New York City!

This year we've been looking forward to a vacation with Kevin's family in upstate New York. We were lucky enough to be able to take a couple of extra days before and decided to check out New York City since neither of us had ever been there before. We cashed in some of our frequent flier miles making our tickets there only $5 each! 

Our first impression of NYC was not so great. We had to wait for what seemed like forever for our shared ride van to leave the airport. We were supposed to be the second stop but one of the other passengers bribed the driver and we suddenly became the last stop. At that time we were only 1 mile from our hotel and then suddenly we were more than 2 miles away in the other direction and then ran into traffic. Finally we gave up on our driver and walked the last 0.8 miles with all of our luggage in tow. Let's just say that we did NOT give him a tip. (Lesson learned- never use a shared ride van in NYC) Both of us were tired, crabby, and overheated at that point. 

After a quick snack and a shower the city had regained it's appeal and we were ready to check things out. Our friend Scott recommended a pizza place called Lombardi's. We ordered a simple meatball pizza and it was incredible. It was finally more clear why New Yorkers are always raving about their pizza!

Kevin wondering if this pizza will live up to the hype.

Using the subway system in NY was fantastic. There are trains running all the time and it only took a little bit to figure out the map. (I highly recommend the Streetwise City Map if you are ever visiting).

After a good nights rest we were ready to check out more of the city. First stop, however, was a New York bagel. Was it as wonderful as everyone says? Yes indeed it was. Once our stomachs were full we decided to make the short walk over to Central Park.

Scenery on our walk to the park

Near the park we got to see the Unisphere from the 1964/1965 World Fair. (If you've seen the new Captain America move you might note that they had a scene from the 1940's that showed the unisphere even though it wasn't built yet. Oops!)

Unisphere

I'd always heard Central Park was incredible and it really was. It didn't take long once you entered the park for the noise to subside. If it weren't for the building you could see in the distance occasionally you might actually forget you are in New York City.

Just one of the lovely bridges in Central Park

You can probably tell from the shine on our faces that it was HOT!

A beautiful view from Central Park.

In order to escape the heat for a little bit we thought it would be a good time to stop in at a museum. We were wanting to visit the Natural History Museum anyway and since it is right next to where we were in the park it was perfect timing.

We bought tickets that allowed us to visit several of the exhibitions they had going on. There was a Journey to the Stars presentation in the planetarium, Brain: The Inside Story, and my personal favorite Frogs: A Chorus of Colors.

When you first walked into the frog exhibit there was this picture and Kevin thought it was going to be all pictures and therefore boring. He was wrong!

There were dozens of displays with all kinds of different frogs. It was incredible seeing all of them and I learned more about frogs then I ever thought I would. Fun fact: frogs can partially freeze in the winter. Their hearts actually stop beating but the high glucose in their bodies prevents damage and they thaw out in the spring.

I took so many pictures that I was forced to make another collage. [Clicking on the image enlarges it if you want to have a closer look.]

The tiny vibrant frogs are poisonous so watch out!

We could have gone to see a Dinosaur exhibit but it was getting late so we settled for the display in the lobby

We'd had an amazing lunch at a little Indian restaurant near the museum (Yelp and Kevin's iPhone were a huge help during our trip) but after a few exhibits we were ready for a snack. We walked through Central Park and grabbed a pretzel and ate on the steps of the Met (Metropolitan Museum of Art).

In a show Moria and I watch the girls are always having lunch on the steps of the Met and I couldn't resist eating there too!

Enjoyed the curbside entertainment as well.

Our next stop was across town on the subway to check our the Statue of Liberty. The mile of water between us and the huge buildings behind us made the statue look a little small even though I know it isn't.

I would still like to take a ferry out sometime to see it (despite hearing it isn't that cool) but that will have to be on another trip.

Just goofing around.

If we didn't have to get back to our hotel we would have stopped by the World  Trade Center Memorial. I think it will be better to see it once it is completed anyway (completion date is set for this Sept 11 but we'll see) so that can be on the list for our next trip as well.

Jersey Boys is the story of Frankie Valli and the Four Seasons. The show was hilarious and it was amazing how many hit songs the band had. They drew you in with each and every song including 'Sherry', 'Big Girls Don't Cry', 'Walk Like a Man', 'Oh What a Night', 'My Boyfriend's Back', and 'Can't Take My Eyes off of You'. Our first Broadway experience was fantastic.

After the show we took another friend's recommendation and went to this amazing Cuban restaurant called Cafe Habana. We both ate the best Cuban sandwich ever. I loved the style, the lighting, the food...everything. We overheard another patron saying that people wait 2 hours for lunch sometimes. If you like Cuban food it is definitely worth checking out if you are in NYC, Brooklyn, or Miami.

I had so many pictures from our two days in the city that I'm splitting it into two posts. I have the pictures loaded for the second so hopefully I can finish it soon!

Half Dome

Since our last trip to Yosemite in April Kevin and I have been wanting to hike to the top of Half Dome. Due to overcrowding and safety concerns there is now a permit system in place designed to limit the number of people allowed to ascend the cables on a daily basis. There are 400 permits given out a day and a majority of these are available several months in advance but are difficult to obtain. 

An alternative method to obtaining a permit is to show up in person for a wilderness permit the day before you want to start your trip. Kevin and I left early Saturday morning and arrived at the wilderness center at 8am to get in line for the permits that would be available starting at 11am. Our waiting paid off and we were able to get the wilderness permits to stay in Little Yosemite Valley which comes with a permit to the top of Half Dome!

After getting our permits we went to the backpacker's campground in the valley and set up camp for the night. 

Tenaya Creek next to our campsite

We were up late the previous night getting all of our stuff together and ready for a nap after lunch. It was too hot to sleep for long but it was enough to give us the energy to take a short hike near our campsite.

Less than a mile later we arrived at Mirror Lake which provided us with a fantastic view of Half Dome.

Mirror Lake is interesting in the fact that it is disappearing through sedimentation and will eventually become a meadow. You have to love how the geography is constantly changing!

Our first and only bear sighting was that night near the backpacker's campground. Every now and then he would turn and look right at you and it was clear he was aware of us. The ranger's chased him off and reminded us to keep all food and toiletries locked in our bear lockers.

We brought our own wood since you aren't allowed to collect dead and downed wood in the valley but we didn't have a lot of kindling so it took a little while to really get the fire going. 

Our intention was to leave early but we were pretty exhausted and ended up sleeping in a little later. It took awhile to pack up our backpacks with everything we would need for that day and the next but we were finally ready to start our hike by 10am. We started at the Happy Isles trailhead to begin our 5 mile hike for the day. Previously we had taken the Mist Trail to the top of Nevada Fall, but opted for the John Muir Trail for this trip. It is a little longer hike, but a little safer for backpacker's since the Mist Trail is narrow and can be quite slippery from the falls. 

We did get a fantastic view of Yosemite Falls. 

Upper and Lower Yosemite Falls

The John Muir Trail provided another view of Half Dome.

"Oh No!...Scary!"

I have a similar picture of this last time but I love it because there are so many landmarks. Half Dome, Mount Broderick, Liberty Cap, and Nevada Fall. 

Taking a last break before reaching Little Yosemite Valley.

After setting up camp and eating lunch we were ready to wander around. We took a flat hike into Lost Valley. There was a fire at some point and you can see the area still recovering from it. It gave the valley a sort of creepy feel.

After about 2 miles we found what we were looking for. The Bunnell Cascade. We had seen pictures of people swimming and hanging out in the water but there was no way we were getting in. The water was very strong and it would have been dangerous to get in. Besides, the water was freezing cold from all the melting snow.

Bunnell Cascade

We did find a little spot where we were able to sit and stick our feet in the water.

The hike back to our campsite provided a completely different perspective of Half Dome. We started getting very excited!

Exhausted from our day of hiking we went to bed very early. We woke up a little after 5am and by 6am we were ready to start the 3.5 mile hike to Half Dome. It was great leaving early and we didn't even see anyone else on the trail for a really long time. We also were able to beat the heat.

Amazing view from the Half Dome Trail

Just before reaching the Sub Dome we had yet another view of Half Dome.

Starting to get excited!

Here was our first view of the cables leading to the summit. 

From the cables it is only 400 feet to the top but you have to be very careful. (Slipping and falling is likely fatal). We took every precaution by getting there early before the crowds, going when there was no chance for lightening or rain, and not rushing ourselves to the top. I thought it would be terrifying but it really wasn't that bad. There were few people on the cables at 8am so we made it up in only about 15 minutes!

Top of Half Dome! We made it!

The cool rock formation to the left is 'Cloud's Rest'. It is on our list of hikes we would like to do at some point.

A zoomed in picture from 'The Visor'.

On The Visor atop Half Dome

This picture was taken by Kevin from The Visor and that is actually me from where the previous picture was taken. 

We spent some time wandering around the top. Many people got there, took a pictures, then headed back down. We figured since we went to the trouble of getting up there we should enjoy it.

Heading back down was a little more intimidating at first (at least for me) but soon I felt more comfortable and we were down pretty quickly.

Kevin at the Cables

Posing for a shot.

Hiking to the top was incredible and we were so happy that we finally made the trip happen. We have so many other hikes we want to go on in Yosemite now after seeing some of the landmarks from the top.

We hiked back down to our campsite and ate lunch before packing up all of our gear for the return hike to the Valley. It was definitely faster going down but we were pretty happy to get to our car and get our hiking boots off. We were definitely sore the next couple of days but well worth it.

Lake Sonoma

For the 4th of July this year we thought it would be a great idea to take a canoe camping trip up at Lake Sonoma about two hours north of us near wine country. Kevin and I were eager to test out some of the new gear bought over the the last couple months. It took a little bit to get our stuff arranged into our canoes but by late morning we were ready to start the 2 mile paddle to our campsite.

Spirits were high as we began the trip and remained so despite the heat of the blazing sun. We continued paddling...and hoped that Brian's map reading skills were good enough to help us reach our destination. 

There were a few scary moments out there on the the rough waters of that lake, but with Moria's skills in watercraft steering we soon learned to navigate our vessels effortlessly through the water.  Eventually we spotted a campsite and it was determined that it must be ours.

Upon first arriving at Quicksilver Camp dread quickly spread amongst the group. Trash lay strewn across the ground near the trash can and a sleeping pad and sleeping bag were found draped across the fire pit and picnic table. Further investigation revealed that the sleeping pad and bag were abandoned and that the squatters had likely skipped town. Luckily, Kevin had gloves and began the daunting task of picking up all of the trash left by those scoundrels. The rest of us picked up remaining litter such as cigarette butts and bottle caps and we began to feel more at ease with the place we would be camping at for two nights.

After setting up camp we were in desperate need of a swim and some shade. We once again took to our canoes in search of a small cove protected from both the sun and motorized boats. Not far from our campsite we found the perfect place to relax and swim.

Kevin and Moria enjoying an ice cold beer

Lovely repose overcame us and we enjoyed the serene sound of waves lapping onto shore and the laughter that echoed through our nestled retreat.

That splendid Saturday just so happened to be one of California's two free fishing days. Since we could fish freely, paying no heed to permits or rangers, we took to the poles aspiring for better luck than our last fishing escapade. Kevin cast his line and moments later he felt a tug that could only mean one thing. A fish had been caught. He reeled in his catch and we gaped and grinned in amazement. Could it really be that easy?

Kevin with his catch

Flabbergasted by Kevin's success, the rest of our group enthusiastically took turns casting our lines awaiting similar success. Kevin, however, remained the sole victor that afternoon.  

Just enough meat for us all to try some!

Ready for some supper!

Matches? Who needs matches? Not us. Not when our fellow traveler Brian has a magnesium fire starter and cotton balls covered in Vaseline. 

Brian and Kevin at work on the fire

A thief in the night made off with several of our bagels. We were lucky that is all he got and we had plenty of food to make it through the rest of the weekend.

Evidence from the crime scene

We made a new friend during our travels. His name is Moon Dog and he provided companionship during tough times.

Unsure if our water supply would last us through the rest of the weekend, Kevin and I headed back to the general store the next morning hoping to be back while it was still cool. As we departed the low spirits of our comrades were unwittingly conveyed to us when we heard Brian turn to Moria and whisper "they were very good friends..." We paddled hard through treacherous waters and finally the marina was in sight. We refilled our water bottles and stocked up on ice to last us the remainder of our trip.

With a full day still ahead of us we met back up with with our jubilant companions for more swimming on yet another scorching hot day. 

View from 'the island'

From the island we were able to see a secret area that we started for next. It was a quiet, peaceful cove that would have been perfect for fishing the day before. 

Brian and Moria leading the way through the sparkling waters

Back at the campsite we did our best to avoid the sun which was not always easy since our site was very exposed. 

Our location did make for an incredible sunset.

Sunset at Lake Sonoma

The next morning was quiet and tranquil and we were able to see a little wildlife.

The weekend passed much too quickly and before we knew it we were returning our canoes to the marina. We replenished supplies at Russian River Valley while making the long trip back to our homestead.

Group shot from Lake Sonoma