Having lived in California all our lives (minus just 1 year living in Houston, Texas when we were 21; which seems so long ago it doesn’t even really count) we obviously love California, but we have also taken it for granted because we don’t know how good we have it. Sure prices of pretty much everything from a gallon of gas to a 900 square foot home located in suburbia hell are expensive. But, if you’ve always lived here, you don’t even know how inexpensive it is to live somewhere else. So we don’t really mind. California has it all, especially if you’re outdoor junkies like we are. There are deserted deserts, towering sierra mountains, lush foothills, fertile valleys, beautiful beaches, rushing rivers, pristine lakes, thousands of miles of hiking trails and backpacking trails… the list goes on and on and you can be to any one of these world class locations in less than a day’s drive, at the most.
So, we’re leaving beautiful California to move to Macau and its big city casinos and sky rise apartment buildings. We’re going to learn to embrace the newness of the adventure, the plethora of eateries, and the thrill of another land. But before we go, we are determined to have one last hurray with California, because let’s face it, “We’re headed on a jet plane, don’t know when we’ll be back again!”
First things first, after the big garage sale, Adam had a bit of school left to attend to in Truckee California. We stayed with some of our best friends for the week. While the boys went to work all day, Heather and Tawny talked, and talked, and talked. Actually, Heathers voice was hoarse by the end of the week! While there, we fit in a bike ride from Squaw Valley to Tahoe City, an evening on the boat at Boca Reservoir, and a few hikes in the area.
We then spent a few days at each of our parent’s houses in Grass Valley and Meadow Vista. This also included an afternoon or two at the American Canyon Ravine and North Fork American River, and a few hours of foothill wine tastings.
We then headed to the airport and went separate directions, Adam to Chicago with his Dad for 6 days and Heather to sunny San Diego to visit her sister, Tiffany. Adams trip included meeting numerous family members from his Dads side of the family, people he hasn’t seen since he was 5 years old! He toured Chicago, St. Louis, and the miles of corn fields along the way. Generosities abound, from friends and family.
Heather, on the other hand, spent her mornings sleeping in, her days at the beach, and her afternoons and evening at the noodle house eating pho. Her voice seemed to hoarse again, from the nonstop chatter with Tiff and friends.
We meet back in the airport a week later, caught some zzz’s and rushed to pack up for our 9 day camping/backpacking trip. As soon as we were ready to hit the road, we headed up to Lake Almanor, just outside Lassen National Park, to meet up with our Aunt Jeanne and Uncle Glen. They are also “child free” and Heather grew up visiting them every summer pretty much her whole life. With any luck, we will be the “Aunt Jeanne and Uncle Glen” of the future generation, they are truly that cool! Having lived in and visited the area a big portion of their lives, they know a lot about the different lakes, mountain ranges, and peaks. They took us up to Mt. Lassen and the surrounding geothermal areas, something we’ve wanted to do for a long time, and let us tell you, the volcano is alive and well!
There are steam vents in the grounds, boiling turquoise pools of water, and scalding pots of gurgling mud. It is VERY cool. Seriously, plan to go. After four nights at Lake Almanor, we said goodbye to our family, and headed up to the Russian Wilderness to go backpacking for 4 more days. Wait! Stop! That’s what we WERE going to do, but being inspired by the newness and beauty of Mt. Lassen, we decided we needed to see a new part of the state instead of returning to an old favorite. Instead, we headed west, across the valley and through the mountains to the most Northern part of the California coast, the National and State Redwood Parks near Crescent City. We first saw these awe inspiring giants last summer in the Humboldt State Park. They are so incredible and breathtaking; we knew we wanted to see the other parks too. Not to mention, they’re located on the coast, and as you may know, more than anything do we love the ocean. And Belly is with us, and more than anything does she love the ocean.
All of the State Redwood Parks are home to old growth redwoods. There are well marked trails of varying length with information regarding the area and the trees at every trail head. If you like lush tropical settings look no further. The ferns, moss, and foliage rivals the rainforests of Costa Rica due to the year round moist climate and the canopy of sky scraper giants. It’s a breathtaking sight, you do not want to miss.
So as we rapidly approach and pass our 4 week countdown to Macau, we are learning to appreciate even more what we are surrounded by everyday and although we love to explore beyond the boarder of our own backyard, there is much to discover right next door as well. Look around you’re neighborhood and take in the beauty it beholds. Whether it’s the trail you drive by on your everyday commute to work, or the hole in the wall restaurant that serves the unfamiliar, no matter where you live, there are discoveries waiting to be made.
