A Real Family Vacation!

We went somewhere and it was not on the way to family's homes or to family or because of family! It was just us! Because we wanted to!!

We ran away to San Francisco (without going into the city this trip), slept in a hotel and ate out every meal! Thats right! I did not have a PB&J station in the car!! Wahoo!!

After our 3 1/2 hour car ride we drove strait to the Golden Gate Bridge and saw the iconic bridge in the fog and rain! 5 out of 6 of us had not seen it before!

We then started towards our hotel in San Rafael but had to stop when we saw the signs for a Mission. I have always loved seeing different California Missions. I grew up near the Mission San Luis Rey and frequently visited the Mission San Juan Capistrano growing up. This one was quite beautiful too.

The next morning we headed over to the Richmond Docks, it was pouring when we ran in but beautiful once we came out!

We went to the Rosie the Riveter WWII Home Front National Park! It was a great museum and we even learned how to tie a real Rosie bandana!

Leili earned her Jr. Ranger Badge!

Also at the Richmond Docks we got to tour a ship that was built there during the Rosie the Riveter era. We met some great Veterans who showed us some amazing things!!

After our day's adventures we went for another look at the bridge since it was not raining. So very beautiful!

We saved the best for last! I have always dreamed of seeing the redwoods so we went to Muir Woods National Park and I got to touch a redwood!!

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Riley and I left everyone else and hiked up further into the woods where it was peaceful and quiet, and we found this really neat bridge!

And Leili earned another Jr. Ranger Badge! Her third one this year! 

After the woods and a good lunch we drove out on the Marin Headlands, we say old battlements where cannon and guns were mounted to protect the harbor, we saw seals, and happened upon the Point Bonita Lighthouse! And it was open! We had to walk a suspension bridge out to it which was swinging a bit in the wind! 

After all this adventuring and museum going and hotel rooming we needed to have a little free time so we found a beach! Rodeo Beach, it use to be an army base. The barracks had an ocean view and were yards from the beach!

It was an amazing trip and on the way home I hit a farm stand and came home with bags of citrus and persimmons! Next time we will do the city!!

Great Basin National Park!

We took a little side adventure on our way to work on cleaning out mom's house! It was amazing and crazy and we were ill prepared! Ops! 

Riley has his learners permit and got to drive highway speeds this trip! 

Gas station antics are always fun! These two crack me up.

The park is about 6 hours away from our house so we pulled in late in the day, but it was beautiful! 

Being that it was the end of September we planned to camp at the lower camp ground, unfortunately half was closed for renovations and the rest was full! So up to Wheeler Peak Campground we went...all 10,000 feet! Ek!

Most of the camp grounds up there back into a beautiful meadow, perfect for star gazing! One of our goals was to see the Milky Way, our kids had not before!

We did see the Milky Way that night, and also nearly froze to death!

The morning finally dawned, bright and frosty! The rangers at the visitors center were wide-eyed that we had tent camped with kids up there. Yes we are crazy and now more people know.

Unfortunately the super cold temperatures killed my camera battery so all of my pictures were taken on my phone as we began our hike the next morning. The fall colors were brilliant!!

Our goal was the Bristle Cone Pine Forest! Here is our mountain goat when we made it!

These trees are hundreds and thousands of years old! Their wood is so dense they can stand long after after they die.

This is Methuselah, this tree is over 3,000 years old! 

Thankfully we warmed up on this hike! It was about 2 hours round trip.

This is a trip we will do again, with more time available and in warmer months!!