Adventure Log 10/09/05

Adventure Log

October 9, 2005 - Exploring our New Home

Fenway Joins our Family

Our new pup, Fenway, is helping us settle in and make these mountains our home

We adopted Fenway just this week. Her first few days, she was a little skittish, but by Sunday, she was romping puppy-style, eager to climb on rocks and plunge into the creek-bed near our house. She adores the screeching and squeezing provided by our pint-sized neighbors, Michelle and Amanda. We assume the girls' ear-splitting squeals remind Fenway of her littermates.

The Antelope Valley Fair

Toby graciously endured 100-degree temperatures to let me enjoy a day of down-home county fair fun. In the desert, it's easy to forget that California is the largest agricultural producer in the country. But the pig races and sheep pavilions served as a good reminder of the our new state's farming culture.

In these Hills

Miner Vincent, a crusty old outlaw, lived and farmed in these rough mountains a century ago. One day, he saw a bighorn sheep climbing on a nearby hill. He followed it, and it led him to a spring flecked with gold. He named it the Bighorn Mine, and made good money from its gold at the turn of the century. We hiked up to the abandoned mine, visited Miner Vincent's cabin, and let an old storyteller take us on a journey of life here 100 years ago. Then Toby came home and decided to get how own taste of living off the land.

Life's a Beach

Several of Toby's Camp Becket buddies visited from faraway lands. A local Becket alum, Larry, took all of us on a tour of beach life in SoCal. We frolicked on the Santa Monica pier, riding roller coasters and giving the Brits and Aussie in our bunch a decidedly sinful introduction to that American classic, Funnel Cake. We wandered along Venice Beach and goggled at a Muscle Beach hardbody. . . another sinful temptation.

Our Pad in Progress

As of late September, the insulation was in, the pipes and wiring complete, the tub is installed. Now, if only we could get some windows and a ceiling. . .

To see more shots of the construction of our cabin and to learn more about Camp ELK and Camp Coulter Pines, visit where we are.

page created 10/09/05