Spring Break

From time to time I am reminded how wonderful still being in school is. One of those times is spring break. This year my cousin, Grant, came to visit for the week. It was great to get to spend some time with him and to show him a small slice of California. Which includes a stop at the over crowded golden gate viewing area. Grant and Louie tolerated my requests for photos. They sure are handsome devils!
Grant had never been back packing before so we made sure that happened on this trip. We spent three days in Point Reyes national sea shore. This is a great little area, much more scenic than I had expected it to be and there is a lot of wildlife within the park. We started out with a short hike in on Saturday to a campsite with a beautiful overlook to the ocean and the some of the park. It rained on us that night, and we woke up to dense fog, the kind that gets you wet in five minutes. We decide to stay and as we moved out closer to the coast the fog lifted and the sun came out. After a sunny lunch break we played on the beach by Arch rock. Fun place, Grant and Louie climbed up and down every which way racing the waves as they crashed against the beach. Our second night we were right next to the beach and spent a long time exploring it before dinner. The beach was littered with agets, and perfect skipping rocks. We walked down to a waterfall skipping rocks in the surf and beach combing. Grant, despite the not so warm weather stayed in his shorts and walked almost the whole way in the surf. To be 14 and feel no pain. We managed to stay dry between short rain showers and hoped our luck would last.....it didn't. It rained all night. We made breakfast under the rain fly and rushed to pack up camp when it let up. Back on the trail we didn't get five feet before the rain started again. Despite the less than perfect weather conditions we had a good time. Much of the hiking was under the cover of trees so we didn't get the full force of the weather. Most importantly Grant really enjoyed it and wants to go again. Mission accomplished.
The rest of the week was full of more exploring. We spent a day at the aquarium, did some ocean swimming and visited SF. We had a wonderfully sunny day while in SF. It is the first time I have been there and been able to see the whole golden gate bridge. We did tea tasting in China town, rode the cable cars to and fro, walked Lumbard street, enjoyed some street shows, and had a sundae at ghirardelli's.
Spring break, yeah I will miss it, then again maybe I'll just keep going to school.....
To end this post I have to include a picture I just couldn't help but take. My most favorite fish, Eumicrotremus orbis, the spiny lump sucker! Normally I wouldn't take pictures of animals in exhibits, but they were really putting on a show while Grant and I were at the aquarium, smimming all over the place. And did I mention they are my favorite fish, I had to try to get a pic. One day I will find one in the wild and THAT will be big news.how could you not love this fish?!