On May 25, we got out bowls for ice cream and popcorn. We all ran to the table to get our seats. Then we watched the Kentucky Derby. And they’re off! We wached the horses take off. They were going so fast. They were coming down the home stretch and then Animal Kingdom won. After that we went to read To Kill A Mockingbird. Then we went to bed. I had so much fun waching the Derby.
On May 24, we woke up as my mom was driving from Point Arena, where we spent the night, to Mendocino. When we got up we went to look for a bathroom. Me, Ana, and Mommy found a bakery where we could use the bathroom. After that we bought four ginger bread cookies and three muffins. When we got back we shouted and said we got ginger bread cookies! After that we drove to what we thought was a beach. When we got there we went and got on our shorts and went outside to the water. “No!” we said. There was no beach. Then we went back inside and looked out the window. Then Daddy made me and Ana go on a walk. He told us to watch the waves. They were bright blue. We saw some ducks. Then we went across a natural bridge. I was scared but I went across anyway. We got our pictures taken and then we went back and went to another place to see the waves. We walked for a while and then we went back to the RV. I had a fun time with Daddy and Ana.
The white dot is Greta
On May 23, after seeing the elephant seals, we drove out to the tip of Point Reyes. When we got out of the RV, we almost got knocked over. We walked in the wind for a long time, straight to the Visitor Center, where we saw whales’ baleen that the krill and the water comes though and a huge jaw bone of a whale, which was bigger then me, way bigger than me. We also got a game on the national parks.
After that we went to look at the lighthouse, which was way down a steep hill next to the ocean, down lots and lots of steps in the rocks. We weren’t allowed to go all the way down to the lighthouse because it was too windy and too dangerous because we people might get blown off the steps into the ocean. The rangers told us that Point Reyes is the windiest place in America. And it was really windy. The wind was icy cold and it had a lot of force. We got our pictures taken. We looked real funny.
Point Reyes is the windiest place in America
We looked at the ocean and saw a big boat in the distance. On the way back we saw some birds trying to fly against the wind. After that we left and went back to the to the camper. We got blown to the RV most of the time.
On May 22, we crossed the Golden Gate Bridge. We went very slow on it because of all the traffic on the bridge. Me and Stella were doing our homework and they told us we were crossing. I looked out the window and saw the bay underneath us, but Stella still had her head in her book. She didn’t know we were on it. Daddy was teaching Greta that the bridge is a suspension bridge and was the longest in the world when it was built. We were almost to the other side and Stella still had her nose in her book. On the other side, I said, “Stella, wasn’t that really cool?” She mumbled, “Yeah, it’s really cool.” Then she said, “When are we going to cross the Golden Gate Bridge?” And I said, “Stella, we just crossed it.” She looked at me, bewildered. We all laughed, and she was disappointed she had missed it.
On the other side, we stopped for photos of the bridge and had some sandwiches for lunch. We went to the Marin Headlands, which are the hills on the north side of the Golden Gate (the Golden Gate is the opening from the ocean to the bay). We drove through a forest and saw lots of horses. Ana saw a sign that said horseback riding, and that made me very mad because we didn’t get to go.
We got bundled up and went on a hike to the Bonita Point Lighthouse. Along the way, we went through a cool tunnel. There was a ranger at the tunnel who said we had only ten minutes to go look at the lighthouse and come back. On the other side of the tunnel, we heard crashing waves. There was a bridge across to the lighthouse, but we were not allowed on it because it is too old and rusty.
The lighthouse at Bonita Point
We drove pass some batteries where there used to be big cannons. The cannons were there to protect the bay in case enemy warships ever tried to attack the bay, which they never did.
Looking back at the Golden Gate Bridge from Bonita Point
We returned to the visitor’s center and completed our junior ranger packets. They gave us stickers instead of badges, and we were sort of disappointed. But we were happy.
On May 21 we went to get my dad from the airport. After that we went to visit my great Aunt Ida and Uncle Bob. When we got there, my mom and Ida started chatting away. We sat while the parents talked with Bob and Ida. Then Bob told us that we could go out and play. When we got outside, we went straight to the orange tree and the lemon tree. The oranges looked real good. Then we went to the lemon tree. Oh my gosh! They were huge. Some were as big as a grapefruit and some were even bigger than that. After that we played tag and a game were you scream for as long as you can. Greta took pictures of us jumping. We got tired and then Bob gave us each a orange from the tree. They do grow good oranges. After that we said goodbye and then we left.
With our favorite relatives in Santa Rosa, CA
May 20 We got down the bikes and rode to Mary’s school. When we got there we went to the office to tell them that we were going to mary’s class room. We walked to her room and met her there. Mary told us that we could do anything. I went and read some books also looked at their projects. We stayed there for a while and then we went to help recycle some paper. After that we went home on a nice bike trail. I had a lot of fun at Mary’s school.
Today, May 17th, while walking along Fisherman’s Wharf we walked into a great store. It has a whole bunch of magnets and the great part was that there were also stuffed animals. I had been wanting to buy a souvenier stuffed animal the whole trip. I looked down and saw the cutest sea lion. He looked just like the ones we had just seen laying around on Pier 39. And guess what! The sea lion wore a scarf that read “Pier 39 San Francisco”. I loved him immediately. I rushed up to my mom and said, “Can I please get him?” My mom (as usual) said she would think about it. Usually when she says that it puts me in a grumpy mood. Then we went to pick out a magnet that has the Golden Gate bridge on it. We got it and went to the cash register. My mind leaped and I asked “Can I get it?” Then I took a deep breath and my mom said, “Yes.” I hugged her so tight and I told her she was the best in the world. After buying Celia we left to explore more of San Francisco.
Me and Celia
As we got off the trolly we walked down several streets. Suddenly Daddy stopped in front of one of the stores. We looked in the window we saw barrels and barrels of saltwater taffy. Our parents suggested we go in and get some taffy. We were so happy we started yelling. Once inside, my parents got a basket to fill up. We each got to pick 12 different pieces of taffy. I looked around and saw lots of kinds of taffy. I wanted to taste all of them! Then Ana said, “Look what I got!”. She and Stella had been given a piece to try. Stella was nice and shared her’s with me. So far my favorite flavor has been the vanilla that my mom picked out.
May 16. This morning we went to go get my mom at the airport. First we went to get our toilet fixed. When we got there we went to tell the people that we were ready for our toilet. They came and put the toilet in the RV. After that we went to a book store. We had sandwiches and then we went inside to get my mom’s book. We went to the kid’s room and read books. Back at the RV, we made mackaroiny and cheese. It was good. After that Daddy read us To Kill A Mockingbird. After that we drove to the airport. We drove up to the place where Mommy was supposed to be but she was not there. We keep driving until we saw Mommy. We all ran to the door and hugged her and then they made us go to bed. I’m glad we have Mommy back with us.
On May 13th we drove down highway 1 along the ocean. Most of the time we saw the ocean but sometimes we saw hills. At one point we saw that part of the ocean was very light blue. Greta said she thought some one had poured a lot of coolade in the ocean. Daddy told Ana that she worked really hard to get her pictures taken in that strong wind.
We drove until we came to a stop for construction where the road had crumbled away. We waited for a long time. Then we moved about a foot. We just sat there. I went back to Ana’s bed and read a book. I read for a minute and then we started moving. Then we stopped again. We waited for a while and then we finely got on our way.
Along Highway One, near Big Sur
We saw huge rocks in the water. We drove to Big Sur. When we got there we saw huge cliffs. Then we turned around and headed back. We got to Santa Cruz. We drove to our campground. When we got out, Daddy showed us how to hook up the RV. Then we went inside and made dinner. I made Ana’s bed for an early birthday gift. We had these pasta things and had ice cream after that. Then Daddy read some of To Kill a Mockingbird to us. After that we went to bed. At one point a bird woke me up. Then I went back asleep.