Pano: Tennessee Cove

Seth and his kin joined the Kuwabaras for a quick visit to get some of the oh-so-sweet winter beach time to Tennessee Cove.  There are always a few days in the winter when that high pressure ridge sits on the coast providing a windless, sunny, magical weekend to explore the green hills (that are brown 10 months of the year) or head to the beach.  Beach days in the summer can be nice, but it's usually cut short by the westerly wind that picks up around noon... good for kitesurfing... not so good for a beach day.  

Anyway... I love Tennessee Cove.  The place is magic.  Tons of fun trails to explore from there too.  Amazing vistas, a nice clean beach, no cars (a quick 2 mile fire road is your way in), and bike accessible.  

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check this out... Cary Gray's adventures on one wheel and on water... here's a vid from paddling across the Darien!
https://caryoutthere.wordpress.com/kayak/

I just purchased a kid's book that he is painting with his foot!
https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/979782600/luno-a-childrens-book-drawn-by-foot

Bob!

mewwwwooow

... this cat in Yosemite doesn't care about people.  He's basically been domesticated (Yosemit-icated)... sad... but kinda cool to see this creature up close doing its thing.  Bob sure didn't care what other folks were doing while it was hunting for mice.  

If you don't know much about bobcats... I encourage you to read up...
http://theoatmeal.com/comics/bobcats_monday

OK just kidding... here: http://www.nps.gov/yose/blogs/Bobcat.htm...

Yosemite with Eli & Emi!

Nikko giving the air "high five"... Kai not looking, and their parents being silly...

... and their parents tagged along as well... After a fun ride towards the bug, we had a nice meal at the bug and met up with the Craigs.  We settled in quickly and got some rest for tomorrow.

The kiddos enjoying a special hot chocolate in the morning after they ate their breakfast.

we drove in to Badger pass for some snowplay...

unfortunately the kiddos didn't want to get in the sled, and weren't cooperating... 

so after approx 100 yards, we took a lunch break.  And I went on a quick 30 min sprint on my skate skis.  

and made it back to make a snow man!  

stopped at tunnel view on the way down to the valley so Nikko could soar!

And quickly noticed the crowds and the cars lined up along the way waiting to catch a glimpse of the firefall... what a zoo...

Hey... I got a good idea... let's go to the most beautiful place in the world... sit around for 6 hours and wait to catch a glimpse of the most photographed phenomenon... FOLKS... walk around.  Enjoy NATURE.  Not your camera... sheesh... yup... you just heard it here... forget your camera and enjoy it... 

Yosemite Falls with it's huge snow mound at the base...

site of our wedding...

Kai and I skated around for an hour or so.  That was really fun.  We did see an older lady fall and probably got a concussion... I think folks should definitely wear helmets ice skating.  Much more so than skiing...

On our way back, we had good timing as the traffic was insane... 

... pretty cool...

firefalls

...

Crazyness...

The next morning, we decided to hike out to Lower Yosemite Falls...

Deer!

Kiddos!

Sleeping human!

With a bobcat slowly approaching!

Basking in the sun...

The kiddos were singing Raffi the whole way home...

nice sunset..

Firefalls

http://snowbrains.com/yosemite-national-park-where-a-waterfall-turns-into-a-firefall/

If I didn't discourage you enough... and you want to stand in the herd of photographers to catch the firefalls... check this out for an indepth look.
http://blog.aaronmphotography.com/2015/12/20/horsetail-falls-2016-yosemite-national-park/

Monthly Pano: Crystal Range

Looking across to Ralston and the chutes draining down to the Pyramid Trail.  Sierra @ Tahoe also visible here.

Spent another beautiful day in them mtns.... here's the track.
https://www.strava.com/activities/502418537

Top of Pyramid.  Looking Left to Price, Aggasiz, Jacks, Dicks, etc...

Looking back up after the descent off of Price

The view from Ralston.  Tallac, Lake Tahoe, Echo Lakes, Ralstonia...

Short Vid TR: To(wards) the Bug!

Rode out to the bug the other day.  Haven't been on a long-ish ride for a while... and I'm contemplating becoming a "Super Randonneur" this year so I figure I should get some saddle time.  Anyway... I found a good route from Dublin BART through Mines Rd and through Del Puerto Canyon to the central valley and beyond so I had a nice solo 200k ride... about 25 miles or 1.5 hrs away from the Bug.  But riding on the shoulder of 140 would've sucked anyway, so I'm totally OK with that.

Took it easy most of the way... just wanted to get some saddle time.  Saw 3 cyclists the whole day.
here's the track:
https://www.strava.com/activities/497458800

Highlights:

• Mines Rd
• Del Puerto Canyon Rd. (That's a really fun ride through that canyon... never gone from Mines Rd...)
• The Almond trees in full bloom. 
• Sunrise

Lowlights: 

• The flat central valley
• Hwy 140... not much fun.  
• Junction Bar was closed... so sad... I hear it's gonna shut down for good?  Or maybe already has?  
• Dairy farms stink.
• editing this vid... was quite tedious...