28.

sheesh, that guy i married is 28-years-old.

starting to feel like time is against us, so much to do and so little time.

 i feel like we're racing the clock, which is a stupid race because we're sure to lose.

we've been wanting to bring our mountain bikes to santa cruz for a while now, having heard so much about the singeltrack in the area, and were certainly not disappointed.

it is a pretty incredible experience to go zipping along through the redwoods, the trails are incredibly smooth and fast.

there was a woodies on the wharf event happening over the weekend.

although by the time we finally made it downtown (traffic was a bit of a cluster cuss) it was woodies in a parking lot for us.

i'm not usually that into old cars, but there is just something extra special about these iconic surf-era cars.

we ended our weekend getaway with a stop in san francisco to pick-up a range spotted on craigslist. made us feel somewhat justified for taking four days off of house work. it's hard to leave guilt-free these days with such a mega-project on our hands.

the range is bright shiny and beautiful, can't wait to get the sucker in our new kitchen.

Warming the bones

There's been lots of good skiing and lots of good winter thus far. We really can't complain. However, when I saw that the forecast for Santa Cruz was sunny with a high of 75 we packed up as quickly as possible.  It's kind of amazing to drive four hours, out of the heart of cold and snow, to then find yourself laying on the beach in your swimming apparel. There was a pretty big swell that hit Santa Cruz on our second day which certainly threw off our surfing groove but we took our boards out each day and chalked it up to a learning experience.

Instagram is really getting the better of me.  I did manage snap a few photos with the real camera one morning from the beach just below our campsite. They're so much more satisfying then the quick iphone photos.

Surf & Turf

Three days off

Two perfect days at the beach, sunny sky and decent swell
One perfect day in the backcountry, sunny sky and fresh fluffy snow

Zero complaints

It's a good life

We put our house on the market nine days ago and have since been trying to "not live" at home. It seems like showings are spaced about an hour apart during the day...just long enough to make a mess that needs to be cleaned up before the next showing. It's a little like living in a fish bowl with all the curious drive-bys and house-circlers. Now if only all these viewers would make us a decent offer. To be honest, there's something to be said about a selling frenzy and I didn't realize how hard it would be to turn down an offer, even a low-ball one, when it came our way.We decided on a set amount that would make selling worth-our-while before putting the house on the market and we're sticking to our guns.  If the house doesn't sell in the next 21 days, we'll give it another go next spring. Stick to the plan, sister.

In the meantime, since staying home is the pits, here's to being out-of-town. We were able to spend another four days at the beach, surfing in the mornings and doing whatever-catches-our-fancy all afternoon. AND finally making happy hour at the Seabright Brewery in Santa Cruz. Monday-Thursday happy hour includes half-off appetizers. I'm talking a pile of calamari, a bucket of clams, and a plate-full of salmon bites AND a drink for each of us, for under 20 bucks.

There's been enough of my tears this week to last us both a lifetime. Some stuff is sad, some stuff can't be fixed. Although the combination of waves and a surf board and half-off appetizers does make for a pretty good band-aid. We are both freshly reminded of Grace, freely given, and ridiculously expensive.

 

Weekend

Really pretty hooked on our surf weekends, the days go as all days should go

Early morning coffee and fresh donuts

Paddling into the cold foamy water. The slap of the waves and the smell of neoprene in the morning sun. Focusing so intently on catching waves and riding waves. Watching the other surfers look so effortless and talented. Arms and shoulders refusing to make another paddling rotation. Waiting for the last ride to shore and hoping to call it quits on a good note.  Hands and feet so numb from the cold that it's hard holding onto the board and walking up the stairs.

Warming up on the sand with a good book

Hiking through the redwoods, checking out tide pools, running on the beach trail

Camping in the back of the car undisturbed and for free

Waking up and doing it all over again

Santa Cruz

We couldn't of asked for a better weekend at the beach, with calm winds, sunny skies and a highs in the 70s. Denver is actually starting to look like he's surfing, I'm still just catching a few waves now and then. We spent a few hours in the water each morning and after warming up on the beach jumped in the car and headed down the road for some new sites. The tide pools in Monterey kept us busy for hours, deciding to leave is so hard as there is always the possibility that the next pool will hold some magnificent creature. North of Santa Cruz in Point Arenas we found nice hiking trails and beaches that were covered with hundreds of elephant seals. Elephant seals are crazy creatures, always barking, harassing each other, and piling in heaps on the sand. The outlet malls in Gilroy also kept us busy for hours. I personally find that outlet malls are a bit like tide pools, there is always a possibility that next store will hold some magnificent sale. Denver doesn't seem to have the same feelings.

Black & Whites at the beach