Full Speed Ahead

We made our annual trip to Lake Ediza this summer. The journey started with smoky skies (from a nearby lightning strike) along with being attacked by killer mosquitoes. However, we persisted and it paid off with a fun adventure. 

Gus cooking falafel and mashed potatoes 

Ediza at "her" lake

Shortly after backpacking in the Mammoth Lakes area, Amber and I headed to the Lake Tahoe area for a Ragnar Trail Relay. Our group of eight ran continuously for about 30 hours, including with headlamps in the middle of the night.  

And just recently Gus celebrated his third birthday aboard Sierra No. 3, a historic steam locomotive at Railtown 1897 State Historic Park in Jamestown. Here is Gus blowing out his mini red velvet cupcake from our friend's catering company Lila & Sage in Murphys. 

Weekend getaways

We spent last weekend up at Lake Tahoe because Amber played against the roller derby team there. It was a good bout, but the slippery outdoor track and altitude gave the home team the advantage to win. We stayed at a nice time share, got to explore the lake's shore a bit and had some amazing food (including toasted coconut french toast for breakfast)!


This weekend we plan to head back to the Eastern Sierra and camp at some hot springs. Speaking of the East Side, please check out "Hiking the Sierra with three llamas and a baby" online at travel.latimes.com and in this Sunday's L.A. Times Travel section. Thanks:)

Tahoe to Yosemite to Frogtown

Here's the group from India at Lake Tahoe, where we attended a conference last weekend. They gave a presentation about India and themselves, while we gave one about our experiences in India. We were even talked into getting up in front of everyone and performing a Bollywood-style dance. They were bummed about not getting to leave the hotel so I snuck them out Sunday morning to go see the lake (where this photo was taken).

I also made it to Yosemite twice this week — once for work, the other to hike Yosemite Falls (up and down in less than three hours!) and then met up with the Indians for lunch at The Ahwahnee. Every season in the park is beautiful, but the rushing waterfalls in springtime make it even more special.


Later in the week, Ediza did some gold panning on a preschool field trip followed by an early Mother's Day lunch at a nearby tea house. The next day we marched with her preschool in the Mother Lode Round-Up Parade, where we all got dressed up in crazy hats.

This coming weekend is the Jumping Frog Jubilee in Angels Camp. It's my latest Travel article for the L.A. Times. Check out "Calaveras County: Still hopping to it" at travel.latimes.com. You never know what you'll find in Angels Camp (here's a frog decorated like a disco ball, for example).