Detour to San Fracisco

Detour from racing training and drinking

Time to take a break from not working too hard and go on a little vacation with the family.  

Seeing if we could all fit in this box to save money on our travel expenses. But It turns out being shipped Fedex was more expensive. Last Tuesday Aug 2nd my mom, sister, two nephews and I packed up the mini van and headed north to San Francisco for a few days.

First stop Morro bay 

(Proof is in the otters in the background)

Later that day we hit up Hearst Castle

I thought it was bit overrated, more like a glorified mansion than a castle.

However I did appreciate the naked statues

Luna may have the sweetest sandal's of the 21st century but they got nothing on what was created in the 4th century BC

After which we hit up the beach at San Simion 

(no need for Luna's)

Skipping stones

(My nephew showing his stone's choosing a much bigger rock than I would ever choose.)

After a good nights sleep I woke up early for a barefoot jog on that same beach.  There I saw a topless foreign broad at about 8:30 a.m. in 60 degree weather.  It made me happy (although she about 70, lol)

 See no evil, Speak no evil, Hear no evil

(does it really have to be in any particular order?)

Pool opened at nine.  After a quick swim we set forth to SF

 We got side tracked along the way

 The mission was pretty sweet.  I really dug how you walk around and explore the place.  

In general missions make me sad!  I don't believe in god yet I am very offended by the way missionary's have converted people around the world!!!!! Why can't they just let people believe what they want? The pictures of Native American's  hugging father Serra are despicable!

Father Serra You suck! but I dig your sandals.

Time to get out of here and hit up SF

Are hotel was on Lombard ST only 4 blocks from the famous hill.

 From there we walked down to china town for dinner and souvenirs

The next day seemed like a great time to go to prison

 We jumped on the very first commercial hybrid ship we could find
the "Hornblower"

 Are first stop was Angel Island (the Ellis Island of the West)

After which we hit up the rock!

I was given the standard cell but would have preferred solitary confinement
(a thought shared by the tourists surrounding me)

I dig the improvements the IAT made!
(look closely)

Once we escaped we hit up the seaboard for some entertainment.

(Nature makes good TV)

We decided to waste a few quarters at the arcade

 how could I resist?

ooh lala! best spent $.25 ever. lol

Why was this ever built

My bicep aint even close to that big. 

 After the arcade, some ate ate chowder and sourdough at the wharf while other's enjoyed ale.

 The walk back to the hotel we enjoyed the entertainment

My nephew asked "are they toys?"

I dig the innocence!

 View from Hotel

 We got back at dusk. Our hotel had a great view of the ipad sign and decent view of the golden gate.

The next morning was are last day in SF so I decided to jog out to the bridge.  The year prior I ran in the SF marathon which also ran on the Golden Gate, In the race I ran fast and hard and was there well before sunrise and saw nothing but a sea of darkness over it's side.

This time the view was great and well worth the 10 mile+  run.

When I got back I dragged the family to the bridge via Mini Van

While walking on the bridge I got in a discussion with my nephew about which he would rather be. the old man or the little girl?  He chose the little girl because she had a whole life ahead of her,  I agree.

I told my nephew's I survived jumping off the bridge the year prior and they were pumped up to join me.

My nephews looking for a good place to jump from

Living on the edge, I know.

Even Grandma got in on the action.

During my run earlier I crossed the Exploratorium 

Well hello there.

I drank from toilet's walked under ladder's it felt like was at home

I think my favorite thing was this dumb magnet that made me feel like an artist while at the same time gave me an overwhelming desire to take a hallucinogenic substance.

 I was on sensory overload. My nephews got board but grandma and I kept on exploring

 My mom's a good sport. :)

 Are trip was almost over but by far the most spectacular thing I saw was the dome just outside.  The thing massive

 I felt like I was in a Thomas Cole painting

 Wow

 It was getting late and we had to head back home

 Along the way we stopped at the oldest building in SF

 Mission San Francisco

I was feeling braver than normal and dipped my hand in the holy water.  Although I claim to be an atheist superstition overwhelmed my thoughts and I expected some kind of burning sensation. I felt nothing but when I flicked the water on my sister I think she experienced something different.
(she immediately started to melt)

 Outside was a pretty sweet graveyard although the mission as whole has been cemented in and was deffinetly not as raw as The San Miguel Mission we visited earlier in our trip.

Nice sandal's

The mission was are last stop and we hit the road home right after

 I don't know how much more time I have left living near my family and I really cherish being able to see my nephew's grow up.  It was great trip and really love being able to spend the time with my family.