By Jim Dickens
The California Bureau of Tourism runs commercials with celebrities showing all kinds of first class recreation with oceans, mountains, vibrant cities and numerous spectacular attractions. It’s all true and why it’s exorbitantly expensive but 40million Americans still live there. My sons say it’s a fun tax that is worth it. Lori and I visited for 11 days and decided we will do it again next year.
We went to visit our sons, one who lives in Northern Oakland and one who lives in Watsonville, on two weekends at the end of March. In between we visited our friends Pete and Gayda in Lake Tahoe and the iconic Yosemite National Park. Instead of a long chronology of what where and when, spin through the slide show below. Not pictured are the many humpback whales in Monterey Bay. It was too much work to photograph versus just being there and enjoying it.
Berkeley bottom right San Francisco top middle. Near my son in Oakland 
Sons and Lori after climbing the hill 
Alcatraz 
Alcatraz to San Francisco 
Half Moon Bay hike in the Red Woods 
Jack and his buddy Reese post hike at Moss Beach 
Cypress Grove Moss Beach 
Cypress Grove Moss Beach 
Pete and Gayda Lake Tahoe 
Lori and Lake Tahoe hike. Snow is 10 feet deep. 
Still so much snow at end of driveway bottom of mountain, Lake Tahoe, Squaw Valley 
Lori’s waterfall Tour 
Lori waterfall tour Yousemite. Hiking in the rain to the Vernal Falls 
Bridal Veil Falls 
Mirror Lake, Yosemite 
Drive through tree, Mariposa Grove, Yosemite 
Grizzly Giant, Mariposa Grove, Yosemite (the tree not us) 
Badger Point, Yosemite Canyon Rim 
8 feet of snow on the canyon rim 
Tired and time to return 
Whale Watching Monterey Bay 
Sea Lions all over 
Kayaking, Moss Landing. Lori leadings the attack on harbor seals. 
Lori’s favorite, the sea otters 
Cannery Row, Monterey, I once owned that car under the overpass. 
Monterey Aquarium
A cool concluding story. My son’s buddy, Reese, was a dreamer in high school and had a flair for the dramatic in college. Now he lives his dreams. He has managed to sign on with Google and leased a small transit van which he sleeps in. As you may know, Google provides free dining, fitness, clothes washing, and showering facilities. Jack’s buddy takes advantage of all and is saving 80% of his paycheck to realize his dream of becoming a real estate magnate. It’s great to see his success through his willingness to do what it takes including getting out of his comfort zone. Idea guys are a dime a dozen, but dreamers that do change the world.
It was great experiences with great people in a land of amazing places. Too bad it is so crowded. We will be back next year!
Ridgeline Tour 