My grandmother wanted to be able to take us all (her three children, their children and children's children) on a vacation to a beloved spot in the Northern California mountains, a place where she and her family had vacationed many times. So after much planning by my grandmother and my uncle and others, off we went! First the 13 of us from the East Coast (my family, my brother's family, and my parents) flew together to Oakland, CA. We stayed at a motel near my grandmother's home for a couple of days, enjoying some sight-seeing in the area including a trip to the beautiful Muir Woods.
We drove through San Francisco to get to the coast north of the city, stopping after crossing the Golden Gate Bridge for a quick look around and a few pictures. A typical cool and foggy day there.
Then we arrived at Muir Woods and took a walk around this beautiful park. The pictures cannot do it justice.
We then traveled from the woods to the coast, stopping at a beach for a picnic and a short playtime on the beach.
After a couple of days in the San Francisco area, we journeyed to the Lassen Volcanic National Park where we stayed at the Drakesbad Guest Ranch for 3 nights. At this location we enjoyed hiking,
horse-back riding,
swimming in the hot-spring-fed pool (a bit hard to see in this picture taken from a trail),
beautiful views,
The Meadow
Mount Lassen - two views 
Drakesbad from a trail
The Meadow - another viewcampfires complete with s'mores,
playing games and relaxing on porches and in swings,
wonderful food in the dining hall, and just general fun with family that we don't get to see very often. The kids had plenty of time to play with their cousins and get to know some of their older relatives. We even received t-shirts designed and made specially for this occasion by my uncles. We all had a really fun time despite the usual complications that come with traveling in large groups and with many different personalities and small children. This is an adventure we'll remember for a long time to come! Thanks so much, Gram!
Our cabin - The Annex
The Lodge
3 comments:
GREAT PICTURES --- WISH WE HAD BEEN THERE ---- OH, THAT'S RIGHT, WE WERE. AND WE DIDN'T LOSE A SINGLE KID THE WHOLE TRIP!!!
GREAT PICTURES --- WISH WE HAD BEEN THERE ---- OH, THAT'S RIGHT, WE WERE. AND WE DIDN'T LOSE A SINGLE KID THE WHOLE TRIP!!!
Christi and Gang, This is really a great collection of pictures and diary of events, not to mention the Sam-notes that clearly are the product of a doting mother -- all well-done. Gram called and told us about this and that she had tried to call you to tell you so. We're very proud of all of you. Love, Mom & Dad
Post a Comment