Coffee with the Giants

We only had about an hour to stop at The Avenue of the Giants this trip, but made the most of our time with a coffee break and a stroll under the magnificent Redwoods. Looking back at these is making me feel a little stir-crazy, as we haven't really taken any trips since we got back from this one & I'm feeling slightly claustrophobic here in LA. It's time to plan a weekend trip - Salton Sea is up next! Where are you going next?

Eaton Canyon

Hiking along rushing water. What a novelty this has become. 

After being in southern california for a year and a half, we are two kids from washington who dearly miss water that is flowing; water that isn't stagnant and, generally speaking, water that exists and isn't the ocean. So this easy hike along a little river to a waterfall made us outlandishly happy. Eaton Canyon. just north of Pasadena, is that perfectly muddled mix of gold rock and dark green foliage that we've come to love, and the colors on this stormy bright afternoon were glowing. Being the amateur hikers we are, we stopped for breakfast tacos and coffee along the way, and brought some Stumptown cold brew with us. Instead of water. Because, like I said, we're professionals. 

e x p l o r e : los padres

We fiiiinally got to do a california camping trip last weekend, and it was really just what we needed. after a gorgeous two hour drive out of LA through orange groves, nut trees, and desert mountains, we settled at near-deserted campground in the los padres national forest (pro tip: go camping on the sunday after the 4th of july--everyone already had to head home), grilled corn on the cob over the fire, and had the most relaxing evening camped next to a stream. The next morning we explored highway 33 for a few hours, winding along the tops of mountains and stopping to climb along rocks with the scurrying lizards and cooler mountain air. We had another search for water (in the midst of California's awful drought) as we hiked along what is usually the Sespe River in the hot hot heat--we crossed dry stream bed after dry stream bed and things got a liiiittle rough until we finally found the promised oasis and could swim with the turtles and fish. We didn't want to drive back to the real world. I'd still #ratherbecamping. 

ps: here's a look at our weekend (and some practice at filming + editing by yours truly)

postcards from adventure

As much as we love living among the palm trees, sunny days, and ocean waves; we've both been dreaming of our homes in the pacific northwest lately: the people, the culture, the scenery, even the winter chill. A day trip to Mt. Baldy was just the medicine...evergreens, cold, fresh air, a little bit of snow, mountain streams...we even listened to the albums we played on the drive from Seattle to San Diego (Paradise Valley by John Mayer & Mechanical Bull by Kings of Leon), just for an added touch of nostalgia. Getting out the city felt so good--we wanted to bottle up some of that mountain air to take back to the valley with us.

How beautiful on the mountains are the feet of those who bring good news, who proclaim peace...

Isaiah 52:7