2013 Spring Break

We hadn't been to California in a couple of years, so it was time to go visit Mom in Marin County.

On the trip down, we stayed overnight in K-Falls. Nice lodge near the lake.



The view from our deck

The next day on the drive south, Zoe decided to make a blanket tent.



There's a child in there somewhere

First up: a little city tour. Problem is my idea of a city tour: it's by foot. And across the Golden Gate Bridge, along the waterfront, to AT&T Park and back. 19 miles, starting at 0600.

The GGB in my rearview mirror

Man, it was cold and blustery up there, probably 45F and 20 mph winds. I had to wait almost two whole miles before I took my shirt off. Oh, the humanity...

Made my way along the water to the other bridge, looking toward Oakland...


Bay Bridge at sunrise

 

Halfway there, but a long 9 miles left...



Ferry Building
 

Really wanted to stop here!!!



I wanted to run up Hyde Street like I did a couple of years ago (all the way up), but my coach would have killed me..

One of those city streets that are nearly vertical

The San Fransisco waterfront is a wonderful place to run. Trouble is, if you're heading back to Marin County, the Golden Gate Bridge seems a long way off. For a very long time...

 

 

Before I reached the bridge, I came across a casual 10k race along the water. Hmmmm, a little speedwork? Maybe not today. The race was in honor of Walt Stack, one of the earliest (and oldest) Ironman finishers. He was well into his 70's when he first did the race three decades ago: 2.4 mile ocean swim, 112 mile bike, and 26.2 mile run. Afterward, at the awards banquet, he accepting the prize for oldest finisher by saying, "I have surgery scheduled for tomorrow; going to have this bicycle seat removed from my ass."

 

I gave a little salute to the long-departed Mr. Stack, then kept chugging over the bridge. All good things must come to an end, though. And this ended after 19 miles; nice run!

 

Next up: a little ice skating...

 

 

Up in Santa Rosa, Charles Schulz built himself a gorgeous ice rink, regulation size, and it's open to the public. Very cool. And right next door is...

 

 

 

Upon entering the musuem, you see this on the far wall...

 

 

Get closer, and you see this...

 

 

The entire mural is made up of over 3,500 individual comic strips!! Very cool to see.

 

Then it was a quick lunch break at Russian River Brewing...

 

 

 

 

The next day, we took a trip down to the Monterey Peninsula. Man, I really want to live there...

 

 

The aquarium is really neat...

The following morning, I had another early run along the water...

 

Monterey Bay

Nice place for a bench, eh?

 

Back at the ranch; here's Zoe and Grandmom...

Mom and I...

 

 Zoe ate about three pounds of waffles and bacon before our departure...

Then there was a young blog writer still on his mom's wall...

 

Nice trip! Need to do that more often.