Myles in Caveman Slippers!!!

So this is an old video, however I finally figured out how to use YouTube and link it to the blog.   I have been wanting to share this one for a long time.  Beth took this back December 2011.  Sit back and enjoy!!

Crazy Eyes and Fun on the Trails

We had a nice three day weekend, with a kids party and a nice bike ride/run on Monday.


So on Saturday, it was nice to get together with a bunch of our friends for a kids party.  What was different though at this party was the intermixing of different groups of folks we hang out with that normally are not in the same circles.

The kids had a wonderful time.  There was a jump house, fun food and great association.  The weather was supposed to be in the low 70's, but I don't think it made it over 62 but that was OK.   The kids got really worn out in the jump house with even some of the adults hopping in.  

On Monday we didn't want the weather to go to waste, so we decided to go out for a run/bike ride.  There is a route nearby which we love that skirts along the Lime Ridge Open Space.  It starts by the kids school, goes through a tunnel (think like one that should be in the Big Thunder Railroad ride at Disneyland) past a golf course and to a playground where we normally take a bit of a break.  Emma's bike had a flat (shouldn't have removed the goathead thistle) so she ran with Beth pushing Myles.  I rode on my bike with Sophie since I was still suffering from a calf strain.  Round trip it is 4 miles.

However, once we got back near the car, Beth wanted to take the girls up one of the trails she had been running before she picks up the kids from school.  It is a great 1 mile trail in the Lime Ridge Open Space, with a climb up to a single track that meanders back down like a snake with fun banks and turns. So while I waited with Myles, the began their run.  Emma loved the trail and I could hear her hooting and hollering as she came down.  Sophie on the other hand did a face plant early and therefore our normally aggressive hill runner became really timid.  All said and done, though, the kids had a great time. 

That said, yesterday Beth was running the same trail and noticed a photographer with a high powered lens taking pictures of her.  She thought this was odd until she got to the bottom and the photographer told her she was being chased by a Coyote.  Now we have seen coyotes up there before, in fact she had seen one a week before.  Coyotes are normally very timid around humans; however, we think that there must be a den up there.  For more on coyotes and humans, click here.  You can find her recap of yesterday's encounter as well as a picture of the coyote on her blog here.  You will also find other pictures from that run.

Just another beautiful weekend with the family. You can find more pictures here.

Diablo Snow

So we did get some measurable snow on Mt. Diablo today.  The following pictures are from  Mitchell Canyon.

The snow is at about the 1,000 foot level and is about where we normally  run and hike with the kids.
 
So I also know that it is snowing up north, but I take blue skies over snow any day   :) !

Toothpicks are for Food not Feet

So I thought I share a fun story that happened on Wednesday evening.

I guess, at some point our son must have dropped one of the toothpicks we put in his meatballs for dinner. The toothpick ended up pointing directly up in the carpet in the living room waiting for my unsuspecting foot. 

When I stepped on it I felt this searing paint right under the big tow joint.  I looked down puzzled to find a broken toothpick.  I quickly realized that about almost half the toothpick was missing, then realized that it was still in my foot.  But the problems was that, other than what looked a broken bone pushing up the skin and a puncture wound, there was no sign of the toothpick.  There was a brief moment where I thought it was kind of cool and the sudden realization that the toothpick was in my foot and that I wouldn't be the one getting it out. Then the anger hit that this again would cut into more of my training time. 


So it meant a trip to the ER.  Being a bit stubborn, I walked into the ER on the side of my foot.  This is the same leg that I had suffered the calf strain, so I found myself realizing that the strain hadn't healed and that my calf also started hurting.  The doc numbed my foot, and with a small incision, found the toothpick and pulled it out.  And it only required two stitches to sow it up.  I even got antibiotics and a tetanus shot for good measure.

Oh well....

Beth's Castle Rock Adventure with the Kids!

I am going to keep this update short since Beth's blog does more justice.  However, Beth took the kids up to Castle Rock yesterday and got some great photos.  It has been cold out and the creeks are running, but everyone had a great time.  

These pictures are a sample of their trip and are some of my favorites!

You can find all of the pictures on our Dropshots picture site here.  You can also see the complete detail on her site here.

Also, this week my other blog, From 262 to 26.2 hit critical mass.  I am averaging now between 75 and 200 visitors daily. In fact, in one 24 hour period I received over 500 visitors. It is kind of funny, but I had all but given up writing quite a few years back.  But now that I am working for a publishing company and am back on BART, those creative juices are flowing.  You can find that blog here!

Only a couple more days before the kids go back to school so there are plenty of  time for more adventures!!