2017 Travels and Adventures: A Year in Review - Part 2

WHEW!   We've made three days into the new year.    I hope your goals and resolutions are still on track.   I've made it to the gym twice, so I'm on track for my regular goal of fifteen days of fitness a month.    Most of the rest of the month will be spent walking around Southeast Asia, so whatever gym time I'm seeking, and it's not much, needs to get knocked out in the next week.

Before we get into double digits of 2018, here are some highlights of the second half of 2017.  

July 2017

Summer was in full force.   It was time cupcakes, fireworks and America.   And also the Sun & Sea Festival in Imperial Beach.  One last minute spontaneous two day visit to San Francisco amidst the craziness that is Comic-Con week at work.   

Sand Castle Fun! 

This is the scene of an incident in my younger years 

that involved a shot of Patron. 

Hi SF - good to see you!

August 2017

In 2017, our family celebrated our first ever Bratsgiving.   It needs to be an annual thing.   Getting together in northern Wisconsin in the summer and spending time together.    

The Brats in Question

September 2017

My sister and I have actually created a tradition.   2017 made five years in a row going to the Jazz Aspen Snowmass Experience over Labor Day.   In San Diego news, it was time for the 7 Bridges Hike and hanging out on the pier in Oceanside.  

Larimer Square - Denver

Twin Lakes - Colorado

Bridges of San Diego 

Why Hello There...

  

October 2017

Disclosure:  I had never been to Phoenix/Scottsdale before other than passing through the airport.  I had a great weekend visit with friends and can't wait to go back!   October is also Bike MS Bay to Bay time where we hop on our bikes and ride 100 miles to help find a cure for MS.  

Desert Botanical Garden

(cactus everywhere!!!)

Go team go!

November 2017

The month started off with an amazing sunset, followed shortly afterwards with a trip to Texas.   This was my second time trying to mess with Texas this year and I consider it a success.    My family came to visit for Thanksgiving both in California and a holiday extension into Cabo.   

November 1 is looking good

Howdy to you too!

Just a longhorn going on a walk

Nothing to see here

Fiesta de Reyes

Thanksgiving Eve - Encinitas

Traditional Thanksgiving poolside poke bowl

Cabo views

December 2017

So much eating and socializing.    The best month of the year for that.    Holiday shenanigans included the OB Holiday parade, the San Diego Santa Run, Global Winter Wonderland, and the Holiday Bowl Parade.   I got my white Christmas Denver style.  

Shave ice!  The best I've found on the mainland so far.

Global Winter Wonderland

Sunny Santas on the run

White Christmas views

Hudson Gardens Christmas

Parade Balloons

Bye 2017!   Loved you a lot.  

Can't wait to see what 2018 has in store.   Travels and Adventures will continue.   I don't even need to make that a resolution.  

National Parking: San Francisco Maritime National Historic Park

 

 

San Francisco is home to so many amazing things!  

The bridge.  The cable cars.   The sea lions.  

The Irish Coffee at the Buena Vista. 

 

Today we're visiting San Francisco Maritime National Historic Park as a part of National Park Week.  You can't go far in the San Francisco area without hitting a national park, monument, or rec area including:  the Presidio of San Francisco,  Golden Gate National Rec Area, Muir Woods National Monument, Alcatraz, and Fort Point National Historic Site.  

 

The maritime park is right on the waterfront...just a few piers away from the tourist mecca of Pier 39.  There's no entry fee, so you might as well just well learn something in between dining on chowder in a bread bowl and stopping for ice cream.     On my most recent visit, I tried my hand at knot tying (above).   It's probably best that I followed a different career path. 

 

 

What's the best thing to see, do or eat in San Francisco?

 

 

The National Park Love Continues with...
My Favorite Summer Job: Yellowstone National Park
National Parking: My Other Passport
National Parking: Black Canyon of the Gunnison

National Parking: Now With a Whole Week of Celebrating

National Parking: Mount Rushmore
National Parking: Bryce Canyon
National Parking: Haleakala

National Parking:  Bandelier

 



Bike the Bridge - San Francisco

It might be the ultimate in tourist activities, but I finally got to ride a bike across the Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco earlier this year.   And I treated Mom as a pre-Mother's Day present.   We had a beautiful sunny afternoon for our grand adventure.    We rented bikes from Blazing Saddles, one of the big bike rental companies in San Francisco.   They give you directions on how to ride to Sausalito, of if you're more industrious you can bike to Old Mill and see the big trees or go to Tiburon.   They even provide you with a ferry ticket if you want to take the ferry back from Sausalito - if you don't use it, you don't pay for it   (Fun Fact:  despite the fact that it's a Blue and Gold Ferry ticket, you can also use it on the Red and White Line). 

On the bridge you have to be careful of the pedestrians.   The path is divided in half.  That implies that one half is for bicycles, but there are a bazillion tourists walking 4 across.   There are also serious road bikers who are not interested in your lollygagging along the bike path when they are trying to go somewhere.   

After you cross the bridge you get on the road and cruise downhill into Sausalito.   You only need to walk your bike if you are on the sidewalk.   The signs might be confusing to you.  Don't get off your bike and miss rolling down into town unless you are afraid of riding down the hill.   In Sausalito there is designated bike parking by the ferry terminal, so lock up your bike with the provided lock and enjoy yourself.

We had cocktails and ceviche at Copita and were fortunate to secure a seat on the patio before the Friday night happy hour crew came in.   We followed that by ice cream at Lappert's before hopping on the ferry and enjoying a sunset trip back to the city.   (Quick note:  if you're returning your bikes after hours you have to call before they close and get the top secret codes to open two different garage doors to return your bikes.   Grab your pen and pay attention.)

What a great way to spend a day at the city on the bay!

Doggy in the Window

High end department stores traditionally have annual Christmas display windows. Growing up we would go to Chicago and see what Marshall Fields had done. Last week when we were in San Francisco, there was a big crowd at Macy's around the windows. At first glance walking by, we were thinking "Oh those windows are nice." Then we saw the SPCA collecting money, and we looked again. All the display windows have pets available for adoption. Last year they were able to place almost 300 pets through the Christmas windows promotion. It's "How Much is that Doggy in the Window?" for a very good cause.