Archive for June, 2009

Santa Cruz wildlife

Monday, June 29th, 2009
A lost Sea Pup

A lost Sea Pup

Today Paul left for Stockton to work for a few days while I will spend a few days relaxing in San Jose.  Before I went I spent one more day at the beach visiting my friend Diana and family at their beach house.  It was a cold day and I was pretty lazy so we hung out in their backyard overlooking the ocean – beautiful view.  This little sea lion (or Seal we never did figure out which) got washed up on the bluff and seperated from his family.  He walked along the rocks and seemed afraid to return to the ocean as it is a cliff!  We thought he was a goner as he finally layed down on the rocks and slept for several hours.  Finally, the waves started getting bolder and crashing on the rocks, he woke up and walked to just the right cliff and slipped back into the ocean and swam away!
Thanks Di for letting me spend one more day at the beach.

New Brighton State Beach

Thursday, June 25th, 2009
El Capitan Sunset

El Capitan Sunset

Looking toward UCSB from El Capitan

Looking toward UCSB from El Capitan

I had to post a few last pictures of Santa Barbara.  It has been 4 years since Amy picked this fabulous place to attend college and we are going to miss our visits to the area.  

The week has been very busy with moving Amy back to San Jose, visiting friends and enjoying northern California.  We spent a few days in San Jose at the Elks Lodge in their RV area and then moved here to one of our favorite places on Monday.  The weather is holding up although yesterday the sun didn’t come out but that is the coast in June so we are ok with it. 

Today we took a drive to Moss Landing for Clam Chowder at Phil’s Fish Market which was wonderful.  We found a few new places that we had never been to between Santa Cruz and Moss Landing; Palm State Beach, Salinas River State Beach and Pajaro Dunes.  Pajaro Dunes- what a great beach but there is nothing else there.  I guess that is why people rent condo’s and spend the week.

pajarodunes

From this beach you can see the stacks of Moss Landing in the distance but here at the beach it is almost like you had your own personal beach.   I wouldn’t mind parking the RV for a couple of weeks and hanging out here in the Fall!

Our drive today was reminiscent of past trips to the beach; we stopped often to walk on the beach, found odd roads to travel down, and of course visited the fruit stands.  The first fruit stand Paul bought 1 little basket of strawberries for $3.00.  They were good but $3.00?  Later we stopped at another further south so I could get some artichokes for dinner and paid $4.00 for a tray of 3 baskets!!!  I guess you should never stop at the first place you see.  Regardless the berries were the best we have had this year and even at $3 we enjoyed them.

Dolphins and more

Tuesday, June 16th, 2009

All the family left on Monday and now we are back to living in our RV along the California coast.  Amy comes and visits during the day while her and her college friends go “one last time” to each of their hangouts each evening- tonight is Sushi Bombs!  I think that is what she said!  They go have Sushi, sitting on the floor and drink Saki dropped into their beers by banging on the table.  Usually I wish I could be in college again but this one I don’t think so!

Last night we saw a big group of Dolphins feeding right along the shoreline here and this afternoon Amy and I saw some more.   Tonight they were there again.  Tomorrow I think I will bring my camera!  They are beautiful.

The Graduate

Saturday, June 13th, 2009
UCSB Graduate-Amy Roberts

UCSB Graduate-Amy Roberts

Amy graduated today from the University of California, Santa Barbara today with degrees in Business Economics and Communication.  She has a JOB starting in October with a Big 4 accounting firm, KPMG.  As you all know we are extremely proud of her and today was so much fun!  This was my first college graduation ceremony and it is long, you don’t really know many of the students like we did at high school graduations but it is so much fun because it is about graduating and taking the next, real step into the world.  The ceremony seems really formal, with all the professors, the chancelor, the dean of …., and key note speakers but for me it was very casual and relaxing.   
Even though we are living in a tough time you would not have known it by the cheers and excitement!  Amy has a great opportunity ahead of her and I am so excited for her!

Zion NP

Tuesday, June 9th, 2009
Zion National Park

Zion National Park

We spent our last two official days of vacation in Zion NP.  This park is beautiful and has lots of hiking trails so you are able to really see the canyon.  I think it might be my favorite because it has WATER!  Our first day we drove into the park and then drove out the eastern entrance through the tunnel that was built in the early 1900’s for access to Bryce and Grand Canyon.  They stop traffic if you are more than 7.5 feet wide as the tunnel was built before we had SUV’s!

Waterfall

Waterfall

Our second day we did a 3 mile hike up the canyon and then a 2 mile one into the canyon where it starts narrowing.  It was raining and cold or I would have been right in there walking in the river upstream until you can’t anymore.  The water falls and pools are not spectacular like Yosemite however this park has something Yosemite will never have and that is quiet!  We hiked to the top of the water fall to the Emerald Pools and at the top there is a small pool, no view but it is so beautiful here and even though you are not alone you feel like you are.  It is beautiful.

Canyon narrows

Canyon narrows

 

View of the Canyon Walls

View of the Canyon Walls

We left Zion late in the day and made our way from amazing nature to amazing Lights!  Las Vegas is always the same, lots of people, noise, traffic, lights and energy.  I always really want to go to Las Vegas and then when I get there I am exhausted by the crowds and Paul was not impressed so who knows when I will get there again, probably with my girlfriends!!

Paris

Paris

Bryce Canyon National Park

Sunday, June 7th, 2009

 

bryce1

Grand Canyon is spectacular; Arches National Park is interesting; Bryce Canyon is brilliant.  What a beautiful Canyon and the park is also really nice.  Much smaller than Grand Canyon and definitely less traffic than Yosemite but this Park has the most beautiful formations to look at.  We just kept saying this is perfect.  I think the biggest reason I say it is better than Grand Canyon is you can actually get up close and personal with the HooDoo’s.  HooDoo’s are the rock formations formed from millions of years of nature. There are no more words for this park, just enjoy the photos and wish you could be here with us!

bryce2

 

bryce

 

bryce3

Walking among the HooDoo's

Walking among the HooDoo's

bryce5
bryceantelope
stephaniebryce

Hole in the Rock

Saturday, June 6th, 2009
FDR carved in the front of the house!

FDR carved in the front of the house!

If you ever get to Moab Utah take the 10 mile drive south and see this roadside attraction.  It is very cheezy but worth the trip and the drive is beautiful also.  There is so much stuff here that is right out of the Route 66 days that you feel like you have stepped back in time.

Made from Irons

Made from Irons

Patio Furnishings for Rock Home

Patio Furnishings for Rock Home

Some guy actually dug out this rock and built a 5000 sq. foot home for him and his wife, then he died 2 years later!

Arches National Park

Friday, June 5th, 2009
Amazing rocks

Amazing rocks

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The weather is working in our favor; it is cool, only 70 degrees and it could have been 100 easily.  This is definitely desert landscape.  This park is really spread out and has lots of opportunities for hiking and photography.

 We took two 1.5-mile hikes to get closer views of the arches.

archeswindows

 These arches were called North and South Windows and you could walk right up and under them.  Very cool and the view into the valley was beautiful, no smog here!

archesbudda

The rock formations were pretty impressive and the colors were spectacular.  I thought this one looked like Budda, no one else agreed – you decide!  We didn’t see much wildlife although we did get the pleasure – NOT of seeing a large snake cross the footpath right in front of us.

It is a SNAKE people!!!!

It is a SNAKE people!!!!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I was definitely not one of the ones trying to get a photo, Paul was.  I was busy backing up until I tripped on a rock and realized that my bum could not take another fall so I turned around and walked further in the opposite direction of the snake.  Paul did get a photo but I was too terrorized to even publish it.  He says it was pretty, 6 feet long and bright yellow with strips – I did get enough of a glimpse to burn the image into my brain forever.  Did you get that I hate snakes!

Landscape Arch

Landscape Arch

 The Landscape Arch was what we got to see after 1.5 miles and the snake – pretty cool!  You can’t walk under it anymore because a few years ago while people were sitting under it a huge chunk fell off- they got away safely as it made an incredible noise like thunder and started crumbling, giving them enough warning to run for their lives!

Delicate Arch

Delicate Arch

We chose to not walk the 3.5 mile hike to get up close to this one.  We walked uphill about 1/2 mile to see it across a ravine.  
Those aren't benches

Those aren't benches

All this fresh air, beauty and exercise I guess they needed to rest.  Or, maybe they were tired of waiting for me to take pictures!  I hope you are enjoying my photos as much as I am.

Moab, Utah

Thursday, June 4th, 2009

We left Golden early and decided to put some miles on our trip so that we can be in California on time.  We are in Moab Utah and it is still cold!  Not as cold as Colorado but colder than I expected for the desert.  The 350 miles went pretty well except for my bum hurting!  It is a good thing we have a motorhome cause I could move from the chair to the couch and stand up often also. Moab is a really cute mountain town that is definitely set up for the tourist.  I picked an RV park out of the Good Sam listings and when we arrived there was no pool which I was hoping for and they said they were dog friendly however I find this hard to believe.  After we checked in the nice lady handed me an additional red sheet with the pet rules!  No dogs on the lawns; don’t let your dog pee on the lawns or the rose bushes; and no barking!  How are you suppose to keep your dog off the lawn I asked the lady cause the lawns are between each site.  She says “Just don’t let them pee or poop on the lawn” Ok???  Duke was fine however later in the evening I was sitting on our lawn and some people were walking their dogs and one of them was barking in greeting to other dogs.  The lady comes out of the office and tells them to keep the dog quiet or they are out of the park!  Whoa – It seemed like a really nice park and quiet however I will in the future ask about the pet policies before making the reservation.

One of the most interesting things about this park was we went to town and returned to new neighbors.

How do you fit all your stuff?
How do you fit all your stuff?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

They were really friendly, but mostly kept to theirselves.  My only question is how do you fit the VODKA in?

Arriving in Golden, CO

Wednesday, June 3rd, 2009

We arrived in Golden around 3 pm and it was so cold I thought it might snow which is right on par for us and weather.  We are here visiting Paul’s sister Cindy who is refurbishing a duplex while she lives in it with tenants in the other unit.  Paul helped her pull up some old carpet in the basement and built her a sifting table so she can sift the dirt in her garden.  She has a really great garden that I am really jealous of – not having my garden and growing tomatoes has been something I have really missed this year.  I really didn’t get to help with any of the projects as shortly after we arrived I fell down the stairs quite hard where now I am having a hard time sitting or standing for very long!  I got a bruise and a big bump on my tailbone and Paul and Stephanie get to deal with Cranky!  We will leave on Thursday am and travel somewhere in the Rockies or into Utah, we haven’t decided yet, permanent vacation is so much fun!