We snuck out of Richmond early, as it was a short day at school, and went down to the Oakland Ice Center.  This is a trip that many of the kids look forward to all year.  For most of them, ice skating is yet another brand new experience.  Most kids cling to the walls at the start.  But for those brave and confident enough to venture out, they learn quickly how to move on the ice.  I wish we had more time to prep in the classroom, or teach them before we go in, but that’s just not how it works out.

We’ll be meeting one more time next week to say goodbye, and so you’ll hear from us one more time as well.  Enjoy the photos here, and check out the video below if you have an extra minute or two.

We expect it to be crowded in Yosemite Valley. This is our 17th year doing this! And we’ve come to expect it to be more crowded each year. What we did not anticipate was the gridlock we encountered, or the utter absence of parking spots. But for the first time in a few years, the weather was warm and dry. And as usual, the kids were resilient, the adults were flexible, and it turned out to be a nice weekend.

We did finally get to do the hike up the Mist Trail to the top of Vernal Falls. Every single kid and chaperone made it to the top, about which we are very proud. It’s an accomplishment that they will always be able to keep with them. And to be clear, despite all of our struggles, Yosemite was spectacular. Thundering waterfalls, under blue skies. All the things we hope for from the park were in their prime. So there’s no minimizing the experience.

But all the delays put us well behind our normally scheduled routine, and we decided to get pizza in Half Dome (formerly “Curry”) Village. This was a great call, as it took just as long for us to get back to our cars, and we headed back to camp in the dark. It would have been rough starting our usual pasta dinner at 8:30pm!

For certain, one of the highlights was singing around the campfire. You can get a taste of it in the video below, or if you’re following us on Instagram! (Even if you’re not on Instagram, you can see our posts here: https://www.instagram.com/escape.club/ )

We are so grateful to a fantastic group of chaperones who gave their time to this program. We also are grateful for each of you who made financial contributions to make this trip free for our kids. Also to those who donated other things, like tents, sleeping bags, firewood, and even homemade cookies!

Our final trip of the year is this week, so we’ll talk again soon! Lots of text this time–thanks for reading this far!

We crouched through the brambly short cut near the falls, leapt (or waded) across the stream, and scrambled down the cliff to the falls. Unfortunately, it was the peak of a high tide, so the beach itself was pretty narrow, with the seawater coming all the way up to the falls at times.  We splashed in the falls, played in the sand, and even spotted harbor seals and a few dolphins out in the distance.

As has become our custom, we enjoyed tamales back at the cars, with some cold drinks.  We were watched by a pair of gray foxes that have taken up residence in the parking lot, hoping for some scraps!  And we enjoyed a quick, impromptu tug of war before it was time for the drive home.

Yosemite, here we come!

About 40 of us arrived in Moss Landing (halfway between Santa Cruz and Monterey) at Elkhorn Slough on a cool, foggy morning. The kayaking company offers wetsuits and raingear, for any who wish to borrow.  And of course we all wear life jackets.  After a brief training session, we paddled out onto the water.  

We got to see lots of wildlife up close–several sea otters (one with a baby!), lots of harbor seals, and shore birds.  We paddled about a mile into the slough, and then rode the current back to the harbor.  We were grateful for the weather, and the experience.  And none of the kids fell in!

As the end of the year approaches, we’re preparing for Alamere Falls and camping in Yosemite.  Let us know if you’re coming!