Botanical Gardens Concert

Last weekend was busy as Erin and I were seeing people every night.  On Friday night we met a colleague of mine from a previous job.  He treated us to dinner at a local Mexican food place since he lives just a few miles south of us and wanted to congratulate us for getting married.  I really enjoyed the food and it was nice to catch up.  I think it will be nice to go down to Monument and see him and his girlfriend for dinner again when we get the chance.

On Saturday we had planned to have our friends Brian, Cassie, and Neil down for dinner as they have had us over for dinner so many times.  It took some time to prepare all the food and make sure that the place was all cleaned up, but we all had a great time.  I hope we can do it again in a month or two and maybe even make a habit out of it.  I think I was finally getting the hang of the Balderdash game we were playing and want to have another shot at it.

On Sunday, Erin's parents treated us to a concert at Denver's Botanical Garden.  All summer long the Garden has had bands playing on weekend evenings while people come out to picnic and listen.  They've also had an exhibit theme of dinosaurs throughout the Garden.  For our picnic/concert we listened to Los Lonely Boys and Los Lobos.  While it was very crowded as people tried to find good spots on the lawn around the arena, we were able to find a level spot that wasn't too far away.  It was very fun to have our picnic, talk, and listen to the music under the warm sunset sky.  In between sets we even got a chance to roam the garden and admire the plants and exhibits.

All in all it was a very social weekend.  It was a fun time, but now this weekend we're taking a much more relaxed pace.  I'm sure it won't be long though when we're out eating with someone else.

Boulder Wedding

Erin and I went to our first wedding since being married this past weekend.  It was for Erin's friend Alison.  It was interesting to attend a wedding together that wasn't our own.  On our way up to the rehearsal dinner in Boulder we were able to play with our new phones (okay, I played - she drove).  We then had appetizers and a nice dinner at the Boulder Brewing Company.  While we didn't know too many people there we got to know a lot of them after a while.  Still, we were feeling a little bit on our own as the patio grew dark and Erin worried about how she would read the toast she had prepared.  I suggested that she could use one of the candles at our table.

It was then that the funniest thing of the entire weekend happened.  Realizing that the candle wouldn't provide enough light, Erin placed it back down on the table and tried to tilt the paper to catch what little light was outside to see.  After a moment or two she asked, "Do you smell something burning?"  As she lifted her head we realized that it was, in fact, her hair that was burning.  She quickly patted it out and you couldn't see any hair on fire, but the damage was done.  What's more, the stench was terrible.  We looked at each other and instantly started laughing.

The rest of the evening went by without incident.  After a great deal of laughing between the two of us and a trip to the bathroom for Erin to wash her hair, the night finished without further incident.  There were several nice (and some funny) things said about the couple before Erin and I made our way back to our hotel for a dip in the jacuzzi.  The next day we met up with the group and all got on shuttles up to Sunrise Amphitheater above Boulder.  The views were beautiful with several hawks circling the sky.  The ceremony was similarly beautiful and showed the unique creativity of Alison, Matt, and their friends and family.

The reception followed back down in Boulder at The Rembrandt Yard, an art studio on 13th street.  It was a nice place for the reception with several pieces of art decorating the walls.  After a delicious dinner Erin and I drove back down to Castle Rock.  Another busy weekend.

Settling in, Jury Duty, and Hiking La Plata

Erin and I have been back from our honeymoon about two weeks now.  That gave us some time to enjoy summer back in Denver before Erin started back at teaching.  We got a chance to have a big party for Erin's sister Amy who was moving with her husband to Baltimore as he pursues medical school and she works at a new government job.  We also got to see our friends Brian and Cassie for dinner early last week and go hiking with some of Erin's fellow teachers up at Evergreen.

One of our most interesting post-honeymoon summer experience was riding the motorcycle up to the Buck Snort Saloon in the mountains.  The road I chose to get there turned out to be pretty rough, but it was exciting.  As we turned off the main road up a dirt road to the address we wondered if we had the right directions.  Then up this narrow canyon we came to the saloon that had been in business for over a century (and it showed).  The food was good and we enjoyed the adventure of finding it.

Now that Erin's back teaching we've started to settle into a rhythm as I stay home to work and take of house chores.  It has provided me with a great deal of flexibility I found as I was called in for jury duty on Monday.  Fortunately I wasn't picked to sit on the jury but it was interesting to see the process.  I'm glad I wasn't picked since I had planned to go hiking with my uncle on Tuesday.  Erin and I enjoyed a delicious meal with my aunt Janet and uncle Reynold at their place in Littleton where I stayed that night to get up early for the hike.

Reynold and I got up around 3:30 AM yesterday to go up towards Leadville.  We got to the trail-head for La Plata ("silver" in Spanish), Colorado's fifth tallest mountain at around 14,361 feet.  It took us about 4 hours to get to the summit which was clear and sunny.  After a brief pause we made our way back down and back home.  With 4,500' of gain and 9.5 miles round trip it was a pretty exhausting hike.  It was really beautiful, but now I remember why I only do about one 14'er a year.  So today I'm back in front of the computer working and recuperating.

Miles of Driving to Make it Home

Well, Erin and I are finally back home.  After leaving Lake Tahoe we headed East across Nevada.  As the end of our honeymoon approached we had miles of driving ahead of us...miles of incredibly boring driving ahead of us.  On Saturday we had tried to leave early enough to make it to our next destination before nightfall.  But as the sun began to set on Ruby Mountain we were still far from our destination.  Fortunately we found a place to eat dinner so we wouldn't have to cook in the dark.  While the place was very small-town (with a taxidermy diorama the size of a small room) the food was excellent and we felt ready to find our camp in the dark.  With a bit more driving we finally found our campsite and got setup.

The next morning we were up and on the road early as we had one of the longest drives of our trips.  For eight hours or so we made our way through Utah and up into Wyoming until we got to Flaming Gorge.  Much of our day was spent on the road.  After driving so long we were disappointed to find a sparsely facilitated campground.  Still, we were able to make the most of it, cook some dinner, and even enjoy some sparklers we had brought along.  While the lightning from passing storms was exciting the light it cast on the tent was slightly eerie.


When we got up the next morning we were not looking forward to more time on the road, but we knew we would be home that night.  Not having the energy to fix breakfast we packed up and headed for a nearby lodge.  There we found a beautiful view of a lake and attractive cabins.  While the meal was only average we were treated to a nice view of several hummingbirds on the lodge's deck.  A little driving brought us back to the Flaming Gorge Dam and the last site of our trip.  From there it was another long drive back to Colorado.

It's been a wonderful trip and a great honeymoon.  Erin and I have learned more about ourselves and each other than we knew before.  The difficulties of camping have brought a greater appreciation for some of the basic things in our lives like electricity and the internet.  While we saw many sites and got to experience many exciting activities there are several places we wished we could have spent more time at.  Erin described it best as a "wine tasting" of travel.  We got to taste a little bit of many different places and while some were good and some were bad, we now know what we would like to drink more deeply and where we want to re-visit.  Through all the good and the bad, the fun and the difficult, I've become more certain of the exceptional partner I have in Erin and I'm looking forward to many more adventures with her.

Ballooning and Driving From Coast to Mountains

After having gotten up at 4:30am on Tuesday and told we couldn't go hot-air ballooning because of the fog we were dutifully up again at 4:30am on Wednesday to try again with a different operator.  This time things went much smoother.  A driver picked us up and took us to Napa where we joined other people heading out.  The pilots indicated there was fog again that morning, but instead of cancelling they took us over the hills to Winters in the Central Valley to take off.  While the basket was a bit crowded with 16 passengers plus the pilot the ride was very pleasant.  The hour-long trip took us over a variety of fields (including sunflowers which we wouldn't have gotten to see in Napa).  The price of the flight included a delicious champagne brunch back in Napa as well.

When all was done we went back to camp and packed up.  Before leaving Napa Valley though we went to one more tasting.  This one, at Frog's Leap, was very relaxing with some really nice wines.  Soon though we were on the road to our next destination, Mendocino.  The road to get there (CA-128) was long and twisty, but the redwood forest we drove through was very beautiful.  Once there, we were greeted with the coastal fog we had grown to expect.  It did however make our cozy bed-and-breakfast cottage that more attractive with its little fireplace and thick sheets.  After dinner in town we had no problem getting to sleep with such a long day behind us.


The fog was even thicker when we got up Thursday morning and we were reluctant to leave our cottage.  Once out though we took a stroll through town to see the boutique shops and get some lunch for the road.  We even found a nice, secluded trail down to a small cove where we found several shiny pieces of abalone shell.  Soon though we were back on the beautiful, twisty road as we made our way to Lake Tahoe.  With heavy traffic north of the San Francisco bay and construction at many places our trip took close to nine hours.  Arriving at our campground in the dark it was all we could do to set up our tent, blow up the air mattress, and roll out our sleeping bags before we crashed into them.


In the morning we awoke to what turned out to be a beautiful, relaxing campground.  We took a walk down to the beach to dip our toes into the clear, cool water before relaxing for a spell.  Then, for one of our most enjoyable parts of our trip, we got on a sunset, sailboat cruise of the lake - including beer/chardonay and appetizers.  As the first time either of us had been on a sailboat of this size (35') we were both impressed with the cruise.


While we hadn't seen too many people when we got in to Lake Tahoe on Thursday or driving around on Friday, we certainly found plenty of them Saturday afternoon.  In the morning we had a chance to lay out on the same beach we had walked to the day before.  After that though we found the crowds hovering around a final look over the lake at Inspiration Point.  They continued to be a problem as we went into town looking for a place to change the oil on the car.  We finally gave up and have come to Reno to get it taken care of.  Now we start our long trek back to Colorado.

Cold Central California Coast

Though we had been warned about it, Erin and I were still surprised at the cooler weather up the coast of Central California.  Starting in Pismo and for the rest of our time at the coast we often had to bundle up at night and accept that our views would be obscured by fog.  Still, we found places along the beautiful drive to stop and hike, take pictures, and have something to eat.  Fortunately in Big Sur we got a bit of a reprieve from the weather at one of the better campsites that we've stayed at, Fernwood Resort and Campground.  There we found clean facilities, a site by the river, and plenty of good firewood.

It gave us the energy to get up the next day for a hike up to a view of the valley we were staying in and a nice waterfall.  Continuing up the coast there were more places to stop, but with the fog as bad as it was, we kept right on going to our hotel in Monterey.  Situated in downtown Monterey just a block from the water, it provided us a comfortable place to relax after all our camping.  After a coffee shop to catch up on email and dinner we were both ready to go to bed.

On Sunday we got up late, checked out of the hotel, and got some tasty crepes for breakfast.  We then took a walk along a delightful bike path by the shore which took us to the Monterey Bay Aquarium.  The aquarium was filled with all sorts of undersea exhibits and creatures.  Unfortunately, since it was the weekend, it was also full of families and children.  Some displays were so popular that it was difficult to get a peek and while we enjoyed the visit, we were pretty tired of the crowds by the time we were done.  That afternoon we drove up to Santa Cruz and were able to find a laundromat to do some much-needed laundry.  That night it was back to camping as we drove into the boondocks to find Sunset State Beach.

Monday was another busy day as we got up and headed in to Santa Cruz to enjoy the beach and find a coffee shop for breakfast.  Santa Cruz struck us as run-down and not as nice as Monterey.  While we found a decent coffee shop we found better beaches up in Half Moon Bay a short drive up the coast.  After a brief walk along the cliffs above the beach there we were back in the car heading in to San Francisco.  We hadn't planned to spend much time there so we just stopped at Fisherman's Wharf from some delicious lunch before heading up over the Golden Gate Bridge.  We did find some time though to stop in Muir Forest just north of the city where we went on a beautiful walk amongst the redwoods.  After a bit more time in the car we were in Napa and having another wonderful meal; this time at a recommended Italian restaurant, Don Giovanni's.  By the time we got to our camp in the north end of Napa Valley it was already dark and we were presented with the challenge of someone in already in our reserved campsite.  A brief talk with the camp host worked things out and we were soon asleep in a different site.

We didn't get to sleep too long though as we were scheduled to get up on Tuesday morning at 4:30am to go out for a hot-air balloon ride.  Imagine our disappointment though when, after dutifully getting up and on our way out to the meeting place, we get a call from the operator saying they weren't flying due to fog.  Crestfallen and irritated we returned to our camp to get a few more hours of sleep before continuing with the rest of our day's activities.  We then woke up at a leisurely pace, had some breakfast, and headed out.  Our first stop was a tour and tasting at the Castello Di Amorossa.  The castle was beautiful and we were amazed at the detail that went into its construction.  We tasted several nice wines there as well.

The next winery, Schramberg, was a little difficult to find and we showed up a little late.  We however caught up with the tour and then proceeded to taste a lot of champagne.  While both of the tours and the tastings had been fun I was getting tired so we got some lunch and returned to camp.  After some relaxation and an early dinner it was off to bed.  We decided to try our ballooning luck with another company and they needed us to get up just as early as we had on Tuesday.  Stay tuned for pictures and details of that part of our adventure!

Back in California

After writing about how well we were getting this camping thing down, we awoke on Saturday to rain.  Suddenly packing up camp became a wet mess and everything became more difficult.  However, we were able to manage and were soon on the road.  The drive was pleasant, but long and we eventually found ourselves in a world far different from the campsites we had been staying in the past few days: Las Vegas.

Our stay in Las Vegas was a certainly a contrast to where we had been and required some adjustment.  It was nice to get out of the heat of the desert into an air conditioned hotel and the room was very comfortable, but there were a ton of people and distractions everywhere.  That night we met with my friend Billy and his fiancee Alyson for dinner at a sushi place.  From there we had to rush to make our Cirque du Soleil show at the Bellagio, "O".  We made it just in time and got to enjoy a great show.  With a lot of trapeze and gymnastic acts over an ever changing stage of water it was truly an amazing show.


Sunday found us finally driving into California.  The traffic was just as I remembered it, though maybe not as bad as I was expecting on a Sunday afternoon from Vegas.  I showed Erin where I had lived in Dana Point and we had a delicious Thai meal.  By the time we got into camp and got the tent set up it was already dark though so we called it a night and went to bed.

On Monday we had to get up early to make it to the ferry that would take us out to Catalina Island.  The hour ride was nice and we even got to see a pod of dolphins riding the waves left in the wake of the ferry.  Catalina and the city of Avalon where we landed is very picturesque and we soon found our way to our campground and set up.  The rest of the day was spent laying down on the beach, taking a sea kayak to a nearby cove where we found a seal, and wandering around the town.  We finished the day at the town's beautiful theater where we watched a new movie.  It was very classy with a painted, dome ceiling and comfortable seats.

On Tuesday we had our morning on the island and so decided to take a tour on a semi-submersible vessel to one of the island's coves.  While the pamphlet seemed to over-promise just a bit, we did get to see several fish in their underwater habitat.  Soon enough it was time to head back to the mainland where we started up to Santa Barbara.  We stopped at a wonderful Italian restaurant in Santa Monica on the 3rd Street Promenade as we watched the many people walk by.  When we arrived at our bed and breakfast we were exhausted and happy for a real bed and sheets.

Wednesday morning we were able to get up at a leisurely pace, enjoy breakfast, and try to catch up on work and emails.  We found a nice place to have lunch in downtown Santa Barbara before heading out to wine country.  Looking for some of the places in the movie "Sideways", we stopped at two wineries for tastings.  While the wine didn't seem particularly special to me for their price, we did end up getting a bottle and some peaches before heading into the very Danish town of Solvang.  We ended up at our campsite in Pismo, had a basic dinner, and went to bed.

Thursday gave us a more relaxing day as we got up and took a walk down on the beach.  We found several sand dollars and sea shells while Erin frolicked in the surf.  It was also great to see seals off the coast while pelicans dived into the water.  Surely a sign of a school of fish.  We got our own fresh fish up the coast at Avila beach while whatching more seals sun themselves and prowl for the fish that fishermen were trying to catch.  For lunch we stopped at a place in Morro Bay that my parents had told us about, "The Whale's Tail."  We had a delicious and filling stuffed squid before driving up the coast some more to Hearst Castle.  The castle sat on beautiful grounds while opulently furnished inside.  We finished our tour of the grounds with a video about William Randolf Hearst.  Finally, it was back to camp for a fire, dinner, and warm sleeping bags to keep out the cold that seemed so at odds with what one would expect in California.

Today we're going to enjoy the coast some more as we make our way up to Big Sur.  With all that we've done it's hard to imagine that we're only halfway through our trip.  Hopefully I'll be able to keep up the blog with all that we're doing a little more frequently.