Summering in the East Coast 2014

We began the summer fun season with a trip to the East Coast.  This was the first time we went the distance on an airplane with A.  Oh the dreaded 5 hr flight that every parent of young children fear.  But at the end of the flight, A was still chipper and not screaming up a storm.

At Great-grandma Vicky's house

with grandpa

Of course, if we went to see one set of grandparents/great-grandmother, we had to see the other great-grandmother (my mom's mom).  This of course required a train ride!

train time!

with great grandma AiYi

Once back in NH, we had to do a sightseeing day in Boston.

this is how we sightsee

Orr!

in the NE Aquarium

and Lake Winnipesaukee....

the lake

summer rockin' from vivian peng on Vimeo.

bee club pinic

A little Mt Washington (complete with rally race)....

cog railway

Then back at the lake...doing some boating....

A day at the beach with great-grandma Vicky



Seafood shack....I'd rather eat the lemons....and ketchup

A day at the Cape....

Other end of HWY 6

Cape Cod

That was a great trip!!!  Then ten days later.....We were on the other coast, cruising a little piece of Alaska

Pullman 2014

In April 2014, we took a trip out to Pullman, Wa.  Pullman, you might ask, where is that and why are you going out there?  E got a faculty position offer from Washington State University, Pullman.  As part of the "convincing the spouse" plan, they flew up out to Pullman to visit the school, talk to some potential lab what I may be working with, and to check out the Palouse.  This would be the first plane ride for A and boy was he excited!  With a quick drive and we're in Idaho and close to the Snake River and the Clearwater River.  Pretty country.  Nice visit.  However, in the end, that was not the place we landed at.

First Plane ride!

Yes....it's the windows start screen

butterflies!

on the Clearwater

planes are fun!

Roaming the Southwest-ish

Our a annual summer trip.  It's usually taken with another couple, Aaron and Amy, friends we've known for a long time (man, we're getting old).  Like Amy said, every time there's a trip with Ed and Viv, we always walk far and carry a lot of stuff.  :D Well, this year is no different except for the location, we decided to spend some time around where our friends lived, santa fe, nm.  we headed out to the brazos (in brazos, nm) for some backcountry, second ascents.  unfortunately on the very first climb, i got hit by rock fall.  this made is a little hard to walk, given i got smashed on my toe.  didn't realize toes can generate a lot of blood.  i was two and a half pitches from the top and still had a 2000 ft descent to do.  needless to say, i got down....in the rain.

this brought us out of the brazos a day early and spent the next day wandering around southern colorado.  i needed a day to assess my toe, to see if i can walk, and to find gauze and other med stuff.  so we went through the town of pagosa springs, co (to hit up the hot springs, which i couldn't go into but there was great lounging around the pools.  byt the end of the day, it was determined that i can't put on a shoe, but i can hike to the South Colony Lakes (~5mi) with a light pack and sandals.  well, at least it was worth a shot.  ed, aaron and amy wanted to do the Prow on Kit Casron.  i figured, if i can make it to camp, then they can climb it.

the damage

the aftermath

So onward to the South Colony Lakes trail.  It'll be more work for the other three, but at least they'll get to climb Kit Carson.

bivy spot on the way to the climbing. (somewhere in the national forest)

aspens

wild flowers

Lo and behold...i made it back there.....

dusk at upper south colony lake

broken hand pass

The other three summited kit carson via the prow.  we hiked out and ended back at stana fe for the remain three days of our vacation.  we hung out, ate lots of food, climbed locally, and shot at sh!t.

from aaron and amy's garden.....
                     

Local crag

diablo canyon

ed on Ergo

Red Neck Day!!

Event #1:  Archery
   

and moving onto event #2:  target practice
   

      

notice the target.  that's me.  the first one to put a slug close to the bull's eye.  of course, we also practiced with a .22 rifle.  that's much easier.  i had a target where i put 8 out of 12 into the target with two on the bull and two really close to it.  alas,  there is no photo of it.  i think i'm better at distance and still targets.

that concluded out red neck day.  we didn't get to event #3....cutting down trees.  oh well.  we had chilis to roast (we were there at the beginning of chili season) and a plane to catch.  next time, we'll complete the trifecta.

roasting green chilis

The Eating Weekend

Not to say, there's no food where i live,  there's just not the food in the same quality and quantity here in the mountains as in the bay area.  yes, bay area folks...you are spoiled ROTTEN!  with that said...this is an eating weekend with lots of walking around.

hitting up the local eats in the inner sunset, heading out to the ferry building farmers market (which i have now dubbed the eating market), we had a good time walking around downtown and golden gate park.  of course we had to to the california academy of sciences to check out the denizens and the newish exhibit....all about earthquakes and australia and madagascar.  of course, when one brings up the land down under, images of kangaroos pop up.  unfortunately, they didn't have any of those on display, they did have ostrich chicks.  i guess there really no way of escaping.  the roos may just hop away and become the new deer of the bay area.

sunday = vino day....the mission of the day....pick up wine we bought last year...and to get some more wine for next year.  dry creek valley is my favorite place in the area.  a must go place for some peace, eating, and lounging.  so, with things to do and getaways this close...i better not catch any of you bay area folks complaining that there is no food and nothing to do....get out and find it!

ps...sara!!!  you better come with us next year!!!!

the chicks...

lemondrop....he's a big arse yellow snake that lives in an enclosure in the gift shop

preston's lilac trees!

lunch

yum!