Wicked, Crazy, Awesome Vacation

Salt Flats

Last week, 30 minutes after work on Friday, my daughter and I set off on a legendary vacation in the Northern California, San Francisco area.  It really was Wicked, Crazy, and Awesome!

Wicked
My daughter recently turned 15.  In Utah, this means she can get a driving permit and, as long as a parent and no one else is in the car, she can drive pretty much anywhere.  What a great opportunity to let her become comfortable with the basics than a long road trip!

So we set off Friday evening and traveled a few hours to Elko.


We stayed at the Thunderbird Motel, mainly because I thought their sign looked cool... (friendly service, super clean, quiet despite the fact that there were a bunch of groups nearby!)



From there, we hit the road.  The scenery increased in beauty with each hour.

Then there was that moment.  A moment of peace for Gerald.  You see, we thought we saw a leaf blow in from the left shoulder of the highway.  At 55 miles an hour, all I could do is make sure I didn't hit Gerald as the leaf suddenly stopped right in front of me and looked at me with big sad eyes!  Baby squirrel Gerald.  RIP.

Not the actual squirrel...

Instead of taking the cliche, safe route to Manchester Beach KOA (a divine spot, btw)



we opted for "scenic route".  We learned that this is translates in California to "Here is a bike path with a steep drop off on one side.  Share the road with oncoming traffic.  Good luck!  JOKE'S ON YOU!  HA HA HA!"

But it was still gorgeous and often felt like we were driving through fairyland...

Oh so curvy, occasional drop offs, and scary moments.  We made it to KOA before dark, threw up our tent, and hit the beach just in time to watch the sunset!

No complaints there!

The next day, we took the advice of staff at Manchester Beach KOA and hit Schooner Gulch.  Water was cold, but Oh My!  It was gorgeous and fun and quiet and peaceful and did I mention GORGEOUS?!

Crazy
 That night, we told ghost stories (References: 'Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark', summaries of horror movies the other hadn't see, and Sesame Street!)  We also decided to play mad libs, but we had none with us so each of us made up little stories and had the other fill it in.  This made for many goofy laughs!

Meanwhile, my kid had purchased dinner at the KOA store: Chimichanga, dill pickles, and Chili Cheese Fritos.

The smell in the tent lasted into the next morning!

I suspect the next time we camp, we will open the tent and laugh at the stinky memories!

In the morning, we packed up and headed on the road toward Novato where we would be spending the rest of the vacation with my sister and her 5 kids.  (The entire trip came about because her husband was driving out with her, but he had to fly back for work.  We were going to caravan back home together at the end of the week...)

Our first stop was Fort Ross (but we saw a cool resort on the way)

We saw Thesealions and walked a long, steep path down.  Well, when we first got separated, it was no big thing, but the path was narrow and there was only one way down so when I got to the bottom and couldn't find Jane, it got serious.  'Mom voice' popped into my head and 10 minutes later I had myself convinced that she had fallen onto the rocks, was bleeding out and drowning at the same time while a Sea Lion ate her.

Then she popped up behind me.  My God, the relief!  Apparently she climbed the rocks behind me and didn't know I was looking for her.  Even at 15, they'll scare the life out of you!

But she got great pictures!

Our next stop was Bodega Bay.  I had the chance to Hitchcock Geek OUT!  The Birds was filmed there!  We stopped at Tides Wharf Restaurant and inside I found something which is now in my prized possessions: a bottle of Zinfandel signed by Tippi Hedren!

We then stopped to take pictures and grab a bite to eat at The Dog House, a great little hot dog and burger joint next to the Post Office.

Then on to The Birds locations!!

Finally we rolled into Novato and saw the room where we would get to stay.  The view, OH, the View!

The next morning, we went to Stintson Beach with the kiddos to have some serious fun...

Awesome

Wednesday was our San Francisco Day.  We tried to see EVERYTHING there is to see in SF in one day... except we skipped a couple because we had seen them on our last trip - The one that springs to mind is Mission Delores, co-star in Vertigo.

First sight to see after the bridge was The Palace of Fine Arts early in the morning.  We drove around to catch some classic SF sights:

 When we hit Lombard St, a piece of which is considered the "crookest street" in America.  I thought I might like a nice picture of it, but we were there and it was quiet and... well... I drove it!  Too bad I can't add videos to this blog.

Next we went to Fisherman's Wharf.  I bought tickets online for a couple venues because it saved a little money, but it also made entry quick.  We started at Ripley's Museum of Oddities.  As a fan of PT Barnum, I enjoyed the parts of Ripley's that carry on that tradition blurring the lines of myth and reality.

Fiji Mermaid

I left Jane on the right so you can see dimension

WOW!

Human Bone items

Next we hit Madame Tussaud's Wax Museum.  I had to go, just because!  The pictures do NOT capture the reality.  You can stand so close they look like they are looking back, but the images do look waxy.  Still... fun in the museum!

I might have an obsession problem:

Yeah, we're besties now.

After that, we spent a little time and some quarters at the coin operated museum: Musee Mechanique! and then followed up with lunch at The Franciscan

Next we went to Grace Cathedral (Family Plot)

And enjoyed the art and architecture of San Francisco...

Eventually arriving at Clarion Alley; a street in the Mission District which now features street art.  This continually changing canvas will be enjoyable for decades to come and has some very breathtaking and emotional points of interest.

After which we drove up to Twin Peaks in the Haight-Ashbury area in order to catch some breathtaking views of the city:

From there, we went to Golden Gate park.  We drove around, mainly enjoying with our eyes, but caught a few glimpses of beauty on "film".

And finally we took in the ruins of the Sutro Baths as the fog set in for the evening:

Of course, we hadn't had enough shopping so we stopped in Sausolito on the way back.  Cute little shops off the main street near the water and some nice souvenirs to be had.  By the time we got home, we were pretty exhausted.

So the next morning, we went to the pool and then came home to rest a bit before heading out to Sonoma Valley.  We took in the Sonoma Mission, General Vallejo's Barracks, and tons of vineyards!

Unfortunately, all good things must come to an end.  While I could have stayed another week, we headed back the following weekend.

The fun isn't quite over...

So, the hotel where we had reservations was off exit 231.  As we neared, we saw a sign that said 231 is closed, use another exit.  So we did.  It was dark and very late.  No one was around, but we had lost sight of my sister's red van.  Well, we found the hotel, but missed the turn.  Then we saw the back of a red van, same make and model as my sister's with the same state plates, but what?  Did her magnetic bumper sticker fall off?  Sad!  We pull up behind and wait for her to turn around, but she doesn't.  Instead she goes around this corner and parks weird.  So we pull up behind.  Now Jane is laughing hysterically.  I'm sure you guessed, it's not her?  But what are the odds of another van, same color, make, model, and out of state plates going to the same place!?

So we turn around and pull into the hotel registration spot.  The red van passes us, looking intently in our windows.  I give a smile and wave because, well, you might as well OWN it, right?  HAHA

I got out to register and the gentleman got out so I just laughed and said "Sorry if I scared you!  I'm meeting my sister here and she drives the same van and we're even from the same state!"

He explains that the had tried losing us, but we kept pulling up behind him and it was "creepy" so he was glad there was a reason!  Then my sister pulled in behind me to prove I'm not crazy.

Which, I suppose, is still under scrutiny.

We checked out the next day and stopped at the California Trail Interpretive Center to waste a bit of time before heading for Elko to eat Denny's for lunch.

This is so bad and I don't think my sister will like it, but it cracked me up so hard I had to cover my mouth so as not to encourage the child. We were waiting for food and her older daughter said something about it impatiently.  My interpretation was that her younger daughter was just observing the fact, but after a long vacation and a million questions, my sister sternly said "The food is coming when it comes so everyone just needs to chill out!"

To which the younger one replied "I am chill" with an attitude that killed me.  You know, the attitude you wouldn't want to live with or wish upon your sister, but is right entertaining from the other side of the table.

Thank you, dear sister, for making the trip possible and for the ladies at work who took vacation time this summer so I could afford some nice treats on this trip like the museums and fancy lunch (not to mention all that gas!)

And Now It's Time To Start Some Trouble.

My family is messed up in a completely different way than my husbands family is messed up.  Literally every day, someone's drama is stupid.  For a while, I've said I should start blogging all this stuff because it's better than following a soap opera.

Today's comment is vague and mild, but...

Hey, I know I drove you, my adult child, to this restaurant, but one of my adult (older than you) male children needs a ride so I'm going to go pick him up.  You will have to find another way home.

Because abandoning one child to go get another makes more sense than him being an adult and hiring Uber?

Is Advocating for Gun Ownership AND Gun Control Allowed?

Let me start by clearing up something right away.

I do not wish to take away your guns
I do not wish to ban guns
It may not seem this way for what follows, but I actually believe in the right to keep and bear arms.  I just have a lot of reservations.

The aftermath of a mass shooting

Those asking FOR gun control (these words do NOT mean "ban"!) are trying to find ways to STOP MURDER. Those who immediately respond with cries of second amendment rights, mental illness as the real problem, "You want to take away our guns!", "If you ciminalize guns, only criminals will have guns!", etc, sound like they are not interested in STOPPING MURDER. 

Maybe those gun advocates who speak for all gun owners should re-evaluate their thought process.  When you dismiss the conversations to STOP MURDER, are you actually CONDONING MURDER?  You want to say no, of course, but if you are not focusing on the murders that just occurred and instead talking about gun rights, what are you saying?  Do you not believe that we deserve to have a conversation?  Do you not believe there is any association whatsoever?  Can you really deny the fact that these mass murders are worse because they are happening at the end of a gun instead of some horrible person coming up with a way to stab or poison 50 people all at once?  (There are a lot of article supporting the idea that using a gun removes the killer from the personalization of an attack, thereby making it easier for them to kill many than if they had actual blood on their hands, but that's cherry picking data so I won't use it as anything other than a "common sense" argument.)

Asking gun owners to register their weapons is like asking drivers to register their cars. Requiring vigorous licensing process to prove you understand gun safety and are not a risk to others is like asking you not to drink and drive. Asking you to lock up your weapons is like asking you to lock your doors in an unsafe neighborhood. How do these things which may very well HELP to STOP certain MURDERS from occurring really hurt RESPONSIBLE GUN OWNERS?  You say you are a responsible gun owner, but you don't want to be asked to lock up your guns, register your weapons, or prove your ability to use a gun properly.  Are you sure you are responsible?  Maybe you are responsible, but you don't like the idea of proving it.  But why should I trust you?  Why should your lack of trust in registering your weapons, etc, be more important that my lack of trust in you?

What most gun advocates don't realize is that they are repeating the words of the NRA, an organization run by wealthy zealots. Why are you questioning the government, the food industry, and the medical industry, (also run by wealthy zealots) but you refuse to question the NRA?
Frontline: Gunned Down
Transcript, if you prefer to read.


In a way, these shootings are a crime of opportunity. If your neighbor gets robbed and then admits he doesn't lock his front door, what do you think?  HONESTLY.  Maybe you don't think it is his fault, but you wonder if he could have prevented it.  You probably have less sympathy.  Maybe you do blame him.  Now imagine that person had guns, not locked up, that were stolen and used in a crime.  IT COULD HAVE BEEN PREVENTED.  Don't we lock our cars and houses in an attempt to prevent a violation of our property?  Don't we teach our kids to look both ways before crossing the street to prevent losing them?  Don't we do a million things to prevent bad things from happening?  Why is it so wrong to suggest that gun owners take steps to prevent MURDER.

The Second Amendment

The second amendment of the Constitution of the United States reads as follows: "A well regulated Militia, being necessary to the security of a free State, the right of the people to keep and bear Arms, shall not be infringed."

A well regulated Militia, being necessary to the security of a free State, the right of the people to keep and bear Arms, shall not be infringed. The history and reality of this law might be interesting to note. I don't typically think Wikipedia is the most reliable resource out there, but it's also not bad, especially for the point that I am making, which includes the reason this amendment was added to our Constitution and the politics behind it.
Why do gun enthusiasts think that creating laws that allow you to own your weapons, but may prevent MASS MURDER is limiting your freedom. Your freedom is in RESPONSIBLE GUN OWNERSHIP, not allowing MURDER to occur.

It's easy to get hung up on that word "infringe". Cambridge defines it thusly: To act in a way that is against a law or that limits someone’s rights or freedom.

Silencing the Conversation

Stop trying to silence the conversation asking for sensible gun control by crying about your second amendment rights.  It does not grant immunity from laws that look to ask you to restrict gun ownership. 

Many comments are designed to stop the conversation. (Only criminals will have guns) (mental health issues). We need to stop ending the conversation. If you do not have a solution to the problem, then talking about 2nd amendment rights and spouting NRA propaganda is not helping. The liberals are asking for ways to STOP MURDER. The conservatives sound like they are not interested in STOPPING MURDER when they dismiss the conversation with these propaganda statements.

I understand that those who obtain their guns for personal use, hunting, etc, don't want to be "punished" for the actions of the "crazies" who commit these active shooter situations, but I also don't think I should be paying higher car insurance rates because of those who are uninsured, underinsured, or those who drive drunk.  You're demented if you think drunk drivers don't have a factor in your auto insurance rates.  Hell, if I have a sports car, I automatically pay more because other sports car drivers are more likely to speed or drive recklessly.  If I drive like a saint, I still pay a high rate. (Yes, some companies are trying to change that with "snapshot" discounts, but those discounts come off of an already inflated rate, so you're still somewhat responsible for what other drivers do.) 

I don't like paying more at the grocery store to make up for theft, but we all do that every day (except those who steal!)  It's just part of the reality of a situation.  You cannot own a gun without being asked to be an adult.  Being an adult means car insurance, mortgage or rent (which can also increase based on bad tennants or those who don't pay their mortgage), buying groceries, and should probably mean a much stiffer system for obtaining guns.  This definitely DOES NOT mean that responsible adults should not be allowed to obtain guns.  See how that works?  No one is taking anything away or trying to stop you, the responsible gun owner, from getting more guns.

We just want to have a conversation.  

And if you think the solutions being offered to help the situation (licensing, registration, full background checks that are completed before the release of a gun sale, requiring the same things at a gun show) are NOT the solution, then PLEASE come up with another solution instead of STOPPING the conversation by bringing up the second amendment, criminals, and the other red herrings that do not offer a solution.  

Because currently, it is this easy to obtain a gun legally and then kill a bunch of people.

Also: 6 Things Americans Should Know About Mass Shootings

If this doesn't rip your heart to pieces:
I hope anyone who ever considers shooting someone sees this.
Consider this:

I am very tired, it's past my bedtime, and I hope this all made sense...

Teen Suicide

What a fun subject today, but it weighs heavily on my mind today.

In November, during Thanksgiving break, a boy who would have to be classified as a close acquaintance of my daughter killed himself.

The day after Mother's Day, a boy much closer killed himself.  Exactly one week later, another boy from the circle killed himself.

Remember the days when a hug, a bandage, and some super glue could fix anything for your child?  Those days are over.

Now there is this swirling vortex in my head.  The thing is, I'm not too concerned about my child.  I've have long conversations with her (where I listen more than speak) and she seems to understand that there are a lot of people who care about her, people who would be devastated if she took her life. She is a mess of emotions; anger, sadness, guilt, and everything that is normal to feel when you are young and don't know where all your feelings can go.

I'm more worried about the other kids at that school who are at risk.  And I'm still concerned about my kid because I think about the fact that even if a student whom she does not know kills himself, at this point, she will hurt.