Lillian (1024 X 768)
Lake Sabrina Backpacking Trip - August 2004
This was an awesome trip, however for a guy who has a desk job it turned out to be a bit more rigorous
than I may have been ready for. Michelle invited Tana to join us on this trip that would take us
into the
John Muir Wilderness in Inyo National Forest. The plan
was to start at the Lake Sabrina trailhead (9130') hike 3 miles to Blue Lake (10,388') and eat lunch. After
lunch we would go another 3 miles passing the Emerald Lakes, and Dingleberry Lake and finally spend the
night at Midnight Lake (10,988'). However by the time we got to Blue Lake we were exhausted and decided to
spend the night there. After setting up camp we put on our daypacks and hiked to Dingleberry Lake. A
forest Ranger told us that way back when, a real character of a fella ran a packing outfit and gave the
lakes some rather interesting names: Pee Wee Lakes, Topsy Turvy Lake, Drunken Sailor Lake, Dingleberry
Lake, and Fishgut Lakes, to name a few. Aside from the odd name, Dingleberry Lake is very beautiful, it
is so clear and has an excellent aqua tint. In fact, the water is so clear in these mountain lakes that
you can see the fish swim, and in the morning watch them jump to catch the bugs flying over the surface
of the water. Pretty cool. Back at Blue Lake I discovered that the iodine matrix in
my water filter had broken so we had to boil water and use iodine tablets. The next morning we packed up
our thngs and headed back down the mountain. It was hard to leave the beautiful Blue Lake surrounded by granite
peaks. During this trip Brinkley our dog got to try out his new shoes. And yes I know what you are going to
say, but the fact is, that rough terrain tears up a dogs foot pads after a few hours of hiking. Brinkley
also has his own pack so that we don't have to carry his food and water. After stowing our packs into the
trunk of Tana's car we headed back home. I relaxed in the backseat wondering how much trouble I would get
into if I took off my hiking boots in such close quarters. But then I began thinking about the amazing
experience I had just had, and already looking forward to the next trip.
Here are some pictures to give you a peak into the trip we went on (
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Desktop Wallpaper Blue Lake (1024 X 768)
Tahoe - August 2004
Tahoe has got to be one of the more beautiful places in California as far as lakes go. Unfortunately
everyone else seems to thinks so too, so it can be rather slow going if you want to drive anywhere.
This was our second trip to the Tahoe area and we where very happy to be going. Our first stay was in
a nice hotel with a hot-tub, however this time we camped in a tent and used coin operated showers - 25¢
= 5 minutes. We brought our dog Brinkley along and met up with Melanie and Steve and their dog Bear.
Dave and Susan arived a day later. Much of our time was spent relaxing on the beach.
Trip Pictures ( View as Slideshow )
»Jason
San Simeon - August 2004
San Simeon, this is a place that Michelle and I have visited a number of times since we have been in
California. San Simeon is a great place to get away from the city, the heat, the smog and the crowds
and just enjoy the cool fresh ocean air. We have both camped and hoteled in this area. Brinkley enjoys
the dog friendly beach were he plays fetch in the water for hours. We have also taken a tour of the famous
Hearst Castle near San Simeon, quite the place. On our last trip we hiked to Salmon Creek Falls just off
of highway 1, about 20 miles north of San Simeon. Below is a collection of photos of the trips we have made
to this coastal area.
Trip Pictures ( View as Slideshow )
»Jason
Summer Vacation - July 2004
In July we went to our friend Nick's wedding in Minnesota. Since we were going all that way we decided to
take a weeks vacation. We spent the first weekend of our trip hanging out with Nick and his soon to be wife
Heidi. The wedding was a lot of fun catching up with our friends from the mid-west and seeing Nick and Heidi
get married. After the wedding we flew to my sister Carey's house. We had a great time with our nieces Maddie
and Olivia. Maddie had grown up so much since we last saw her, and this was our first time to meet Olivia
who was not quite a month old. My other sister Darcy also came to visit while I was there. While I was
visiting, my brother-in-law JP got me hooked on watching the Tour de France. And then all to soon it was over
and I found myself back home standing in front of the luggage claim counter wondering where my luggage was.
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»Jason
Shaver Lake - July 2004
This is a place that Michelle has been wanting to go to for a long time, and I believe it is just
what she had hoped it would be. We went to Shaver Lake over the 4th of July weekend and enjoyed three
days at the lake. We stayed at Dorabelle campground - a state campground - which turned out to be quite
nice as it was right on the lake. We spent much of our time relaxing by the water, swimming, floating
on inflatables and playing fetch with Brinkley. The weekend did include one hike around part of the lake
which offered some nice views of the lake, however do to the holiday weekend there were many boats strewn
about the lake. Michelle and I really enjoyed our time camping here, and for a reservoir the lake was very
nice. One note on Dorabelle campground, there are no showers, and the water supply comes from a storage
tank. On our last day the tank which supplies the entire camp went dry, this made cooking a little interesting.
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»Jason
Wishon - May 2004
Wishon, was our first backpacking trip together. The trip was just for one night. We hiked in 3+
miles and camped by a roaring mountain river. The weather was great and the water was cold. About
a five minute hike up river from our campsite was a waterfalls with a pool below it, which I went
for a quick swim in. I climbed up on a rock and jumped in and the water was so cold all I could think of
was how to get out. Michelle played fetch with Brinkley who almost got carried down stream a few times.
Oh, and I can't forget this was our first trip using our new Brunton Optimus Nova camping stove. Very cool!
Sorry about the blurry pictures, we had a little trouble with the camera.
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»Jason