Table Mountain

This pic was taken a few weeks ago on top of Table Mountain with New Melones Reservoir in the background (you can see the low water level due to the drought). This was actually taken during a picnic/hike field trip with Ediza's class. It also happened to be our wedding anniversary. Thanks to Cecil for capturing the moment. 

Spring Cleaning

Well, this could be the longest I've went between posts. Thought I'd share some pics I took recently at our first-ever yard sale (the eagle balanced on Ediza's fingertip went for 50 cents....or as she would say, "two quarters please"). As it turns out, Ediza is quite the little saleswoman. I like the last photo of the "dressing room," with the mirror reflecting the endless sky. 

Totem

 We spent the weekend in Santa Monica and saw the amazing Cirque Du Soleil show "Totem," which recently opened next to the Santa Monica Pier.

My friend (who also ran the Inca Trail Marathon last year) is the show's manager and gave us a tour a few hours before Saturday night's performance. We got to see some of the artists warm up for their superhuman routines. We even got to meet some of the performers as we caught a glimpse into their world.

 The show itself is incredibly creative and entertaining. Highlights for me were the unicycle girls and roller skating Native Americans.

Speaking of roller skating, Ediza hit the beach on her wheels and left us in her dust (in the background, you can see Cirque Du Soleil big-top tent and the pier).

 Ediza just kept going — all the way up a ramp and over the highway headed back. The day before it was so warm that she actually went swimming — in January!

Amber took a break from skating, but she has her roller derby season opener this weekend.

 We used Airbnb again and stayed at a nice apartment within walking distance to the beach and an even  shorter distance to an awesome juice bar.

On our way out of town, we stopped by the L.A. Times Travel Show at the L.A. Convention Center. As we walked by the Travel Smart Stage, the presentation "Home Away from Home: A Different Way to Stay" caught our attention. Ironically, the discussion featured the managing editor for Airbnb.

Happy Holidays!

We hope everyone had a Merry Christmas and have a New Year full of fun and adventure ahead. Our Christmas was sunny and spring-like, but this photo of Ediza and Maggie was taken earlier this month when we got record-low temps and low-elevation snow!

Dia de los Muertos

Here's a photo of us yesterday at the Dia de los Muertos celebration in Murphys (after some wine tasting, of course).

While Murphys is always a good weekend spot, here's another: Today's L.A. Times Travel section has a piece about our trip to Reno — Weekend Escape: Hitting Reno with a child in tow 

What are you doing this weekend?

Here are links to recent "What are you doing this weekend?" features I wrote for the L.A. Times:

Hiking Yosemite's Mt. Hoffmann

Visiting historic Mariposa

I returned to work at our local newspaper the same day the Rim Fire took off so it's been a crazy month. Here's a pic of a smoky Sonora Pass coming back from Reno (another weekend getaway).

Races

Here's a link to my new L.A. Times article — Inca Trail Marathon a runner's high in Peru — that was featured in today's Travel section.

Last weekend — two months after the marathon — I ran the Pinecrest Lake Run and really struggled with my lack of training, sleep, etc. Hadn't really ran much since Peru and the five-mile course had a killer hill. Thanks to Sue Kirk for sending this pic of me approaching the finish line!