Day trips

As much as we miss everyone, I must confess that, we are not letting that get us down! We have a good cry (yeah, right) and then we load our things in the truck and head out for no particular destination! Those are the best kinds of trips. We get in the truck, I get out the map, Mike drives, and we never know where we will end up! Several weeks ago, we left one Friday afternoon when Mike took off early, and we headed up the coast. Mike had a destination in mind, but didn't tell me until down the road a piece.

The California coastline is breathtaking and diverse. There are beautiful sandy beaches, steep cliffs, and rocky shorelines. About 3 hours north of Ventura is a little spot on the coast where elephant seals congregate. We had discovered this little treasure a couple years ago, and this was our destination for the afternoon. We weren't disappointed. There must have been hundreds of seals all over the beach. They are fascinating to watch and listen to as there barking sounds echo across the water! It was a nice way to spend the afternoon.

I have always wanted to live in the hills of north Georgia, but have had to settle for the hills of CA, which has great hiking trails. Last Saturday we had plans to drive up I-5 to see all the snow which has fallen. It has been an unusual winter here, and just a couple miles down the road from where we live, I could see snow on the hilltops. However, we got sidedtracked along the way while trying to find a skeet/trap shooting range, and discovered a nice trail. I almost didn't make it to the top (5.1 mi.), but after a little "encouragement" from Mike, I was able to conquer the mountain (hill). Along the way we notice two places where oil was bubbling up from the ground. First time I had ever seen that before!

When I don't have time to go anywhere, I step out on our balcony and take in the beautiful sunsets!

Christmas 2009

Recently, Mike and I were able to visit Florida and had an early Christmas with our family. While in JAX, we had a low country boil dinner at Melissa and Ray's house for our Christmas dinner. That is Ray's speciality! He always does a good job on the cooking and everything was quite tasty.

Melissa and Melanie spent one whole Saturday baking Christmas goodies for the "Grands" and friends.

I had been in FL for almost a month when Mike arrived for a weeks vacation. Since the girls had plans for Christmas, I decided to return to CA early. I wasn't able to get on the same flight with Mike, but left 5 minutes ahead of him. I went through Charlotte, he through Dallas, and I beat him back to CA by about 15 minutes! It really worked out well because he flew into Burbank, got his truck, and by the time he reached the Flyaway in Van Nuys, he had to wait only a few minutes for me to arrive from from LAX by shuttle.

This was our first Christmas being so far away from our girls, but we definitely weren't alone. Mike's mom has a whole bunch of family in the LA area, so we had Christmas dinner at the home of Mike's cousin Iva. There were only about 84 family members there!

We certainly hope all of you had a wonderful Christmas taking time to celebrate the reason for the season: Jesus!

MEXICO

One nice thing about CA is all the new places we can go. Mexico is about a 3.5 hour trip if you get on the road before the sun comes up and everyone else is asleep. Last weekend we took a trip with two other couples. It was mine and Mike's first trip to Mexico and we were glad to be with Spanish speaking friends, some from Mexico, Puerto Rico, and San Salvador.

We crossed over the border into Tijuana around nightfall, and drove to Rosarito, where we spent the night at a little place. Our balcony opened up right on the beach.

The next day we drove over to Ensenada, a touristy town, where cruise ships dock. The coastal roads high upon the cliffs were absolutely beautiful!

On the way back, we stopped at the dunes to do some ATV riding. One of the guys who works with Mike brought several, so that we could all ride. That was a nice ending to the day.

After this little excursion, me, Mike, Carlos and his wife Elvia stopped in a restaurant where we enjoyed lobster (I had fajitas) and were serenaded by a wonderful Mexican Mariachi band!

The next morning we got on the road around 5 a.m and made it back to our safe haven: USA! Mexico has some beautiful places, but we definitely take our blessings for granted.

California Wildfires

Life in CA has not been dull by any means. This past month has seen horrendous fires, many of which are still burning. I get text messages on my phone to alert me to new fire locations and warnings. I have received 3 since leaving CA Saturday morning. The closest fire to our aparmtent complex was the Porter Ranch fire. It started out quite a few miles away, but spread to just a couple miles from where we live. I packed a few personal things just in case we needed to head out with short notice. The photo above is from our apartment breezeway. I had left the apartment one morning to run a quick errand. When I returned the sky was clouded with thick smoke plumes. By that afternoon, it was a couple miles to the east of us.

It is unbelievable to see how strong the Santa Ana winds are. The best way I can describe it is hurricane winds without the rain. This fire was blown so quickly by the winds and blowing embers started up hot spots all over, which quickly spread. It certainly gives me a whole new appreciation for the tough job firefighters are up against!

Santa Cruz Trip

On Friday Mike took a much needed day of vacation, and we took a one hour cruise over to Santa Cruz aboard a catamaran operated by Island Packers. We arrived around 7 a.m for boarding.

This is a photo from the back of the boat with Ventura in the background.

Santa Cruz is one of five islands making up the Channel Islands National Park. We were dropped off on the island for the day. This is a picture of the dock where we came ashore.

It is a beautiful island with steep trails and cliffs overlooking the emerald green waters. The island was once inhabited by the Chumash Indians. We walked quite a few miles over a period about 5 hours on the island. We were definitely ready to board the boat when it returned.

On the way back to the coast we we were fortunate to see several humpback whales. It was difficult to get a really close up picture, because we couldn't get too close, but we managed to get two fairly decent tail shots.

We made it!

DAY 3: Kerrville, TX to Tuscon, AZ

We decided to get the show on the road early since we had quite a few miles still ahead. Kerrville is a quaint little town nestled in the hills of west Texas. It is a beautiful area with mountainous regions and the fall air was crisp and refreshing. We were able to take in the beautiful sunrise behind us and the abundant deer along the roadside. The hills soon gave way to more desert like conditions, which are beautiful in a unique sort of way. We set a goal to be in Tuscon by night fall, and arrived about dusk. We were too tired to do much of anything, so we called it a day.

DAY4: Tuscon, AZ to Simi Valley, CA

On Tuesday morning we rose early to be able to visit the Saguaro National Park and the Sonora Desert Museum in Tuscon. The Saguaro Cactus are quite interesting. They grow arms after 75 years of age, birds use them for nesting, and they are also protected. A special permit is needed to move one.

After a couple hours we pressed on determined to make it to Simi Valley, CA, our final destination, by the end of the day. According to AAA, the I-8 route around Phoenix, AZ saves time. We decided to take that route, and we found ourselves in the middle of NOWHERE! The cars were fewer and further between and rest stops with fuel were rare. I told Melissa that one thing I had learned from our trip to Death Valley last year, is to ALWAYS have water and keep the gas tank topped off. I drove Melissa crazy checking for the next gas station and watering hole along the AAA triptik route! Melissa reminded me that we had a bike attached to the back of the truck, but I'm afraid it would have been quite a fight to see who would walk and who would ride if necessary!

Arizona almost seemed to be the size of Texas, and we were beginning to think we would never get to the California line. Thankfully, God dotted the road with beautiful hills and jagged mountain peaks, blooming golden desert flowers, and cactus plants of all sorts to keep us entertained. The two video books we listened to also helped!

While crossing the desert in Arizona, we could see rain falling in the distance and when we pulled off to stretch, we saw this beautiful rainbow. Finally, and not a moment too soon, we could see the California border inspection station ahead and suddenly I think we both were energized by knowing that another couple hours and we would be "home!" Around 8:00 p.m. two weary travelers arrived and Mike was waiting just inside the gate of our complex.

Though the journey was long, it was a wonderful experience for both me and Melissa. We had lots of laughs along the way and made some wonderful memories.

On Thursday, we visited the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library, which was well worth the time, and saw the memorial site where President Reagan is buried. An actual Air Force One jet is on exhibit, and we were able to tour the inside. It was quite an awesome sight to see that huge jet on display inside the building built especially for that purpose.

Melissa beside a section of the Berlin Wall at the Ronald Reagan Library and Museum.

Melissa will be flying home on Friday, and I will begin unpacking my things. Please pray for Mike and I as we adjust to this new adventure, and that God will use us here in California to bring honor to Him. We will miss our dear friends and family, but hope to keep in touch with many of you! Stay tuned!

California: Here I come!

DAY 1: Jax to Gulfport, Mississippi
This trip is bittersweet for me. My place is with Mike, and I miss him, yet I will miss my family and friends terribly. However, I am excited about this new phase in my life. You all must come and visit!

After breakfast at Mimi's Cafe with Melanie, Jorge, and Melissa, the girls helped me load the Tacoma with my things. After a "few" tears, Melissa and I were on our way to California. It will be a long fun trip, especially since Melissa will be able to ride along. Sure wish there was room for Mel to also tag along! Next trip! I try to view everything as a new adventure, especially the journey, not just the destination. We got off to a little later start than I would have hoped, but I don't really have a major deadline to meet.

We ran into quite a bug shower in the Louisiana area, which

Melissa enthusiastically took care of!

We decided to call it a day in Gulfport when we ran into some pretty heavy rains and darkness was creeping in on us.

DAY 2: Gulfport to Kerrville, TX

We hit the road a little earlier than yesterday and decided to take the scenic route through New Orleans. We have never been there, so we wanted to at least ride through and take a peek. We have pretty much decided that a peek will do for both of us. I'm not sure what they spend their tax dollars on, but it certainly isn't infrastructure! Those were the bumpiest expressways I think I have ever ridden on! It was still evident that Katrina had blown through town, and that Gustav had also recently paid a visit, but the bayous were quite scenic as well as the bridge over Lake Pontchartrain in New Orleans.

While trying to find a place to make a quick pit stop,

we exited an intersection which proved to be pretty

desolate and lifeless, except for a little gator crossing the entrance ramp. Down the road in Rayne, LA, we took another

exit and found ourselves to be in the "Frog Capitol of the World!" We had a good laugh over the frog crossing sign.

When the sun began to set, we decided to make camp in Kerrville, TX. With hotels few and far between, we figured it would be best to call it a day and get an early start in the morning. We are aiming for Tuscon tomorrow! Hopefully, we will be able to see the Saguaro National Park and the Desert Museum, which Mike and I visited on our April visit. It was quite fascinating and I know the biology teacher Melissa will love it! Adios!

Please keep us in your prayers!

50th Surprise Party and Hiking with the kids!

While in CA for mine and Mike's surprise 50th birthday celebration, our family did some hiking. There are great trails in the hills near our apartment. Here we are preparint to conquer the Big Sky Trail. It was quite a workout up and down the hills, but worth it!

Afterwards, we took a trip over to Pepperdine University in Malibu. At the top of a hill on this beautiful campus, is Heroes Garden, a tribute to lives lost on 9-11, and especially alumnus Thomas Burnett of Flight 93. It is a beautiful and peaceful tribute looking out over the Pacific Ocean. If ever in Malibu, don't pass up this special jewel!

In case you haven't heard, Mike has taken a job in California. We drove from Jacksonville to California on April 20th, 2008, so that Mike could begin his new job on the 28th. We left EARLY that morning and arrived in Woodland Hills, CA on April 24th.
Although it was quite a long trip, it was very exciting and scenic. As we drove through miles of forest, bayou, desert, hills, and mountains, I was reminded of the words of America the Beautiful. God has blessed us richly!

Along the way we were able to take in some of the national parks, such as Saguaro National Forest, home of the Saguaro Cactus of the Arizona Desert. While there, we visited Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum, which houses many desert creatures.

We took a little "off the beaten path" trip over to Tombstone, home of the legendary shootout at the OK Corral. Mike had to get a shot (no pun intended) by the supposed grave of Lester Moore, whose epitaph reads "Here lies Lester Moore, 4 slugs with a .44, no less, no more."




Another beautiful national park was the Joshua Tree National Forest in California. The desert flowers, which blanketed the desert like a colorful quilt, were in bloom. It is hard to imagine the desert being such a beautiful place.

While I did a little scouting out on my own through the Cholla Cactus Garden at Joshua Tree, Mike got a little much needed R&R! He wouldn't let me drive because he thought I might get lost. How hard can it be to take I-10 all the way?!

Please pray for us as we make this transition to our new home, and we do hope you will stay in touch. Stay tuned!

Susan and Mike