Climbing in the Pinnacles

So, our friend Brian is an avid climber and invited us to go camping and climbing in the Pinnacles this weekend. Kersti couldn’t make it as there was a family birthday party to attend to, but I was able to go for part of the weekend. Our friend Byron from Australia is currently at Berkeley under a Fulbright scholarship, and he is also a big climber so it was good to get a chance to catch up with him as well. We drove down late Friday night after work and set up camp. It was a clear night with no moon so the stars were really fantastic. The next morning we went rock climbing on a difficult climb with a crazy inverted shelf at the top. It was my first time climbing but I gave it a good attempt. I wasn’t able to get past the shelf but I was able to get quite a ways up! It is a much rougher sport than I realized, and we were all pretty cut and bruised up afterwards. It was a hot weekend, but fortunately they had a pool at the campsite that we were able to make good use of.

This weekend also marked the start of our 28 day metabolic cleanse that Kersti and I are doing, as well as Amy! So far so good, it has been a challenge to resist a lot of the food and drink but hopefully it will help me find out which foods are good for me. Fortuitously the diet ends the day before my birthday, so I will have very good reason to celebrate!



Kurt, Dan, and I back together causing mischief again!

Our Dartmouth buddy Jason (JT) came up for the weekend from LA. We had a fabulous time, doing some way too hard runs, playing tennis, and going into the city. Unfortunately, this is the only picture we took, but it was really great to catch up with him. Hopefully we will be seeing a lot more of him now that we are back in California.

Where we climbed in the pinnacles. The horizontal ledge is at the top, it was a lot harder (and further) than it looks, as I quickly found out.

Brian, however, made it look easy.

Byron also handled it with ease, but at least this shot shows how hard it was.

Now it's my go, I just don't look as smooth...

I successfully go the ledge, but then fell, I still need some practice!

Here's Byron climbing the other wall

I'm not sure he should trust me belaying...

Byron on his way back down, I guess I can belay after all!

Scenery near where we were climbing

Dan and I celebrating our survival

Return to California

While we were out in Driggs, Kersti successfully got a temporary job back in California, and needed to start earlier than planned. So she headed back to California the same day as my parents, while I stayed out in Driggs for another week getting organized. It was a quiet and somewhat lonely week, but very peaceful and I was able to finally organize my new company! I put together a website for Peter Engineering Group at: http://sites.google.com/site/peterengineeringgroup/

After a week, I packed up and drove the hybrid back to California, this time going through Utah. I passed through Salt Lake, and camped at Angel Lake. I made it back in time for Labor Day, where we went to Erik and Juliana’s wedding. The wedding was so much fun, the ceremony had amazing live music (they are both phenomenal musicians, after all). The reception was in Orinda, and we got to work through our rusty dance moves again! We also had guests for the weekend, Shannon and Wes as well as their four adorable kids Brooke, Brandon, Briana and Brigitte. They loved potential for discovery at the house, as well as the newly purchased Wii.

The capitol builiding at Salt Lake City during the drive to Cali.

Temple Square with the beautiful gardens and church

The salt flats near where they set speed driving records.

The church in Oakland where the ceremony was held


Congratulations to Erik and Juliana!

Kersti's grandmother Joan dropping us off at the wedding! To young to drive, you see.

Proudly displaying our crowns that were personally made for us by the kids

Cutting the cake!

The beautiful bride!

Kersti heading home with all her accessories..

Having fun with our guests, the Nance family!


The gigantic stuffed green stingray was a huge hit, not surprisingly!

Driggs Part 2

After Juliana and Erik headed back to Sun Valley, my parents came out for the week. They absolutely love escaping the heat of Florida and relaxing up at Driggs. We picked up my Dad at the Jackson Airport, and then spent the day hiking in the Teton Park while we waited for my Mom’s late flight to get in. We almost got caught by a storm, but were able to get an excellent day-hike in around Taggart and Bradley Lakes. We then picked up my Mom and returned to Driggs, where we all spent a relaxing week. They bought some fly fishing rods and taught themselves the basics of tying flies and casting, although no successful catches yet! Kersti and I went hiking in Darby Canyon in the Targhee forest, visiting the Snow Cave. Kersti made amazing (and healthy) meals, and everyone was able to relax and recharge for a bit!

Taggart Lake with Tom, Billy, and Kersti

In front of the Tetons!

Tom and Kersti

Kersti in front of Taggart Lake

Mulling over a possible swim in Bradley Lake (I didn't go)

Enjoying some delicious phad thai

Our friendly neighbour who always greeted us upon our return

Tom and Marjie out for a walk

Kersti hiking through the wildflowers near our place. When Erik and I had run through here, there were birds hidden in the grass and as you ran by they would explode up out of nowhere.

Targhee National Forest

About to start our hike

Hiking Darby Canyon

Snow Cave

Marjie practicing her fly fishing

Billy carefully casting into the bushes

Hiking at Rick's Basin at the Grand Targhee resort

The wildflowers were in full bloom

We alo went golfing at the nearby golf course

It was Kersti's first time ever golfing, and she was shockingly good! (Except she doesn't really look like the pro's right now!)

Celebrating our successful completion of a whole nine holes!

Driggs with Erik and Juliana

After flying back to California, we then drove the hybrid out to Driggs, Idaho, where my parents have a place right at the doorstep of the Grand Tetons. On our way out, we took a northern route through Oregon, and visited the fabulous Crater Lake. I don’t know how I had never heard of this place before, it really was amazing scenery. It is a huge lake-filled volcano crater, with a smaller volcano poking up in the middle. We went for a jog around part of the rim, and then drove on to Sun Valley where we visited our friends Erik and Juliana again, who were staying there for the month while performing in the summer symphony. All four of us then continued on to Driggs, stopping by the Craters of the Moon on the way. At Driggs, we went on a hike up the Grand Targhee Mountain in order to get a better view of the Grand Tetons. The wild flowers were in full bloom, and while we did get lost a couple times, it was really good to get out in the mountain air! We took the chairlift DOWN the mountain, so no hard work required on our knees!

Camping on the way to Driggs (in some crazy strong morning sunlight)




Klamath Lake where we camped

Crater Lake!

The pinnacles

Neverland

The volcano inside the crater

Goofing around at the edge of the crater

Craters of the Moon in Idaho

Kersti hiking up the black hill

Yipee!

Juliana, Erik, Kersti and I at Driggs enjoying a fabulous meal

Hiking at Grand Targhee

Juliana and Erik hiking up the mountain

Taking a break

At the top with a spectacular view of the Grand Tetons

Erik and Juliana back at my parents' place at Driggs