500 ft. cliff hiking with toddlers on our backs!

April 6, 2008 Sunday

We met up with the Brown family at the Tennessee Valley Trail in the Golden Gate National Recreational Area of Mt. Tamalpais.

Not even a 1/4 mile in, and already Kai kept running away from us, in a zig-zag pattern.

I then became a beast of burden. You can see not only the Pacific Ocean but the lagoon in the distance.

We saw wild turkey on the hillside, enjoyed the sea misted grasslands and walked past California poppies and lupines

And after 1.9 miles, we made it to the Tennessee Valley Beach.

and settle down for some grub, hiding behind the rock for some wind shelter.

Dylan climbes rock while daddy Ian covers his back.


Sierra warms up with mommy Christy.


Dylan, Sierra and Kai hang out on the rock formation.

We start our ascent up the cliff. Sierra wears Greg's windbreaker to stay warm.

Then as we left the beach to do the 500 ft. cliff climb, Kai then had his meltdown...and he did it kicking and screaming.


This was supposedly a bomb shelter of some sort.


The Brown Family. One of the windiest spots to take a picture.
Our family photograph.

With this southward view, you can see the mouth of San Francisco Bay.


Despite this sign, we head up this steep incline and made it as far as the saddle before turning back. If the trail had not been too eroded going up the right hillside, we could have hit the Coastal Train before hooking unto the original trail after about 2.5 miles. I had done this trip probably 10 years ago and knew the trail would hook up again.

So we head back down...amazing view, yes?

Would you think we were unfit parents for having done something out of the ordinary like this?



Back on level ground once again, we let the kids free to run wild. Here they are growling and chasing after each other.

Kai is suddenly interested in horse poop, and after warning him about it, he picks up a turd and throws it. And when that wasn't enough- he kicked it too!!! I scramble for a wet wipe.

Kai and Sierra play in tall grass.
~
What a day. After 5 hours of fun, we went our separate ways. We stopped in Larkspur where we met up with an interested buyer from Craigslist who actually bought all of Greg's motorcycle gear. With Kai, we had to sell our motorcycles- now it's my turn to sell my gear also! (boo hoo)

Pumpkin Pie on Mt. Diablo

On our way through Walnut Creek up Mt. Diablo, we ran across this monster limo- a hummer limo that is. Amazing huh? I figured I'd take pictures of it and see how amazed I am of it 30-years from now. Would technology change that much more?

These two love each other soooo much. I wouldn't be surprised if they were really brothers in some spiritual way. But other than hugging, playing, and laughing- they fight also.

Here's Lukas kicking Kai in the nuts! And did I hear Rolf say that Lukas is learning Kai's bad habits? I think not! haha. My poor baby is a victim here! (wink!)


We met the Bienert family on Mt. Diablo. Believe it or not, they too had purchased a minivan the same day we got our Euro. So we were checking each others autos out on Mt. D. Ute finally joined my club "The Soccer Moms" now being a proud owner of a minivan.


Lukas and Kai bramble down a tree.


The daddys Greg and Rolf, with sons Kai and Lukas.


Kai gets a natural head rush from daddy.

We settle down for some hot tea cookies, and leftover pumpkin pie with whipped cream.

The day on Mt. Diablo was perfect for this chilly weather. A nice hike, with good company, a yummy treat, and then down the mountain to have homemade fajita pizza with Bienert's at their place! Yowza- great meal!

VIDEO: Spinning toddlers

Hiking in our back yard

Wednesday 11.14.07

Beautiful day for a beautiful hike, with our beautiful toddler boys...

Ute and I carried the boys up the hill like donkeys, and then let the antsy toddlers loose. While Lukas appeared to be enjoying himself, running ahead of us for the mountain lions to chase...

Kai lazily strolled along with his sippy cup tucked under his arm.

After watching Lukas bite the dust several times falling down the hillside, Kai took to holding my hand to safely reach his buddy for this picture.

My favorite part of this hike. When it's dusk, I could imagine the Headless Horseman coming around the bend.

Kai is whining to be carried now.

Paparazzi Ute trying to get a good shot of her son who never stays still.

The boys try to slide down this hill of rubble.

Daddy Greg meets us at the bottom of the hill on his bicycle.

Video: Rubble hill slide.

Video: Kai is wakened from his nap by buddy Lukas and they jump around like nuts!

On my birthday, I tackle Mt. Diablo 2x

The Wind Caves

June 28, 2007 Thursday
Greg gave me a a couple boxes of Scharffen Berger chocolates from a factory in Berkeley. Great chocolates! But what was really great, was that he purchased a ticket for Kai and me to fly out for a week to Chicago to see my family and my niece Hope's baptismal. YEAH! I am excited!!!

But for the moment, I wanted to do something to very much remember my 39th birthday. (That's still young!) I refused to go shopping or to be around a lot of people...so I chose to go to Mt. Diablo and to immerse myself in nature. Plus Kai is such an outdoors kid- he's at his best when outdoors. Greg left for work.

We visited Rock City and I had Kai clambor in some wind caves. Not really an environment condusive to children his age, we stayed just a short while for pictures and then headed for the summit.



At the summit, it was so windy I had to hold unto my hat and bundle Kai up. Even Kai was a bit disturbed by the winds. So we headed indoors.



We stepped into the observation tower to get out of the wind. I saw the pole there and began to pole dance, twirling my body around it- Kai got such a kick out of it, he tried also. Not bad for an amateur. (psst...no one else was there to watch me)


Video: Kai pole-dancing.



Underneath the observation deck we stood on the actual Mt. Diablo summit, ironically under cover.

Afterwards, Kai and I got geared up and hiked the Mary Bowerman trail around the summit.

Mary Bowerman Trail- The city of Danville side.

Kai was captivated by these fat lizards that were almost too slow to keep ahead of us on the trail. Obviously life has been good to them as their tails were extremely long, which indicated they had not been chased by predators.

New view decks as part of the trail.

I had not remembered this part of the trail from 10 years ago when I first hiked it. Everything was paved, well marked, and there was this deck. Huh?

.

I then realized I was on the wrong trail when I popped out from the trees to see my car in the distance. I had finished this trail in 20-minutes! Oh shoot! Now I have to find where the other trail I ventured on years ago.

So I took a picture of a posted map. The red trail is the Mary Bowerman trail. This trail is great for anyone who could walk some minor inclines, declines, and dirt and rocky trails. Great panoramic views in the 15-20 minute tour.

.

The yellow trail was what I had done a decade ago that took me 5 hours to complete back then. I confirmed this with a ranger who thought I could possibly complete it in 3 hours with baby on my back. The yellow trail was what I set foot on.

.

Heavily covered in sunscreen with extra clothing and food in the backpack; cell phone, wallet, and knife in my pocket- we hit the trail. We hiked through many changes in the climate and terrain. It would swing from hot to cool, from windy to no wind, fire roads to narrow passes, bare areas to ground covered by poison oak.

.

Kai stands near a ledge with a drop-off. Even he would not get that close to the edge!

We would have great panoramic views to that obscured by trees, rocks, and overgrown bush- or simply with a mountain in your way. We would go downhill for several minutes, that my quads became so fatigued. I feared I would not be able to prevent myself from accelerating downhill to quickly- so I would walk backwards for a bit until the fatigue passed. Other times the ground was so loose it required my full concentration so that Kai and I wouldn't go tumbling into rocks or into a ravine. (How exciting! sarcastic tone)

.

Video: West side of Mt. Diablo.

By the time we were 1- hour into our hike my feet were aching as were my back. 23-pounds of baby on my back with food, water, clothing, and pack, makes about 30-pounds- I was hurting when 2.5 hours had passed. I was afraid to sit and rest- but I had to feed Kai and check his diaper, which by the way was quite heavy. That break made me hurt more.

.

Video: South side of Mt. Diablo

.

When 3 hours had passed, my feet were killing me and my bum right ankle was beginning to make me limp. I had slipped earlier on loose rock and turned my ankle a bit despite the metal plate and screws still in there. You'd think I'd have more support.

After 3.5 hours I kept looking for the observation deck (on the summit) calculating how much closer I was- and cursing while going downhill on the trail when I thought we should be going uphill instead. This was work!

.

(That darn tower always seemed so far away- taunting me...)

300 feet from the last trail marker, only one person passed me going in the opposite direction. I was excited to make the finish, I couldn't wait to pull these boots off. I kept telling Kai to hang on.

To my pleasant surprise, Kai was a trooper. He did not cry or complain or fight to get out of the backpack. He didn't even complain of his soiled diaper. He fell asleep in the backpack once but when awake would point at birds, planes, lizards, and indicate when he was hungry or needed a drink. So for almost 4.5 hours he was happy checking things out!

.

Greg was waiting for us at home to take me out for dinner. I asked for a raincheck. It was already 7pm and my body hurt- my pelvis felt like it was splitting in two (feels exactly as if I was in my 3rd trimester), my right ankle needed ice, and I smelled like I really, really, needed a shower. I stunk!